the mental warrior

​The Mental Warrior (Read time ≈ 8 minutes)
Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
 
                True strength starts in your mind. Physical strength, being in shape and caring for your body is important. I believe it is crucial to be good stewards of the body that God gave us as we use it as a temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Obviously, if your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit this implies a responsibility of care and maintenance for that very temple. Beyond that, though, if we only gain physical strength, we are missing a more crucial part of the equation. This proverb makes the statement that being slow to anger, being able to rule your spirit, is greater than being mighty, greater than being able to conquer a city on your own. So, in other words, it is better to be a mental warrior than a physical warrior. Caring for your body is important; being physically capable is important. In fact, I would add, it is essential to effectively carry out the will of God for your life as the will that God has for us is never carried out without straining ourselves both physically and mentally. The proverb is without a doubt, not condemning being a physical warrior, but rather emphasizing the importance of self-control. Being a physical warrior without self-control is like driving a Ferrari with only a gas pedal and no brakes; you can get going fast! But you’re headed for trouble in a hurry.
 
                Whatever we gain, or whatever we lack, physically and mentally, needs to be effectively reigned in by a warrior mentality of self-control. The mighty can conquer cities and win battles. But without ruling over your spirit, being slow to anger, sure, you might win some battles, but they may have been battles you were never meant to take on. We see many times in the Gospels where Jesus leaves from conflict with the pharisees, or He chooses to say nothing rather than engage in the conflict before Him. We know that Jesus is capable of defeating the pharisees and easily winning a debate with… well, anyone! He is the Almighty, all-powerful God after all! So, is Jesus showing weakness by not fighting back? Conquering literally anything was always well within the capabilities of Jesus. A fool says Jesus is showing mental weakness, but rather it is on the contrary.
 
                Jesus understood something that we all need to understand. There are souls at stake in all battles we face. When there is a winnable battle before us, we need to count the cost. Will there be souls as collateral damage if I win this battle? We know Jesus could have decimated all His enemies at any given time, but at what cost? All war has collateral damage (collateral damage definition: injury inflicted on something other than an intended target | specifically: civilian casualties of a military operation). If we find ourselves continually winning battles with brute strength but have no spiritual fruit around us, then perhaps we are killing more than we are allowing to live. Had Jesus faced all opposition with a defeat all mentality, then perhaps it would have killed possible followers, or even current followers. Being slow to anger, ruling over our spirit… these things slow the process down. Capable of winning the battle? Perhaps, but did God call me to battle? This needs to be answered. Or if God does call us to battle, can we still practice self-control so that we win with precision and grace.  Jesus practiced this. Yes, He did flat out walk away from certain things, but He had His fair share of victories as well. But before we engage, we need to ask ourselves, what is at stake? Jesus certainly weighed these things out. I wonder, had Jesus lacked self-control (obviously He didn’t, being perfect and all), what would it have cost? Jesus engaged regularly with the pharisees. Jesus desired to see them repent, not be defeated. The cost will sometimes be more than we would expect. Jesus considered these things. After Jesus hung on the cross and died, He was then buried by two men: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Both men were once pharisees. The very group of men we root against in the Gospels. What good would it have been if Jesus, in all might and power, “took the city” and killed these men when in contrast, their destiny was quite important. Self-control resists unnecessary battles so that those who did not die in battle may live later on and fulfill their destiny. A mental warrior fights the most crucial battles that never leave our own head. A mental warrior is slow to anger, and quick to count the costs and is precise with their words. A mental warrior is the one who wins battles that save lives, not takes them.