The Civil War produced many great stories of bravery and heroism. One of those lesser-known heroes was Joshua Chamberlain, who was a thirty-four year old schoolteacher who served in the Union Army. Chamberlain achieved the rank of colonel, and was soon tasked with an important mission.
The Northern army was spread out over a great distance in Gettysburg, and they could not afford to lose the high ground to the Rebels. Chamberlain’s 20th Maine Regiment made up the end of the line—if they allowed the Confederates to get past them, they would lose the war. “Hold the line at all costs” were his orders. He and his 300 men were prepared to fight til the death to ensure Union victory.
On July 2nd, 1863, the the South began their charge. Five separate times the Confederate soldiers charged Chamberlain, and all five times the 20th Maine battled them back. But that was all they were equipped to do. Those 300 men were down to just 80, and they were completely out of ammunition. They knew the next time the South made a move, they were doomed. When they saw the enemy approaching Chamberlain remembered his orders. Staying put was a suicide mission; retreat would cost them the war. Chamberlain looked at his men and shouted for them to affix their bayonets, and then yelled, “Charge!”
Those 80 men followed his lead, sprinting down the hill towards certain death. That is, until the Confederates dropped their loaded weapons and ran in retreat. Chamberlain’s 80 men took 400 prisoners of war—all without a single round of ammo.
What happened? The Confederate soldiers figured the only way Chamberlain would go on the offensive was if he had reinforcements; they thought they were the ones outmanned, so they ran, not knowing their captors carried unloaded guns.
This true story only took place because Chamberlain made a quick decisions. When he was out of options, he thought to himself, “When I am faced with the choice of doing nothing or doing something, I will always choose to act.” That choice to act helped end the war and keep the states united.
We will be faced with similar situations in which we do not know what to do. That is normal. In those moments, when we don’t know what to do, let’s do what we do know. Inactivity is not the solution. Standing still accomplishes nothing. I always liked how Paul said it: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).”
When life is hard, when it doesn’t make sense, when you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, just put one foot in front of the other. Take one step, and then another, and then another. Keep living. Keep serving. Keep worshipping. When faced with doing nothing or doing something, do something. Press on, and you may just see the enemy lay down his weapons and surrender.
No comments:
Post a Comment