One of the greatest guy movies of all time is Braveheart. In it, William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, leads a Scottish revolt against England. For years, England had viciously mistreated the Scottish people, killing many of them. They also robbed them of their dignity and livelihood. Wallace’s desire was freedom for his people. Freedom for oneself and one’s family was worth fighting and dying for.
In one scene, a ragtag army of Scottish men meets on the battlefield against a far superior English army. The Scottish men say they are going home. They do not want to die. One man says they will “run and live.”
In the best speech in the movie, Wallace encourages them to stay and fight. He says to these men:
“Aye. Fight, and you may die. Run, and you will live, at least a while. Dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom?”
I’ve never met a man who heard that speech who wasn’t pumped up! We convince ourselves that if we were in that situation, we would give the English what they had coming. Even if we died, it would be worth it.
That speech reminds me of what it will be like for many believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Jesus made a speech (actually, more than one!), in which He said there are things more important than life. Mel Gibson’s character in the movie would disagree, but what Jesus offered was more important than freedom from political tyranny.
Jesus offers disciples eternal rewards in His kingdom. On one occasion, He told His disciples, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt 16:25).
We face the enemies of the Lord, which are the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:12-17; Jas 4:4). The Lord wants believers to be good soldiers (2 Tim 2:3). Faithful believers are those who fight the good fight against these enemies (2 Tim 4:7).
But it is all too easy to want to run from this battle and to live this life according to the dictates of the world. The Lord wants us to be willing to give up the life that this world offers, even if it means physical death, for the rewards He will give.
I wonder how many of us will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ and regret that we did not stay and fight? For those who leave the battlefield, that regret will be profound on that day. Wallace’s words will ring truer than ever.
We need to modify Wallace’s words only slightly to express what unfaithful believers will feel on that day. Each will say, “I would be willing to trade all the days of my life for one chance, just one chance, to go back and say to the enemy, ‘You might take my life, but I won’t let you take my reward.’”
