“No concord between wolves and sheep…” (Achilles to Hector in The Iliad, Book 22, line 311, Homer).
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph. 5:11, St. Paul).
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph. 5:11, St. Paul).
One of the most influential books in Western Civilization (apart from the Bible) is a book few have heard of or read in our day. It was written by a social outcast in England in the late 1600s. It’s called The Pilgrim’s Progress, and it was written by John Bunyan. Every man who wants to live a life of meaning should read it (the original version, not re-writes).
This book is an allegory of the Noble (Christian) life—with all of its trials, temptations, and dangers, along with the glory that is awarded to the man who overcomes the downward drag of life and lives an overcomer’s life. It is filled with characters such as Despair, Hope, Charity, Little Faith, and of course the main character, Christian. One of my favorite characters, though, appears near the end of the book. His name is “Valiant-for-Truth.”
Valiant-for-Truth is the epitome of a man who is—as his name suggests—willing to stand up for what is true as God has shown him, no matter the consequences. And that commitment to Christ (Who is the Truth) is the reason he is first seen with a sword in hand, battling those who oppose truth. He is often in a fight—whether solicited or not. In fact, when he first appears to the pilgrims in the story, not only is his sword drawn, but his face is also bloody because of the enemies he has just fought off.
As he goes on to explain to the pilgrims who meet him in the Way, he has just fought off three specific enemies: Wildhead, Inconsiderate, and Pragmatick (sic). As you know with allegories, the names of these characters represent a specific idea or concept (just like the character “Hope” represents what her name suggests). And while the specific meaning of these three enemies mentioned above may not be as obvious as “Hope,” they nevertheless represent a threat to young men that is present today as it was in the 17th century. What are those enemies that every young man should beware? Of course, the Bible tells us of many enemies to the man of God, but let’s talk about these three in particular.
“Wildhead” actually is a fair description of what it represents—a man whose thoughts and desires are governed by nothing but the whim of the moment—a fleeting idea or desire that pops up without any reference to what is good, what is true, or what is beautiful. He represents irrationality, incoherence, a life lived with no concept of there being a path of truth and goodness. It is life lived on the premise of fulfilling the basest animal instincts in the moment.
Furthermore, we can see where this influence comes from by the question that “Wildhead” puts to Valiant-for-Truth: “Will you become one of us?” he says with a threat.
Who is this “us” he refers to? In biblical terms, the “us” is “the world,” or the world’s self-centered, ungodly way of looking at life and how it should be lived. The “us” represents individuals who promote everything that stands against God. And the way they resist a person is by putting pressure upon him to conform to the world’s way of living that denies God’s claim upon his life. And this pressure does not arise simply from the people you hang out with, your “crew.” (By the way, this only goes to show how important it is to ensure the people you hang out with adhere to the same biblical teaching that you do.) But such pressure can come from every source you can imagine, not just individuals you have a relationship with: social media, educational institutions, entertainers, influencers, professional athletes. Everyone and every thing in our culture attempts to force you to conform to their “standard” of living, even though in current society that “standard” is the lowest level of immorality: “do what we tell you to do, or else!”
This is the enemy that Valiant-for-Truth had to fight against. It is the enemy you and I have to fight against, first in our own mind, heart, and soul. St. Paul says that those who reject Christ as Savior, “…walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” (Eph. 4:17, 18). He goes on to say that those who walk in this blindness give themselves over to their animal instincts, feeding their appetites for the next adrenalin rush, the next drug-induced high, the next sexual encounter. It is the only thing they find any pleasure in.
Not so for the man of God. The man of God does not live by his desires, but by God’s desires. Not only is he the servant of God, doing His King’s bidding when it comes to the grand purpose or quest of his own life; but he also knows that he must live his daily life in the kind of self-discipline that prepares him mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, to face down and overcome the enemies who attack him for his willingness to follow the King.
The fact is, you’ve been born into a world (as have we all) where there are numerous “Wildheads” trying to keep you from following the only one Who matters—the King of kings. Recognize them for what they are. Resist them with all your (and God’s) might. And follow the example of Valiant-for-Truth when it comes to fighting them off: His sword, his most valuable weapon, is the Word of God: “Let a man have one of these Blades, with a hand to wield it, and skill to use it, and he may venture upon an Angel with it.”
Know God, and know His Word. Then you will be equipped to fight off all enemies that seek to destroy your soul.
Go to How to be Valiant and Courageous Part 2
Return to Words to Live By
This book is an allegory of the Noble (Christian) life—with all of its trials, temptations, and dangers, along with the glory that is awarded to the man who overcomes the downward drag of life and lives an overcomer’s life. It is filled with characters such as Despair, Hope, Charity, Little Faith, and of course the main character, Christian. One of my favorite characters, though, appears near the end of the book. His name is “Valiant-for-Truth.”
Valiant-for-Truth is the epitome of a man who is—as his name suggests—willing to stand up for what is true as God has shown him, no matter the consequences. And that commitment to Christ (Who is the Truth) is the reason he is first seen with a sword in hand, battling those who oppose truth. He is often in a fight—whether solicited or not. In fact, when he first appears to the pilgrims in the story, not only is his sword drawn, but his face is also bloody because of the enemies he has just fought off.
As he goes on to explain to the pilgrims who meet him in the Way, he has just fought off three specific enemies: Wildhead, Inconsiderate, and Pragmatick (sic). As you know with allegories, the names of these characters represent a specific idea or concept (just like the character “Hope” represents what her name suggests). And while the specific meaning of these three enemies mentioned above may not be as obvious as “Hope,” they nevertheless represent a threat to young men that is present today as it was in the 17th century. What are those enemies that every young man should beware? Of course, the Bible tells us of many enemies to the man of God, but let’s talk about these three in particular.
“Wildhead” actually is a fair description of what it represents—a man whose thoughts and desires are governed by nothing but the whim of the moment—a fleeting idea or desire that pops up without any reference to what is good, what is true, or what is beautiful. He represents irrationality, incoherence, a life lived with no concept of there being a path of truth and goodness. It is life lived on the premise of fulfilling the basest animal instincts in the moment.
Furthermore, we can see where this influence comes from by the question that “Wildhead” puts to Valiant-for-Truth: “Will you become one of us?” he says with a threat.
Who is this “us” he refers to? In biblical terms, the “us” is “the world,” or the world’s self-centered, ungodly way of looking at life and how it should be lived. The “us” represents individuals who promote everything that stands against God. And the way they resist a person is by putting pressure upon him to conform to the world’s way of living that denies God’s claim upon his life. And this pressure does not arise simply from the people you hang out with, your “crew.” (By the way, this only goes to show how important it is to ensure the people you hang out with adhere to the same biblical teaching that you do.) But such pressure can come from every source you can imagine, not just individuals you have a relationship with: social media, educational institutions, entertainers, influencers, professional athletes. Everyone and every thing in our culture attempts to force you to conform to their “standard” of living, even though in current society that “standard” is the lowest level of immorality: “do what we tell you to do, or else!”
This is the enemy that Valiant-for-Truth had to fight against. It is the enemy you and I have to fight against, first in our own mind, heart, and soul. St. Paul says that those who reject Christ as Savior, “…walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” (Eph. 4:17, 18). He goes on to say that those who walk in this blindness give themselves over to their animal instincts, feeding their appetites for the next adrenalin rush, the next drug-induced high, the next sexual encounter. It is the only thing they find any pleasure in.
Not so for the man of God. The man of God does not live by his desires, but by God’s desires. Not only is he the servant of God, doing His King’s bidding when it comes to the grand purpose or quest of his own life; but he also knows that he must live his daily life in the kind of self-discipline that prepares him mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, to face down and overcome the enemies who attack him for his willingness to follow the King.
The fact is, you’ve been born into a world (as have we all) where there are numerous “Wildheads” trying to keep you from following the only one Who matters—the King of kings. Recognize them for what they are. Resist them with all your (and God’s) might. And follow the example of Valiant-for-Truth when it comes to fighting them off: His sword, his most valuable weapon, is the Word of God: “Let a man have one of these Blades, with a hand to wield it, and skill to use it, and he may venture upon an Angel with it.”
Know God, and know His Word. Then you will be equipped to fight off all enemies that seek to destroy your soul.
Go to How to be Valiant and Courageous Part 2
Return to Words to Live By