Welcome to "Tuesday Mornings," always a positive read to begin a new week.

 

The late historian and author, Bruce Catton, once said that the world today "offers rich opportunities, but above everything else it offers a struggle, a struggle that will never be won by the self-indulgent." He was writing to a nation still recovering from the effects of World War II. But his point is clear and is still relevant to the times in which we live.

 

Since "9/11" America has struggled politically, economically, morally, and spiritually. Pick up any American newspaper and read only the headlines on the first three pages. What we (or the media) say about ourselves as a nation compares rather closely with what historians have written about Europe during the French Revolution (1789-1799). The French government, previously a monarchy with special privileges extended to the aristocracy and the Church, underwent massive changes that led to violent turmoil and social dismemberment—not only in France, but also in much of Western Europe.

 

America is still the "land of opportunity," but few things are won without a struggle. Why is that? No simple answer will do; the times in which we live are complex times. But one of the common threads that is woven throughout the fabric of our nation is that we do not practice self-discipline. In fact, there is no consensus in what our citizens believe about absolutes—except perhaps that absolutes do not exist. So-called "opinion polls" depend largely on the opinions embraced by those conducting the polls. The most quoted individuals in the United States are politicians, talk-show hosts, and cable-channel personalities. We are a nation divided, and we are not willing to pay the price for national unity—unless we insist that national thinking must be compatible with our own value system.

 

This week's "Tuesday Mornings" piece is entitled "Self-Discipline." Whether you agree with the positions taken or not, you will find this week's material worth reading. Continue reading below whenever you are ready.

 

And be encouraged. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Encourager

Self-Discipline

Tom Barnard

 

obert Edward Lee is remembered as the most celebrated general of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Lee distinguished himself as a soldier and battlefield commander for more than 30 years. He knew what it meant to be victorious, and he knew what it meant to suffer defeat. In the Civil War, his greatest victories included the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Fredericksburg. His most celebrated defeat was the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

 

Lee learned the lessons of personal discipline early in life. His father, Major General Henry Lee III (“Light Horse Harry”) died when Robert was 12, leaving the family deeply-strapped financially. His mother lost the family home to creditors, and Lee ended up spending his childhood in a series of houses in Alexandria, Virginia. He worked hard to become a top student in school, excelling in mathematics. He graduated second in his class from West Point, and he accumulated no demerits while a cadet there—a record that has not been matched since.

 

Lee believed in strong discipline. At one point he said, “I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.” Writing on the subject of discipline, Pulitzer Prize author Bruce Catton told the story of Lee attending the christening of a friend’s child. The mother of the child asked Lee for words that would help her guide the child along his path to manhood. Lee’s answer was brief:

 

“Teach him to deny himself.”

 

Expanding on his story about Robert E. Lee, author Catton said:

               

                We don’t emphasize self-denial much these days, either for our children or for ourselves.

            Instead we concentrate on our wants. We seem to have the notion that the world owes us

            all manner of good things, and we feel abused when we don’t get them. Self-discipline

            is a bore; and as a result we are perilously close to winning an unwelcome fame as a land

            known for its spoiled children and discontented adults.

 

Does this paragraph sound like it was written last year? It surely does. But instead it was written more than fifty years ago by Catton, a widely-respected historian of the American Civil War[1].

 

Self-discipline is a hard lesson to learn. We spoil our young to the point that they think “what’s theirs is theirs, and what’s yours is negotiable.” Americans, for the most part, have never learned how to do without stuff. Other than “Nine Eleven,” the last national crisis in terms of wars contested on our mainland occurred 140 years ago. The lesson we have never learned very well is that what the world demands of us is more important than what we are entitled to demand of it.

 

I like Catton’s conclusion: “(By denying ourselves) we miss a good many of the nice, easy things that it is so pleasant to have. But we end up serving something bigger than ourselves. We can finish by attaining greatness.”

 

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Jesus understood what it would take to attain greatness. And he wants us to follow his lead.  

[1] Quotes are taken from one of fifteen contributions by Bruce Catton published in This Week magazine, by United Newspapers Magazine Corp between 1947 and 1959, by Simon and Schuster, Inc., New York