LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND.
In battle, soldiers do everything possible to bring fallen comrades home. Even at the risk of their personal safety, every member of the unit holds sacred the commitment to leave no one behind.
Recently I encountered a circumstance in which I wish that commitment applied a bit more closely to my Christian family. Today it feels a little like I’m part of a unit that too frequently abandons its own wounded.
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I’m not a fan of hard-and-fast, no-exceptions rules. They’re great for games with officials. Safe or out. In-bounds or not. No room for interpretation or grace–either it’s in the basket or not.
In life, when it matters, rules are often a crutch.
In life, I’ve encountered few man-made rules so perfect that not one single reasonable exception might be discovered. That’s why we value wisdom, discernment, and discretion.
I’m especially not a fan of any decision supported by, “Sorry, but that’s the rule.” I always figured if you’re truly “sorry,” perhaps it’s a bad rule or at least badly applied in some cases. Takes guts to stand up and admit that–easier to just administer the rule, wash your hands, and hide behind the rules. That’s what bureaucrats do.
A very wise man once said: The most unfair thing we can do is treat everyone exactly the same.
I’d maintain that the higher the stakes, the more that’s true. In a high-stakes circumstance, when a life’s in the balance, we don’t leave our wounded behind and move on for the good of the team.
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:3-7)
We don’t wait for the lost sheep to return on his own. We don’t shrug because he chose to be stupid and wander into danger. We don’t do the math and conclude “the good of the many outweighs the good of the one,” because that’s not how God’s economy works.
Religious leaders constantly badgered Jesus to provide a list of rules. He responded with stories and principles and “love your neighbor.”
I get it–real world organizations have to make tough decisions. I offer these thoughts not as judgement about a particular situation, but more as a caution to myself and maybe to you.
God might have said, “Sorry, rules are rules.”
Instead, He chose the path of grace. He crossed the divide. Instead of abandoning the wounded, He sacrificed His Son.
As one of the seriously wounded, I’m grateful.
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