As the Revolutionary War continued, British manpower increased from the 4,000 Gage had in June 1775 to 55,000 soldiers, not counting American sympathizers and Indians. While 200,000 Patriots enlisted, Washington fought with less than 8,000 Continentals in any battle.
While short-term militia fought well at Bunker Hill, Massachusetts and Bennington, Vermont, others at Kip’s Bay and White Plains, New York, fled in disarray. However, Alexander Hamilton understood the American strength even in defeat and the British vulnerability even in victory. The very many who fled one battle had plenty of safe room to run from capture, and hung around to fight again. British troops straying from their safe cantonments could find themselves snatched by American guerrilla units. Life History U.S., Vol. 2, 18. Three spiritual lessons emerge from these accounts. One, Christ often finds himself like Prescott and other militia commanders: he has many followers but never enough workers. Many people who attend services but never enough to staff lay ministries. Many who put their last dollar in an offering but few who pay the first ten percent of their income. Or many who attend sessions to be taught, but NEVER ENOUGH to shoulder the load of TEACHING the lessons. Etc., Etc. Two, many of us in Christian service mourn our incompetence/insufficiency to the cause—no power to carry the load. Which generally means that 85 percent of church work is funded and staffed by 15 percent of the membership, and sometimes those bearing the load know others could carry it more successfully.. (But do those non-involved 85 percent expect Jesus to WELCOME, not CONDEMN, them?) Three, those with leadership qualities must be Christ’s front-end servants: first to serve, last to quit. When serving pro-actively, they need a “come on, folks” activism, not a “go on, folks” passivity. And when failing, despite their best effort, a willingness to try another way, never to think no other to success exists. Here is the rest of the story. Those who serve Jesus, including Ministers, and fail in some way to be competent and adequate—who lack power to carry their load—can still, by being there, trying, upset Satan’s plans. While we may flee some encounters with him, we never go far. And we’re always challenged by Jesus to stop the retreat, return to the front and TRY AGAIN. Satan has no answer to the disciple who keeps trying to be like Jesus, while Jesus always has power to make us ever-more like him than we used to be. Keep trying Christians. God wills us to succeed! And out of failing can forge success in another way. Fini
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