Advancing in Packs

Being in the military has served me many lessons in life and perhaps most have been insightful in helping me understand my vulnerability in this world. I take the example of my experience in the armoured unit of the military.

There is much to be said of the quality of numbers. The Americans (in the Korean war) found out the hard way just how immensely potent the strategy of QUANTITY, which the Chinese used to overrun and overwhelm the Americans, proved to be. Essentially, the Chinese had more soldiers than the Americans had ammunition to kill them with.

I had my brush with this value of quantity just a couple of nights back... here's what happened:

I was doing guard duty at my camp, and due to my current injury, I was placed at the sentry post, which keeps track of the traffic (vehicular or human) at the camp gates.

As usual, guards being the same the world over, I was eagerly waiting for the change in duty whereby I could return to the guard-house for some well-deserved (all right, probably not WELL deserved) rest.

To kill the boredom of duty, I sang songs... everything from Guns n Roses to Green Day and even the Goo Goo Dolls. About an hour into the solo repetoire, I noticed this black dog lying down at the entrance to the sentry post. I'm not much of a dog lover, but this being the year of the dog, I decided to be nice and not disturb it from its rest and carried on dishing out the hits.

Around halfway through 'Something About You' by Five for Fighting, I heard the howling and barking of the other dogs next to the post (there were a total of three in my immediate vicinity). At first I thought they wanted me to keep silent since I'm not much of a singer. But upon turning my head and taking a quick glance around the area, I noticed a pack of around nine dogs fast approaching my position.

Within seconds, the pack was surrounding the sentry post, howling like hyenas and baring their teeth just like the New Zealand All Blacks while doing the Haka war cry. It was then that I knew there was going to be trouble.

To spare all the details, the original 3 were each separated by the 9, and each were soon attacked and overwhelmed by the numbers on the other side. The 3 suffered bite marks and were bleeding from their inflicted wounds. It got pretty tense for me as the dog that was resting at the entrance retreated to the refuge of my legs before being assaulted. I DID try to fend off the rest of the other dogs by using the baton issued to us, but to no avail.

What have I learnt from this long encounter with our canine friends?

1) Satan's army is big and resourceful.

There is so much that the Tempter can beguile us with. The cares of this world, the pride of life, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye all can lead us away from safety.

In our busy schedules, punishing workload or time spent with friends not from our spiritual family, it is often easy to lose track of what's most important to us.

And just like the dogs, Satan can and WILL shoot his fiery darts not one at a time, but a few or many at a time, so as to overwhelm us, to make us shout out loud and say: "I GIVE UP!". No matter who we are, we can be caught up like the seed which grew amongs the thorns in the parable of the sower.

2) There is strength in numbers.

Of course, quality of growth is considered spiritual growth in the kingdom too. But like the adage of old goes: many hands make light work.

With more people in the kingdom, the work of the kingdom can be spread out. And who knows what talent each new person in the kingdom will bring with him? Just like the parable of the talents, some are blessed with 5, some with 2 and others with 1, but every single talent is useful and profitable to the kingdom.

Just like the dogs, in numbers, the kingdom is strong. You never know how the next person you bring is going to contribute to the kingdom. So go out there and bring in the sheaves, for the harvest truly is plentious, but the labourers, oh so few.

-Conclusion-

The victimised dogs are indeed all fine now. They're still staying at the guardroom each night, the bloodstains from that assault have all been cleaned up.

I've learnt much from my experience with the dogs, but i'm sure that there's so much more that could be brought out. Perhaps those reading about this encounter would like to pen down your reflections... I'm sure a lil' sharing would benefit the whole a lot.

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Lucas Quek is a member of the Lim Ah Pin Church of Christ in Singapore and just turned 20 in January. He is currently serving his two years of compulsory national service with the Singapore Armed Forces. More importantly, he is also a faithful servant of the Lord. Welcome Lucas to the team!