I love a good fight. I’m not talking about that mess you see on World-Star, or whatever reality TV series is trending at the moment. I haven’t watched a boxing match since Iron Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglass. My two youngest children fight over everything. I do not enjoy their conflicts either. I have not been involved in actual fisticuffs since elementary school. So maybe I’m Using the word ‘fight’ loosely.

Last night, during Bible study, my husband and I engaged in a healthy debate about one of the parables of Jesus. He saw things I did not see. I had questions about the text he hadn’t considered. And all this occurred in front of an audience, (the rest of the members of our church family). They probably thought (correctly) that we are crazy. I was having a ball.

For me, a good healthy fight isn’t about physicality, or even besting your opponent. It’s about an exchange of ideas as we both try to, and encourage the other party to do and be better.

I’ve been fairly quiet during our church Bible studies for the last couple years. I was semi-following along, and keeping my engagement to a minimum. I felt and still feel like my particular contributions to the conversation were unwelcome. I had all but given up the fight. I showed up when I was supposed to. I did the minimum that was required of me. I think I am over that now.

Paul tells us to fight the good fight and to contend for the faith. So that’s what I am choosing to do, going forward. I’m wrestling with the text. I’m fully armored up and ready to do battle. I’m not fighting against my church family, or leadership, or as the case was last night, my husband. But instead I am fighting for a better understanding of God’s will and his Word. It’s definitely worth fighting for.

In “The Vernon Johns Story”, the female narrator says her father told her that if she ever saw a good fight, make sure she gets in it. I can think of no better fight than this. I’m in.

Mama Radford