In my last post, I talked about finding unity beyond the election (click here to read the post!). As I thought more about the concept of being unified despite our differences, political included, I was reminded of the saying, “lost the battle, but won the war.” It is a thought process I try to take into account when making decisions.

In looking it up, this saying is actually the inverse of a more well known term called a “Pyrrhic victory”, which is named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus whose army suffered devastating causalities in a battle with the Romans. It was said King Pyrrhus won the battle but at a cost that ultimately led him to lose the war. This became a common term for situations in which the cost of winning the immediate battle ultimately had a negative impact on potential for success in future campaigns and the achievement of the overall goal. Okay, enough history lessons.

How is this relevant to today? As I considered what it takes to come to a place of unity in the midst of our differences, it might require us to lose some battles to win the war.

Before I go any further, let me preface this by saying this does not apply to every situation. Sadly, this way of thinking has been used to tell people to stay in abusive relationship or connected to an unhealthy community. It has also been used to quiet people seeking justice in the midst of societal injustice. The Civil Rights movement would be an example of this. There are times when a person needs to cut their losses or continue to press forward on an issue, even when staying put or staying quiet appears to be the less costly option. The reality is there are times when stepping into these difficult “battles” is necessary to win the ultimate “war”.

Keeping that in mind, there are many other times when we have to decide if a battle is going to move us toward the goal we are seeking or just make us feel better in the moment. In the previously referenced post, I discussed the current political strategy of dividing and conquering though demonization and dehumanization. This is a clear picture of winning the battle, but losing the war. By further dividing us, it makes it more likely that we will vote for “our candidate”, believing we have no other choice. While this may get a candidate elected, winning the battle, it creates a chasm in our nation, making it more and more difficult to build a flourishing society, winning the war. Most people would say we want a United States that creates opportunities for people to achieve their dreams. Unfortunately, we find ourselves busy fighting battles that lead to the opposite.

What would it look like to live in such a way that we consider the achievement of the ultimate goal when deciding how to approach the battles along the way? As a Follower of Christ, I believe Jesus provides the best picture of this. Even if you would not consider yourself a Christian, the example provided by Jesus is still compelling. Jesus’ ultimate goal was to defeat death, redeem humanity, and restore the relationship between humanity and the God who created them. The catch was winning this war meant giving up his power, being treated like a criminal, suffering, and dying. Moments before Jesus was arrested, he said the following to one of his followers who had drawn a sword to defend him: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:53-64, NIV)

Jesus could have easily won the battle. However, doing so would have cost him the war. He looked beyond his present reality, making decisions based on his ultimate goal. Did he lose the battle? Yes. Did he win the war? You can read the rest of Matthew to fact check me, but the answer is most certainly yes.

This is where we find ourselves. There are many battles out there. Some are worth fighting while others are worth losing. The key is to examine them to determine if they move you toward your ultimate goal, or if they making winning the war even harder.

Do we desire a more united United States? It may require us to lose a few battles to win the war. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

James Belt