I have not yet begun to fight...

His name was John Paul
He had two first names - that always intrigues me
He was born in Scotland
There is something I love about the Scottish brogue
He deserted the slave trade industry because it disgusted him
He didn't let the money mold his morals
When a case of yellow fever claimed the lives of both the ship captain & the second in command, he stepped up.
He took on the responsibility.
Somewhere along the way, he added a last name of Jones.

And although the above things would give me plenty of reason to think he's pretty cool, that is not what I like about him.

But despite the good, the bad or the ugly, we remember him for something else.

"I have not yet begun to fight"

These words were said in the midst of battle when a British sailor was taunting him to surrender.

Those words I decided need to be my creed. So many people; me as well. We fight, but not for the right things. 

We fight 

-out of selfishness. 

-because we think our way is right & their way is wrong.

-to hide the fact that we are really fighting ourselves

-just for the sake of fighting

But I want to fight

-for relationships

-against injustice

-for the lost soul

-against the power of Satan

-for the person who has no voice

-for what is right.

When everyone else thinks it would be reasonable to give up. I want to say "I have not yet begun to fight" When all within us & without is begging us to give up, taunting us that it's not worth it; I want to fight. And I want to fight strong. Never giving up. Not being content to sit back when the there is a fight worth fighting. But to be there full force. Fighting for the right thing, fighting against self.