During World War 2, the Allied leaders had to make difficult decisions. Civilian leaders, military leaders, from local state politicians to the president, and from low level corporals to multi-star generals, they all had to make critical decisions throughout the war.
Sometimes, you didn't have a lot of time to make a decision like this, and sometimes, there didn't seem to be a clear answer. A lot of Trolley Problems presented themselves, where no matter what option was chosen, innocent people were going to suffer, a lot of money was going to be spent, and soldier's lives were going to be lost. So, in a situation like that, what option do you choose?
The Allied leaders came up with a slogan to help one another through those difficult decisions, "when in doubt, win the war." In other words, always select the option that will secure victory for the allies and defeat for the axis powers. The best way to serve everyone was to win the war. The best way to ease the suffering of innocents was to win the war. The best way to stop the loss of money was to win the war. The best way to save soldier's lives and get them home was to win the war. As long as the war continued, suffering would continue.
I believe the same slogan is apt for the Christian fighting the spiritual war of this age. Our war is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). The aim of our war is to win over people to Christ so that they can be granted repentance, escape the snare of the devil, and their souls be saved from endless loss (2 Timothy 2:25-26). Our brothers and sisters. Our war is to complete the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ by loving our neighbor and sharing the Good News with them, to make disciples of people from every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us (Matthew 28:19). This commandment, as we've mentioned, is the commandment to love God and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40, 1 John 3:11). True love is an active force, not a passive emotion, that seeks to serve and care for others at whatever cost to one's self. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
This slogan can help us when we have decisions to make that are not already clear to us. Decisions where there is no obvious right answer. Perhaps both answers require great sacrifice (not only from us, but from others who do not get to choose), or perhaps the issue is that both answers seem good to us (Proverbs 14:12). However, only one of the choices truly leads to winning the war or, to put it in different words, only one leads to the salvation of human souls, the making of new disciples, and the teaching of our Lord's commandment to love.
As we go out into the world to fulfill our Lord's commandment and commission, we must remember that it must be done in love, or it accomplishes nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Let us remember both Paul and Peter's instructions on evangelism and sharing the Good News when he said to explain the Good News to people in a gentle and respectful way (2 Timothy 2:25, 1 Peter 3:16).
