#171: Out For The Count

When a guy gets clobbered in the boxing ring, he is "out for the count" of ten for a knockout. The duration of the "Out For" phrase in these posts is likewise hammered, probably to make a comeback as "Out Of" since there are so many more possibilities for that particular combination of words. Of course, all this is subject to whatever whimsical mood I find myself in at the time of posting...self indulgence is a wonderful think of wind and water in the qi-seeking feng shui of life!
Well, today in 1941 was Adolf Hitler's big boo-boo on the geo-political chess board of world history. Not only did he ignore Napoleon's mess up of invading Russia, he broke the Sabbath lo those 67 years ago, too! Now, granted, that probably was not a high consideration of Hitler's world life view, even though he claimed to be a Christian in his work, Mein Kampf, but he and his troops suffered the consequences anyway. Since the board game, Risk, was not produced until 1957, Eddie Izzard's assumption in one of his comedy routines is correct when he suggests Old Adolf did NOT play it as a kid or he would have realized that invading Russia and the whole central Asia areas is not a good strategy in that particular game!
Now, perhaps if you were Genghis Khan and started out in that region, the game of most-of-the-world-conquest went OK for a few centuries, but like most vast empires over the course of time, his eventually collapsed after Kublai Khan died and the young'uns just couldn't keep up with the pace.
What, you ask, does this have to do with anything? On the one hand, nothing at all other than my historical ramblings. On the other hand...this would be the one with the cut left thumb still awaiting stitches on Tuesday...I can draw a Biblical lesson from which we all can profit. In Luke 14:28-35 we're told to "count the cost" in building a tower or fighting against a superior force or becoming a disciple. The King of Kings is infinitely strong, so if you are not part of His army, you might "want to send a delegation to sue for peace" as verse 32 suggests. If you're in His Corps, perhaps you want to check your "saltiness."
Got spiritual taste buds?