Hacksaw Ridge is on screen in 2016 and directed by Mel Gibson based on the true story. This classical biographical war drama film vividly describes the story of the main character Desmond Doss, an American pacifist combat medic in World War II. What impresses me most in the movie is Desmond’s steadfast will to hold his value and faith in God. He actually had the right to defer enlistment to join the war, but still decided to leave his comfort zone to the dreadful war zone to save people. Furthermore, Desmond Doss refused to carry or use any firearm or weapon during the training and even in the war. And because of this, he was sued by the military. In the military court, one of Desmond’s response to the question from the judge deeply impressed me. Facing the harsh questions from the judge about why he disobeyed his superior’s command, he firmly told the judge
“…I had a job in a defense plant and I could’ve taken a deferment, but that ain’t right. It isn’t right that other men should fight and die, that I would just be sitting at home safe. I need to serve. I got the energy and the passion to serve as a medic, right in the middle with the other guys. No less danger, just…while everybody else is taking life, I’m going to be saving it. With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me to wanna put a little bit of it back together.”
Desmond’s response truly gives people a wake-up call to reflect our attitude to this world. So much we desire to have a better world, but so little we’re determined to contribute. Many times, we may just question ourselves if our small action can really make a change to the world. And this then become a stumbling block to stop us from moving forward. How important what thought we hold in our brain. If everyone’s willing to change that thought a little bit and pluck up our courage to take the first step, then this one step is going to affect another one and then another one……gradually the initial small change would be no more small.
Path to the life is not easy, but it’s achievable. Holding God’s words and practicing it to the end will be the key to finding the answer to our life. Impaling God’s thoughts to our heart, then the path of light would come out. Little by little, things that we thought is impossible would turn out to be possible one day soon.
From this movie, I also arrange some takeaways base on the quotes from it as the following. Hoping you would like it as well.
Stick to the pure heart God has given to us
“I don’t know how I’m going to live with myself if I don’t stay true to what I believe.”
— Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), Hacksaw Ridge
Don’t lose our faith in God
Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the Earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.
— Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), Hacksaw Ridge
Most of these men don’t believe the same way you do, but they believe so much in how much you believe.
— Captain Glover (Sam Worthington), Hacksaw Ridge
Don’t see the world with worldly eyes
All I saw was a skinny kid. I didn’t know who you were. You’ve done more than any other man could’ve done in the service of his country. Now, I’ve never been more wrong about someone in my life, and I hope one day you can forgive me.
- Captain Glover (Sam Worthington), Hacksaw Ridge
Change starts from small
With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it don’t seem like such a bad thing to me to want to put a little bit of it back together.
- Captain Glover (Sam Worthington), Hacksaw Ridge
This movie also reminds me of one man Myungsok Jung, who is the general director and pastor of Christian Gospel Mission. Jung is a devout Christian and strictly discipline himself to follow God’s teaching. He voluntarily joined the Vietnam War for two times without killing anyone in the war but instead saved hundreds of people, even including enemies. From his book War is Cruel, Love and Peace, it delicately expresses how Jung struggled with all war darkness and seamy side of human being but still adamantly hold his love and promise to God to love all people no matter they’re on our side or not in the war.
All in all, hoping this can bring some more hope and strength to the world we are living now. Knowing that not everyone can give a great change to the world, but all of us definitely can give a small change with great love. And maybe just like Mother Teresa said “Small things done with great love will change the world.”
May peace and love be rooted deeply in our hear for good.
