Hacksaw Ridge: Serving the Enemy as Christ - Anabaptist (Matthew 25:31-46)

In the heart of World War II, amidst the chaos of battle, there stood a man named Desmond Doss, a medic whose faith compelled him to serve even in the line of fire. Picture this: the deafening roar of artillery, the acrid smell of gunpowder hanging in the air, and the cries of wounded men echoing across the blood-soaked landscape of Hacksaw Ridge. In this hellish theater, while others were scrambling for cover, Doss was moving toward danger, unarmed and unwavering, embodying the very essence of agape love—a selfless and unconditional love.

As he climbed that ridge, amidst the shouts of "fall back!" and "save yourself!" he was driven not by survival instincts but by a higher calling. Doss didn’t pause to inquire about the nationality or allegiance of those he rescued; he simply saw fellow human beings—fellow souls in need of compassion. He carried Japanese soldiers, the very enemies who sought to kill him, on his back, lowering them to safety one by one, breathless yet resolute.

This poignant image echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, where He speaks of serving "the least of these." It’s a radical call to love those society deems unworthy—prisoners, strangers, and yes, even enemies. In that moment on Hacksaw Ridge, Doss exemplified the heart of Anabaptist theology. He didn’t merely serve his comrades but embraced the very spirit of neighbor-love, a love that sees beyond skin deep, beyond past grievances.

Can we imagine ourselves in such a place? What would it mean for us to serve those we might prefer to dismiss? To feed those who have burned our villages, to care for the ones who stand on the opposite side? Doss’s story teaches us that true discipleship is not calculated by worthiness but is an expression of Christ’s love, serving even the goats among us. In our lives, may we strive to embody that radical love, choosing action over indifference, compassion over contempt.