Are we weak?

The Stoics value strength.

Socrates once said, “It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.”

Our body is our temple.

A strong body can be a sanctuary to our heart and mind, but a weak body is a prison.

A strong body allows us to serve and help, while a weak body makes us the ones needing assistance.

To build one's physical strength is to take responsibility. It is to recognize that good comes from hardship and that there is value in being capable.

Yet, our Western culture does not seem to strive for physical strength. 69% percent of Americans are overweight or obese. The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease.

What is the underlying cause for these horrid statistics?

We live in a culture of decadence and overabundance. We believe we deserve comfort and pampering. We choose to be victims of how others make us feel and what life throws at us instead of taking ownership of our actions. We don’t strive for bodily strength as Socrates would have it; instead, we expect others to pedestalize our weakness.

So, dear readers, whether you are 18 years old or 67, whether you are a D1 football player or confined to a wheelchair, whether you are a millionaire or homeless, grow in physical strength. Your body is your temple.

Now, this strength of which the Stoics speak goes beyond the physical.

Marcus Aurelius once said, “Keep this thought handy when you feel a fit of rage coming on—it isn’t manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness and civility are more human and, therefore, manlier. A real man doesn’t give way to anger and discontent, and such a person has strength, courage, and endurance—unlike the angry and complaining. The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength.”

This quote speaks of emotional strength. How often is anger and vengeance seen as good and honorable? How often do people deploy anger to get their way?

Well, Marcus says anger comes from weakness. Anger arises as an internal response to outside influences. We may tell ourselves, “Anger was the only appropriate response,” or “It’s not my fault. They made me angry”. Yet, we fail to recognize that while we can rarely control our surroundings, we can always control our reactions. The true danger lies not in what made us erupt but in our response. For… “how much more harmful are the consequences of anger…than the circumstances that aroused them in us.” (Aurelius)

Dear readers, control your anger, be strong, and do not use anger to enforce your will. Do not become a slave to your emotions.

Finally, we hear from Epictetus: It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.

Ah, yes, the pinnacle of weakness: Pride, man’s attempt to hide his own smallness by raising himself above those around him. His empty claim to be better than others because, in his own eyes, he is worthless.

Pride stops you from learning from teachers because you think you already know it.

Pride keeps you from loving your neighbors because you do not even love yourself.

Pride makes you disobedient to God because you think you know better.

Those who are prideful are to be pitied. For, pride stems from fear, not love. And it comes from weakness, not strength.

Dear readers, do not be mistaken: When I speak of prideful people, I do not mean someone who is somewhere out there in the world. I am not speaking of evil dictators or school bullies. I speak of you and of me. I see this pride in my own heart, yearning to rear its head every opportunity it gets. So, we must stand guard and watch our thoughts, words, and actions to ensure our heart embodies humility.