It was the morning of May 10, 1940. At sunrise, Nazi Germany had begun their invasion of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. If the free world had any hope that the ambitions of Hitler could be quelled, they were disbursed with the sound of gunfire on a weak Europe that was being overrun by Axis tanks and troops. But that morning was also exceptional in another way, because on that very same day, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain. He later wrote, “I felt… that all of my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.”
Churchill effectively and famously rallied his country to defend against Hitler. He would use the force of his personality to cement the “Big Three” alliance between Britain, Russia and the United States. His nation—and indeed the free world—hung on the words of his fiery speeches. He was heroic, human and even humorous. Journalist Beverly Nichols wrote, “He took the English language and sent it into battle.” But Churchill possessed a character trait that more than any other would make him the key leader for his moment in history. He had resolve.
To resolve is to decide firmly. That decision, whatever it may be, is accompanied by a determination to see it through and to not waiver or stray from the course. Resolve is an interesting character trait because it does not show itself until a point of decision arises. Then the leader must stand firm in his course. Resolve is only demonstrated when it is tested. Resolve is often associated with decisiveness, loyalty and integrity. The leader with resolve assumes the risk of his decisions and takes accountability for the results.
Churchill was renowned for his resolve in the face of the overwhelming power of German forces. In his famous speech before the House of Commons on June 4, 1940, he said, “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!”
Churchill’s resolve can be summed up in that now-trademark phrase “never surrender!” But resolve existed long before World War II. Indeed the New Testament gives Christ-followers instructions in this regard. Many times in the New Testament, leaders are instructed to stand firm. Consider:
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11
“But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” 1 Peter 5:9
“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Philippians 1:27
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13
“Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.” Philippians 4:1
To have resolve requires an understanding of circumstances, ethics and morals behind a decision, and then the conscience and duty to see it through. The Bible teaches that resolve is a spiritual trait, but it can also be shown in business and relationships. How then, might one live and lead with resolve?
The British withdrawal at Dunkirk was a step back, but enabled Great Britain to maintain its resolve and strength in the face of overwhelming force. Photo: US Newsreel
Be clear about your values. If we are going to live with purpose and make determined decisions that we stand behind, that guiding direction must stand on some moral and ethical foundation, otherwise there is no valid reason to be resolute. Values are those attitudes and beliefs we consider “good” and are willing to both define and defend. They are usually abstract nouns like respect, honesty, loyalty, trust, kindness, empathy and generosity.[1] You can have values outside of your own spiritual experience, but values lacking a spiritual foundation bring into question the moral standard from which they are derived. Who then, apart from God, determines what is good? Can you demonstrate resolve for an abstract idea that is nothing more than the groupthink opinion of a certain group or class of people?
Values must be rooted in something lasting, and must be demonstrable. Scripture connects our values to our actions. James 1:22-27 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” In short, one cannot simply say they possess a value if it is not reflected in his actions. If you value honesty and resolve to be honest, then your actions reflect that you value honesty when you refuse to lie or deceive.
For Churchill to cement the British people into standing firm during the dark days of the War, he first had to declare their shared values, and paint the enemy as lacking a fundamental goodness. From Germany’s initial rise in 1937, Churchill wrote and spoke of the evil nature of the Nazi threat, especially against the Jewish people. In his broadcast of November 14, 1941, Churchill said, “None has suffered more cruelly than the Jew the unspeakable evils wrought upon the bodies and spirits of men by Hitler and his vile regime. The Jew bore the brunt of the Nazi’s first onslaught upon the citadels of freedom and human dignity. He has borne and continued to bear a burden that might have seen beyond endurance.” Churchill declared his values of freedom, life, religion, dignity. By observing their actions, Churchill positioned the Nazi’s as standing against the shared good values of the British people. He didn’t just say they were wrong. He declared them an evil to be extinguished and defeated.
Be willing to step back. Resolve requires patience to win the long game. Though a decision or direction may be quick and decisive, resolve is shown in consistent follow-through. Even in the face of defeat or rejection, the resolve of a leader allows a step back without changing of the objective or goal. A failure becomes just a temporary setback. Scripture says that “The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14). God guides and upholds the faith-centered leader, even in a setback. The picture we see here is a leader who is walking backward for a step or two, but keeps his eyes forward toward the goal he believes in wholeheartedly.
In what Churchill referred to as a “colossal military disaster”, more than 338,000 troops had to be evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk, France, in late May of 1940. Britain declared war on Germany in 1939 and sent forces to defend France. But Germany invaded France on May 10, 1940, and trapped British and French forces on the north coast. Germany’s Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”, had taken the entirety of France in a matter of weeks. A hastily assembled fleet of more than 800 mostly civilian vessels—fishing boats, pleasure craft, yachts and lifeboats—ferried the Allied forces to safety. The British lost some 68,000 soldiers during the campaign and subsequent evacuation. The retreat at Dunkirk was among Churchill’s first decisions as Prime Minister. It was a step backward, but proved necessary.
Instead of acknowledging defeat, Churchill reframed the withdrawal at Dunkirk as a heroic rescue under overwhelming odds. Far from being disheartened, the British people strengthened their resolve to fight against Nazi forces. Had England’s forces been captured, it would have meant the loss of the country’s only trained troops and the collapse of the Allied cause. Instead, it proved a boost to civilian morale, and created the “Dunkirk spirit”, which helped England fight on into the summer of 1940.[2]
Be courageous in what is required. Resolve doesn’t manifest in the character of a leader until he must stand for something at a cost. Courage is strength in the face of distress, pain, grief or fear. Resolve comes into play when, following a decision or direction, the course gets challenging. The leader is tempted to change his mind or shrink back, in order to avoid the risk or pain ahead. Yet he knows his decision is well reasoned and adheres to his values. So as he becomes resolved to stay the course, courage is required.
Spiritually, courage comes from faith. Hebrews 10:38 reminds us, “my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” A lack of courage—shrinking back in the face of challenge—is evidence that a leader lacks faith. When we have faith in God, we find the strength to stand firm, to have resolve. Ephesians 6:13 tells us to “…put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” The “armor of God”, as Ephesians continues, are tools of faith that allows the Christ-follower to have resolve, knowing that God supports and defends his righteous acts. To be courageous is to insist on good in the face of evil, to choose the right path at great cost. Without faith in God, a leader can still stand firm. But resolve without godly intent is just stubborn will or personal pride in disguise.
Churchill had a way with words, and “weaponized the English language” as he rallied his country to remain steadfast in the face of great difficulty. Photo: Public Domain
Churchill was quick to praise the courage of the British people during the war, and did it often. In a July 1940 broadcast he said, “This is no war of chieftains or of princes, of dynasties or national ambition; it is a war of peoples and of causes. There are vast numbers, not only in this island but in every land, who will render faithful service in this war but whose names will never be known, whose deeds will never be recorded. This is a war of the Unknown Warriors; but let all strive without failing in faith or in duty, and the dark curse of Hitler will be lifted from our age.”
Before Churchill became Prime Minister, in the early days of the war in 1939, Britain’s Ministry of Information produced a number of wartime posters to rally the citizens to the national cause. About 2.5 million posters were produced that year, however most were pulped in 1940 to help Britain deal with a severe paper shortage. You probably know of the now ubiquitous, “Keep Calm and Carry On”, chosen for its clear message of “sober restraint.”[3] A lone poster was discovered in Britain in 2000, and “Keep Calm and Carry On” quickly became a worldwide meme associated with reserved British sensibility. The other two posters, however, you may not know, but they spoke to British resolve. One said, “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution; Will Bring Us Victory” and “Freedom is in Peril; Defend it with all Your Might.” These messages of resolve were a great reminder to the British people.
Over 384,000 British troops gave their lives during the war, and over 70,000 civilians. At the end of the war in Europe—VE Day—Churchill gave an address. He said, “The lights went out and the bombs came down. But every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. London can take it. So we came back after long months from the jaws of death, out of the mouth of hell, while all the world wondered. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of English men and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we’ve done and they will say ‘do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be-unconquered.’”
Authenticity is the factor in your character that helps you live and lead as your true self. Authenticity helps you to make good decisions, influence others, maintain consistent values, convey a sense of purpose, and have a strong self-awareness.