All's Unfair In Love And War

There is a chill in the air along the French coast. Heads are bowed. Silence is deafening. British soldiers and medical staff position themselves in neat rows to bury the fallen in BBC One’s 'The Crimson Field'.

As more horrors of the First World War unfold, so the novelty of fighting for one’s country is wearing thin. After the funeral of eight soldiers, the mood among those recuperating in the field hospital remains sombre. One of the patients, recovering from trench fever with his comrades, tries to raise the spirits of his group. Called ‘Dad’ by the boys, he is a natural leader and encourages them all to stay together and stay alive. They are the ‘Lucky 13’.

But Dad is hiding something. Whereas the men have recovered from their illness, he was never very well in the first place. To enrol in the Army, he bribed a doctor, asking him to turn a blind eye to his bad chest. Now that Dad and the boys are looking well enough to return to the trenches, he is afraid he will fail the medical exam and be sent home. He doesn’t know what to do. He fears that, without his calming and steady influence, the men are likely to fall to pieces.

Carrying out Dad’s examination is nurse Joan Livesey. When she learns that he suffers from pleurisy, Dad begs her to keep quiet. But Joan has an obligation to inform the doctor, who confirms that Dad is unfit and certifies that he has failed. Dad’s situation looks hopeless. When he tells the boys that they must battle on without him, they are distraught.

But fellow soldier Charlie has a plan. He has some insider information about Joan’s life before the war and he isn’t afraid to use it. He tells her that unless she gives Dad a clean bill of health, he will reveal that she has a German fiancé.

Joan is stumped. If Charlie blabs, the revelation could destroy her. But if she writes a new medical certificate to say that Dad is fit when he isn’t, the lie could land her in huge trouble and potentially send Dad to his death. So, what should she do?

The battle between right and wrong remains as complicated today as it did 100 years ago. Choices are seldom black and white. Whatever our intention, people sometimes get hurt.

When we land ourselves in situations where we just don’t know what to do for the best, we can feel hopeless and defeated. We may have a problem which troubles us all through the day and keeps us awake with worry at night - and more than anything, we want someone to help us deal with it.

That someone exists. God asks us to pour out our heart to him. He assures us that he can cope with whatever we tell him. The Bible promises: ‘Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way’ (Proverbs 3:6 Good News Bible).

When it feels as though there is no way out, there is. If we let him, God will guide our thoughts and our steps - even through the bleakest of times.

UK & Ireland War Cry 26 April 2014