During the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), one Russian sniper named Vasily Zaitsev is reported to have killed scores of enemy soldiers and even a dozen rival snipers while surviving every ambush. Although the scope of his success (pun intended) cannot be verified independently, his story – portrayed in the film Enemy at the Gates – strikes a nerve at the core of our human psyche. The threat of a hidden yet nearby enemy who targets victims with precision has terrorized humanity for millennia. Although the weapon of choice in ancient times was an arrow instead of a bullet, the same basic fear existed – as seen in the psalmist’s words: “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day” (Psalm 91:5).
Sniper activity, which simultaneously seems anonymously random and personally aimed at the victim, is nerve wracking for even hardened soldiers. The battle is effectively over when an army comes to a standstill, since victory without movement forward is all but impossible. It has been said that snipers can capitalize on fear by consistently picking off either the first or the second person in an enemy unit. If such tactics become common knowledge in the enemy ranks, the result is demoralization or complete paralysis. In the first case, nobody will want to lead; in the second case, nobody will want to follow. It is very tempting to simply “shelter in place.”
The current spiritual war surrounding the COVID-19 crisis has much in common with a sniper situation. Movement has ground to a halt, with countless millions fearing to come and go even within their own neighborhoods. Others may not greatly fear the virus, but simply try to avoid unintentionally meeting an infected individual – since this could lead to quarantine for themselves in places that have enforced contact tracing. These days the very act of going out of the house can feel just a bit like risking exposure to a sniper, as I myself realized recently when a person with whom I spoke received a message minutes later requiring him to enter lockdown after having been near a virus carrier some days earlier.
God may be preparing us through this crisis for persecution, war and societal upheavals during which we will be exposed to “spiritual snipers” at every step. Let us remember that we need not fear the terror of the arrow, since even in the “worst case scenario” being struck means going to be with God. As long as we are still here, let us live with the expectation that God wants to work miracles for us and through us in spite of the snipers, and let us reject the temptation to “shelter in place” spiritually.
Two things amaze me about the story of Vasily Zaitsev. First, he survived! And this, even after being himself targeted ruthlessly by snipers! That alone is a miracle. Second, he did not let the fear of the enemy paralyze him as he himself inched forward in battle cautiously yet boldly. His remarkable feat reminds us that, although death is possible, God will preserve us miraculously for as long as he wants us on this earth. Just think of it: by God’s grace, we just might survive and triumph!
I am reminded of the incredible story of Gladys Aylward, a British woman who moved to China several years before the Japanese invasion of the 1930s. The wartime conditions left countless children orphaned, many of whom found refuge with her. The Japanese advance caused her to flee with approximately one hundred orphans, and she just barely escaped death by enemy gunfire as she left the newly captured city. She and her band traversed mountains and rivers on a trek deeper into China that lasted a month. Their safe arrival was nothing short of miraculous – an answer to prayers made by a little woman to a great God.
The eyes of the Lord are always searching for people whose hearts are complete in him, so that he can show himself strong through them (2 Chronicles 16:9). In the difficult days that are bearing down upon us, why shouldn’t one of them be you?
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