One Tin Soldier

By Pastor Mark Mast
Rainy River Ministerial

I was born in 1962. The turbulence of that era etched a deep impression on my young life. Recollections of riots, violence and societal anger still haunt me. I have always hated conflict and generally run from it if given the opportunity. Can you imagine what a different place this world would be if we would all just learn to “turn the other cheek” (Luke 6:29) as Jesus taught us?
The carnage of war still plagues us. Even in a peaceful town like Rainy River, we are not immune from anger, resentment, hatred and bitterness. The question is, “What will we do when differences between us arise?”
When I was only seven, an anti-war song was played over and over on the radio. I recall it vividly. It was called “One Tin Soldier” (written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter).
The lyrics of this song still echo a theme that we need to hear today…
Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
‘Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They’d have it for their very own.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day,
On the bloody morning after...
One tin soldier rides away.
So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they’d kill.
Came an answer from the kingdom,
“With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there.”
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.
Now the valley cried with anger,
“Mount your horses! Draw your sword!”
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.
Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...
“Peace on Earth” was all it said.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.
This abstract story of a hidden treasure and two feuding peoples (the Mountain People and the Valley People) vividly describe how inhumane some people can be when greed is involved.
The other day, I stumbled across one of my favorite portions of Scripture. I won’t quote the entire passage of Romans 12, but a few verses leaped off the page.
3b …Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…
10b …Honor one another above yourselves.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
16a Live in harmony with one another…
17a Do not repay anyone evil for evil…
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
20a On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Let’s rise above our differences and by God’s grace make this greatest community on earth.