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What is strength? One might argue that strength is the physical ability to exert sufficient influence upon a material object in order to cause it to move. An old saying, “Might makes right” assumes that pure physical strength is, in and of itself, a virtue – ignoring the fact that might exerted for wrong does not transform that wrong to right and merely compounds the wrong committed.

The truth of the matter is, it takes more pure strength to control one’s self than it does to pound an entire city into submission. The physically strong man who has no moral force of self control is a moral weakling and is not worthy of admiration because that flaw causes him to lose that which differentiates a real man from a beast. A real man has self control whereas a beast works by instinct, seeking by brute force to gain primacy over others.

Some argue for their “honor”, claiming that some person’s questioning of their character or parentage justifies their violent reaction and the physical destruction of the questioner. But what about truth? The ability to physically destroy another does not guarantee that the destroyed one did not speak the truth – it only demonstrates unbridled physical prowess. If one’s honor is questioned by a liar, so be it. Let one’s virtue answer for itself.  If one lives as one should, one’s name and virtue are known to those of most importance to one’s life and no liar’s word will be heard or believed.  If, however, the questioner is in the right, pounding them into submission does nothing to change the fact that they were right.

True strength comes from within.  It gives one the ability to keep on in the face of “impossible odds” and it helps one to stand up for what is right regardless of “the odds” or the brute force of that which is wrong. True strength takes over when the body has long since given up.