About three years ago, Mom and I met a gentleman who served in the Korean War. I felt like I was meeting a celebrity! It was an honor to shake his hand. We talked to him and his wife for a few minutes. They were sweet couple.
Most of us know we wouldn’t have a free country if it weren’t for brave soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. Many of us also know the ultimate sacrifice was when our Savior shed His blood for our freedom from sin.
I bring this up because the traits of a good soldier should also be the traits of a faithful Christian. After all, we are soldiers of Christ fighting the good fight of faith!
First of all, I think of loyalty. A loyal person is one who is devoted and faithful. Soldiers are usually loyal to their country, what it stands for, their leaders and the company or group of men they serve with. Christians are devoted to Christ, His church, and their fellow sisters and brothers. A Christian will stand up for what’s right and be true to the Lord.
In Matthew 24:12-13 Christ Himself talked about loyalty: “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
I wonder if Peter and the rest of the apostles remembered this when they were brought before the council. They were asked why they kept preaching about Jesus when they were clearly told not to. Their answer? “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). What faith and courage they had! The apostles gave us all a great example to follow.
It still takes a lot of courage to be faithful
to Christ. Sometimes we might be the only one in a crowd who stands up for what
is right. But even when we are only one,
we are not alone! God promised to always be with us. We must hold on to that
promise!!
Soldiers need to be strong – they need
to be prepared to fight at any time. They should be ready with the tools they
were trained to use. Christians are the
same way. We must put on the whole armor
of God, so that we will be strong enough to avoid temptation. The devil is
powerful, so we must be prepared to fight.
We need to always be watchful and ready
with the tools God gives us. When Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness, He
answered the devil every time with “It is written.” We must study God's word so we can be prepared to fight against
our adversary who seeks to destroy us.
We must stay in the battle and keep the
faith! Souls are at stake. Not just
ours, but also those who might follow our example. We might be surprised at all the people who
observe our behavior. Usually, our
influence affects more people than we would
imagine.
Jesus loved us so much that He died for
us, surely we can live for Him!! Let's soldier
on. The benefits of being in
the Lord’s army far outweigh the bruises of the battle!
“If God is for us, who can be against us”
(Romans 8:31b)?
Christ
above all things - Robin
