On Being a Soldier

by Dewayne Griffin

All my life I have loved the American flag and have considered myself to be very patriotic. From the time I was a small boy, I dreamed of being in the Army. I am thankful that I was able to serve and wear the uniform for 31 years. More importantly, my attitude toward service and belief in our core values still lives and burns brightly within me.
It does not take a genius to figure out that there are many similarities between soldiers serving in the US Army and those serving in the Lord�s Army. Three of those similarities are SELF-DISCIPLINE, COURAGE and SERVICE. On a typical day, what time do you get out of bed? Some of us are morning people and others are evening people. Personally, I am a morning person. Thankfully, my wife is a morning person, as well. When our feet hit the floor, we are wide-awake and ready to get moving. On the average, I run about six days a week and am on the road at 5 AM. People ask me how I keep such a schedule; my standard response is self-discipline. I attribute that discipline to years of military training where I received orders, accepted them, and did my best to carry them out. In a combat environment a soldier�s life and that of his comrades depends greatly on self-discipline. I think it takes that same kind of discipline to serve in the army of the Lord. I get excited when I see the Mt. Juliet congregation busily going about doing good deeds. Nothing happens until the soldiers decide to move out and then great things can be accomplished. Therefore, it is very important that we train up our young people to be responsible and to give them assignments that will promote self-discipline.
Both armies require a display of courage. During the first eight years of our marriage, the US Army moved my wife and me eight times. There were periods of separation and moves from one state to another. We had to be courageous, accept our orders and move. The Lord also expects His soldiers to be of good courage. There are numerous scriptures that address courage, but I particularly like the account given in Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 and 18. Joshua, after the death of Moses, suddenly finds himself as the leader of the children of Israel. The Lord tells Joshua several times to be strong and of good courage. I think the Lord expects the same of us today.
In both the US Army and the Lord�s Army, the word service must be ever present. Jesus came to this earth to serve, not to be served; Matthew 20:28. He reached out to the children, the oppressed, the sick, the blind, the lame, those living in sin, and social groups that others considered outcasts. He washed the feet of his disciples, John 13:5. The US military that is currently deployed (several service members from MJ) to foreign soil has the opportunity to perform great service. I am thankful for each soldier that serves. May God bless them and their families.
It is my prayer that all of us will be good soldiers. I think the Lord expects us to possess the self-discipline to move out, the courage to do what needs to be done, and the commitment to His service.

• Wars, a Result of Worldliness -Feb 04, 2007
• It's Not Your Father's Choice Whom You Serve -Oct 02, 2005
• Seeking the Counsel of God -Aug 14, 2005
• Making Choices -Jul 10, 2005
• Fear and Fearless; Which Should We Be? -Oct 17, 2004