“God, Country, Corps, Family, and Self”. What do these words bring to mind? These are the words (in exactly the same order) used by a marine to define honor. Honor has been associated with glory in a lot of circumstances. However, to a Marine, glory has very little to do with honor. To a Marine, honor is loyalty and dedication to God, Country, Corps, Family, and Self. It has nothing to do with glory.
Contrarily, when we try to associate honor with glory, the self takes precedence. With that in perspective, think about how marines deployed in a battlefield function. They move together and are coordinated in every move. A little slack will not only harm them, but it will cost the life of a fellow marine. Hence, a marine’s prime goal while on the move is to cover his fellow marines. His faculties are attuned to sense and decimate any threat to a fellow marine’s life. They are well aware that they cannot look out for themselves always, but they can look out for each other. They fight together and move forward together.
Sometimes, video games deceive us into believing that we can fight the battle as a one man army. On the other hand, a marine knows that in order to make progress, moving together is a must. We as believers need to remind ourselves that our journey cannot be made in solitude. Though we want to picture our Christian journey as a beautifully adorned garden in spring time with flowers blooming, birds nesting, and filled with all that is desirable, the Bible portrays a picture of battlefield. There are so many traps and burdens which can, at first, entice us and then easily entangle and weigh us down. There will be arrows and gun shots of trials and temptation aimed to bring us down. Unlike video games, however, we do not have multiple lives on this journey. With this one precious life, we ought to be well equipped and supported.
While the Bible talks about the Armor, it also talks about fighting together as a body of Christ. When we fail to look out for our fellow believers in this journey while being self-centered and self-focused, we not only let them suffer, but we also expose ourselves to be easy targets for the enemy. The enemy will be more pleased to keep a believer in confinement, than to let a person struggling with sin to be accompanied by a bunch of believers who are battling it out every day. When the Bible warns us about love growing cold in the last days, it is not only talking about those who do not know Christ. It includes those who know him and are self-sufficient without a desire to help others in the journey. If this wasn’t the case, Jesus would have had different characters portrayed in the story of the good Samaritan. I’m reminded of a song where the verse goes like this;
“Broken hearts, wounded souls, bruised lives,
were looking for another day, one more meal,
a little kindness to carry on.
If they find, its a paradise,
I don’t know if you realize.
There’s something that can satisfy,
but some one has to reach it out.
Love, satisfies, Love sacrifices,
when everyone finds excuses,
Love reaches out.”
My dear soldiers, unless we break out of our mold and step out in faith to reach others, we will be like marines trying to fight the battle by ourselves. Unless we let the water in our bellies flow and quench the thirst of others, we will never be refreshed with fresh revelations which can strengthen, equip, and thrust us forward in this victorious journey.
Why victorious? It is because the victory has already been won on the Cross.
Why journey? It is because we are all marching heavenwards and this life is the only way to get there and we know that the defeated enemy will try to discourage as many as possible from making it to the victory land.
Why Marine? After all, Paul exhorts young Timothy like you and me, saying “Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:3
By Dinesh Abraham