What the Army taught me about God

         To be a Christian and in the Army at the same time something that my friends and myself take great pride in. But there are people out there who think that we, as Christians, are being hypocrites for joining the Army and doing the job of a Soldier. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. Throughout the old testament numerous wars and battles occurred. Yes it is true that God does not like warfare, but it has been recognized as necessary since the first nations were formed thousands of years ago. The primary responsibility of governments during the time of the Bible was the protection of the people in its care from foreign invaders and to provide law and order inside its own borders. The Christian teachings of 'Love thy enemies' works for individuals, not for nations. If the United States where to love our enemies and not fight them, we would quickly be destroyed. We as Soldiers simply risk ourselves so that others can go living their lives in peace and happiness. People also say that the Army teaches its Soldiers opposite values than that of Christians. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact the values that the Army teaches us are directly compatible with what we've learned as Christians.
         I still remember the very first thing that the Army taught me when I enlisted a few years ago. The first thing that the Army teaches its new recruits are the Army Values and the Soldiers Creed. We'll look at the Soldiers Creed first:

I am an American Soldier, a Warrior and a member of a team
I serve the people of the Untied States and live the Army Values

I will always place the mission first
I will never accept defeat
I will never quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough
Trained and Proficient in my Warrior tasks and drills
I will always maintain my arms my equipment and myself

I am an expert and a professional

I stand ready to Deploy, Engage and Destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat

I am a guardian of Freedom and the American Way of Life

I Am an American Soldier

         That was the Soldiers Creed. The Creed was the very first thing that the Army had me memorize, well right after my social security number - you have to memorize it to fill out all those great forms. If you look carefully at it, you can see that the whole Soldiers Creed can reflect directly to the life of a Christian. Sot let's take a look at it piece by piece.

I am an American Soldier, a Warrior and a member of a team
I serve the people of the Untied States and live the Army Values

         As a Christian we all are called to work together, to be Soldiers for God and serve His kingdom. Then, we as Christians make up and live in the Kingdom of God, so we each serve each other, helping out where we can. We help each other with things that we need, protecting one another, providing support to each other in times of hardship and grief, and just looking out for each other. While doing this we live with the values and morals that we have as Christians.

I will always place the mission first
I will never accept defeat
I will never quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade

         These four lines here are the four most important lines in the whole Soldiers Creed. These four lines make up what are called the Warriors Ethos. In times of stress and we don't know how to act, these four lines guide us. Each of these Ethos can also guide us as Christians when we face everyday dilemmas.

         I will always place the mission first: As Christians we are called by God to spread the Word and to help others in need, to live with the values that have been instilled in us. As Soldiers we help others in need everyday. Not just here in America during times of crises, but around the world. From South America to Africa to the Middle East to Asia we bring humanitarian aid where others can't. We fight off the wolves for people that can't so that they can live peaceful and meaningful lives. It is important that Chrisitans remember what their mission is, live a good moral life and praising God for the gifts in our lives and using the skills that He gave us for good.

         I will never accept defeat: Everyday we face obstacles in our paths that can throw us off azimuth. These aren't all obstacles that are meant to hinder us in our beliefs or to challenge our belief that God exists. There are also the obstacles that don't have to with our faith, but get in our way of doing the tasks that we need to get done everyday and in the way of our projects. When one hits those obstacles, anything can happen, but the most important thing is not to admit that the obstacle defeated you, but to get up and then try to either get around, over, under or straight through it and continue on with your mission.

         I will never quit: This is perhaps the most self-explanatory one of the Warrior Ethos. While it does go hand in hand with the ethos of I will never accept defeat, it does deserve its own line. When the going gets tough, don't quit. Often when the road is rough and ragged, the prize at the end is all the much sweeter. There are few things in life that will be given to you without challenges and difficulties, and one can't quit lest he not receive the benefits of finishing his travels along that road. Its the same way with being a Christian and a Soldier. Neither one is an easy path to follow. Jesus himself told us that the path of being a Christian is not and won't be easy. But at the end of that path is the greatest reward that anyone can possibly receive. The reward for us as Soldiers, at the end of our path, is also an incredible reward. Our reward is the knowledge that we used our time, abilities and if necessary, our lives to protect those who can't protect themselves, and to keep people safe so that they can lead peaceful, normal and productive lives.

         I will never leave a fallen comrade: If your friend falls, what would you do? Would you leave him in whatever trouble he is in, or pick him up and continue on? Those of you reading this who have seen movies about war have undoubtedly heard the line 'We never leave anyone behind' or some variation of that line. And to be honest it is true, we as American Soldiers will never leave a man behind, lest the worst possible of circumstances prevent us from doing so. More often than not, any one who does stay behind does so of their own will to give his buddies the time to get away from danger. But the ethos of never leaving a comrade doesn't just exist on the battlefield, it extends to our everyday lives as well. If a buddy is struggling we help him out, if he's going through a rough patch we help him out however we can - even if it is just moral support, we do what we can to help each other out. The same deal goes for us as Christians. We never should leave our fellows on wayside. If one of us stumbles, there is another to pick him or her up and provide support and guidance. Having a network of good friends will always ensure that someone can help another. However that being said, leaving a fallen comrade shouldn't just apply to our friends, but to everyone. Just because you don't know someone doesn't mean that you can't show them a kindness. If someone falters, stumbles or is having difficulties in their lives it is never in your disadvantage, even just listening to their problems can make their day go better.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough
Trained and Proficient in my warrior tasks and drills
I will always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself

         This stanza describes our physical and mental being. As Soldiers we have to be disciplined to do the job that we do. If we don't have discipline, bad things will happen when the bullets start to fly. And if bad things happen when those bullets fly, people wind up getting killed because of a careless mistake that someone made. By maintaining our weapons and our equipment to high standards we can ensure that we have an equipment and weapon advantage over our enemies. Maintain ourselves pertains to more than just physical fitness. We need to take care of ourselves mentally, well-being, and spirit as well. If a Solider isn't capable to operate because they are not physically fit, are having personal issues or are mentally distracted then others could be in trouble during a battle. We do a physically and mentally demanding job and we need to be in good shape to do it.
         Christians have to be disciplined, physically and mentally tough as well. We face many challenges in our lives and we have to be tough to deal with them as they come to us. We also have to be disciplined to stay on the path that God has laid before us. Of course, we all stray from that path from time to time, God knows that have several times, but He has somehow always found a way to get me back on track. Of course how that sometimes happens differs, it could be a gentle nudge to a back hand. But as time goes on, and the more I think about it and look at my Faith, I have found that it is easier to stay on that path, though it does remain challenging. 'Training' yourself to be a good Christian will allow you to stay on that path easier. That training though comes a little different for everybody. That's part of the challenge that is part of our lives, to find the best ways to honor God and become a better Christian. For myself, I believe that one(among some others) of the best ways to do that is use the skills that he gave me for good and to set some of the wrongs of the world to right. Everyone needs to find ways to train themselves to being a better Christian. But you also have to maintain yourself throughout the adventure of life. Maintaining yourself spiritually, mentally and physically will help you in nearly everything that you do. It can give you the strength and confidence to get through any of the problems that life seems to throw at you.

I am an Expert and a Professional
         Being a good Soldier means being an expert in whatever job it is that you do in the Army, whether it be Infatntry, Armor, the cooks, Quartermasters, JAG's, to the Adjuntant Generals. We all have jobs to do that support the higher missions and goals of the Army, and to get those missions accomplished we must perform our jobs well and in a professional manner. It is no different when it comes to being a Christian. We should at least try to be experts in our Faith for when others ask us about it. Of course it is defiantly not an easy task. Few of us will probably ever become what most would call an expert in it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get a good understanding of at the very least the essential basics. As those of you who grow in your faith, you take on a similar job to that of the NCO's in the Army, you can help those of us who are not so far along in it or just starting out on this particular path.
         We must also act in a professional manner. I know that it sounds strange to say we need to act professional when being a Christian isn't exactly a job, but the saying applies here nonetheless. There are those of us who do act in an unprofessional manner. Anyone who has walked around a large city or a university probably knows what I am talking about. I'm talking those guys who stand on a street corner, park or open space and start yelling at folks, or preaching that doomsday is one us, or that we are all going to hell. I give the guys props for not being bashful for wanting to share their faith, but the method in which they do it isn't necessarily the best way to do it. For 99% of people it is a large turnoff and angers people. Taking our faith and force feeding it to people is not the way to do things. In my opinion we should present ourselves as people willing to share what we believe, not just by our words, but by our actions. Our actions are what people in the end will remember not our words. A lot of folks who see those street yellers only remember that they were standing on a bench yelling out and not necessarily what they were trying to say. Actions done in a kind and professional manner will gain more trust from people than words.

I stand ready to Deploy, Engage, and Destroy the Enemies of the United States of America in close combat
         Soldiers are on call 24/7. We have to be ready to drop everything at a moments notice to go to war. Thankfully it doesn't happen often, but it can and probably will happen one day. And when that day comes we are trained to engage the enemy and destroy them, hopefully before innocent lives are lost or ruined. We volunteered for this and knew what we were getting into when we first signed that dotted line. Christians have our own enemies that we should be ready to engage with. Of course they may not be actual human enemies, but instead they are of a different nature. Temptations to do things that we know are morally wrong, go against our faith, or are illegal are some of the enemies that we face. When we find ourselves pitted against a foe, we must fight them. Of course as we are human, so we all make mistakes. But the important thing is that you learn from them so that you are better prepared for the next battle.

I am a Guardian of Freedom and the American Way of Life
         This is a good purpose statement for us as Soldiers, and is our most basic mission and the reasons for our existence. We exist to protect the freedoms that we enjoy and the way that Americans live, to give everyone the chance for their American Dream. Christians should also be a guardian of our faith and the way in which we live our lives. If someone insults you about your faith just ignore them, all they;re trying to do is get a rise out of you so that they have more ammunition in the future. If someone presents you with a misconception or tells you something that is wrong about Christianity, there is no harm in correcting them. Misconceptions about anything can do irreperable harm if they are acted upon and sould be corrected, not just with faith but in everything else as well.

I AM an American Soldier
         This here is a statement of fact and pride. Many of us are fiercely proud to members of the Army and are not afraid to say so. As Christians we should be proud of what we are and we should act like it.

         The thing that the Army taught me and had me memorize was the seven Army Values, conveniently packaged in the acronym (I bet that comes as a shocker, the military using an acronym?) LDRSHIP. What it stands for is this: Loyalty, Duty, Repect, Selfless Service, Integrity, Personal Courage. For this I'll first give the Army definitions and then what it means to Christians.

Loyalty: Loyalty is to bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your Unit and fellow Soldiers. As Christians it is our duty to put our Loyalty to God and keep it there. God Himself put that out pretty clearly in the First Commandment - that thou will not have any other gods beside me. If that isn't a statement looking for loyalty, I don't know what is. Having said that, we should also remember what else in life should have our loyalty besides God and Country. We should be loyal to the person that we love love, to always remain steadfast and true to them, despite the problems that face the two of you. Infidelity is a huge problem in the world and causes more than enough problems between people. Remaining loyal to her (or him for you lady folks) can and will fix many problems, and in the end will lead to a more fulfilling relationship. One must also be loyal to his or her family, your family is one of your lifelines and you should always remember it. We should never forget our values, morals and ethics. Those traits are what seperates the good from the bad and to deviate from those is to betray not just God and those around you, but also yourself.

Duty: Fulfill you Obligations. If you have an obligation to fill, you need to fill it. We all have an obligation to God to follow His Word and to do what is taught to us in the Bible.

Respect: Treat other people as they should be treated. Remember the Golden Rule that you were taught back in preschool? The Army definition applies to Christians as well, so I don't think that I have to expand on that.

Self-Service: Put the Welfare of the Nation, the Army, and Your Subordinates before your own. In short we need to put the welfare of others before that of our own. Helping others is part of mission as Christians and we should adhere to it. But we must also bear in mind that one can not effectivly help others if they themselves and their family are in trouble. After your family has enough to stay on its own to feet then go and help others where and however you can. None of us can do everything, but each and every single one of us has skills that we can use to help and benefit others. Working together and putting others before ourselves, it is possible to find a way to help others in a way that we can't realistically. Selfless Service is one of those values that can have a very pleasing effect on a person. Afterall, what better thing can you tell yourself at the end of the day that you managed to help someone?

Honor: Live up to all the Army Values. dictionary.com defines honor as: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions and a source of credit or distinction. Honor is to uphold that in which you believe and to stick to it. It is a notoriously difficult thing to do, to stick to your beliefs and values and integrity at all times, no matter the costs. In the past, it has cost men and women their lives, as they would rather die than sell out their beliefs. At the end of a day, I like to say that I have remained a man of honor, that I have not violated my beliefs in God and Jesus, my values and ethics and my integrity is intact. At the end of the day, my dignity may be gone, my confidence may be shattered, I may be depressed, I may have angered someone, or any other number of bad things may have happened, but I still have my honor. Between my everlasting faith in God and my honor, anything that which I may have lost in the course of the day, I will regain. Honor God by remaining a man or woman of honor, and it will help you on your own path of life.

Integrity: Do what's right, legally and morally. This definition brings a caertain saying to mind, I saw it on the wall of my Advanced Algebra class back in the eighth grade and it has stuck with me ever since: What's popular is not always right, and what's right is not always popular. Your own integrity is one of the biggest building blocks in creating trust between you and another person. Afterall, how can you trust someone who has no integrity? This is another one of the hardest values to live up to, and the temptation to violate your integrity happens everyday. For example a couple of nights ago I had the oppurtunity ro spend the night hanging our with friends, and I could have called in sick to work, and I was sore tempted to. But in the end I decided not to, as that would have been a violation of my integrity and honor. Integrity is also part of the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not lie. Once again God made it painfully obvious to us that lieing, is a bad thing and He doesn't want us to do it.

Personal Courage: Face Fear, Danger or Adversity (physical or moral). The saying, what's popular is not always right, and what's right is not always popular, makes another apperence here. It can take a lot of guts to stand up and not do what is popular because what is popular isn't right and goes against what it is that we are supposed to do. Doing the right thing in face of discrimination or harm is a difficult thing to do. It is easy to go with the crowd because it will save you from grief. Excellent case in point is Jesus himself. When he was waiting for Judas to betray him and get arrested, it would have been very easy for Him to get out of that sticky situation, and I'm sure that He thought about it. But in the end, facing ridicule, torture and death by crucifixtion, He went with it because that was what God had wanted him to do. Sometimes the best ways to get over a fear is to put you trust in God and face it down. As an example, anyone who knows me knows that me and heights do not get along at all if I'm not in an airplane. Before joining the Army I would never have even considered the possiblity of going up anything that was twice my height. I get particulary, uh woozy, if heights are combined with fast speeds going down. But sometimes all you gotta do is try something once to get over it. To do a 5meter blind drop, 38 foot drop into water, climb a 40 foot confidence ladder, the tough one obstacle and other height things, all I had to do was do it once and I wouldn't have many problems doing it a second time, and every time it gets easier. The other night I was at Valleyfair with friends and we, well they, decided that we should go on this swing ride that goes really high and goes really fast, and makes it look like your diving straight down to the ground with just a little bar preventing from flying to mydeath. Just prior to getting on this ride I was a wee bit shaky and thought I was going to pee my pants. During the ride I was freaking out a little bit, and I have never cussed that much in front of girls before, but I lived through it. Then at the end after getting off and settling down a bit I realized that it was actually fun and I would do it again. Battle your fears and your problems by facing them with courage and putting your faith in God, and you will get through them. While sometimes the short term effects of doing may not be so great for you in the short term, they will have beneifts in the long term and God will know that you did what you were supposed to do.