Month: April 2007

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:5-6)

I think one of the hardest character traits to secure is humility. In the military, we are taught to be proud of who we are and what we do. That’s a good thing. But when it leads to arrogance and disrespect we find ourselves crossing the line and getting into trouble (not only with men, but with God). It gets tougher too. The more experience and skill we acquire, the more unteachable and hardened we can become. We need to remember this; when we become stubborn and arrogant, we stop learning and set ourselves up for God’s discipline. It’s our choice. We can either humble ourselves or let God adjust our attitude. We’re good, real good, but not perfect. Better to be humble than to be humbled.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. (John 21:3-6)

We all know that fishing is a sport of skill, technique and patience. But fishing can also be a matter of who you take along on the fishing trip. I had a friend name Bart and he was an expert fisherman. He knew exactly where the fish would be biting. If you went fishing with him, you were sure to catch something. The disciples were expert fishermen and yet on this day they caught nothing. Jesus yells from the shore, “Cast your nets on the other side.” One word of advice from the Master made all the difference in the world. I don’t think Jesus was as interested in them catching the fish as He was demonstrating that He was the best one to take on the fishing trips. And it was fishing for men not fish that was the real point of His object lesson. Are you praying that Jesus will help you fish for men as you are sharing your faith?

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

We’ve all met them. They’re legends in their own minds. They brag and tell war stories and yet when it comes to doing the real tough stuff, they’re not around. I went through Ranger school with one such hero. A sergeant who had “been there and done that.” We caught the guy several times weaseling out of the hardships we all shared. His actions did not match his words. As Christians our actions are our greatest credentials. The words merely explain our actions. Live Like Jesus, Love Like Jesus!

Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)

What would you think of a soldier who was told to assault hilltop 526 and instead went to the beach to go swimming. What? Doesn’t make very high marks in your book? In fact you’d have a few choice words for such dereliction of duty. Well Christ has given us a mission: Make Disciples. But first, we must be a disciple (loyal follower, committed student). Before we can make a disciple we must be one. Then we can help someone else become a disciple. Are you following the orders of the Great Commander and Chief?

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

When I deployed to Kuwait I knew to bring lots of 100mph tape and 550 (parachute) cord. Every good infantryman has learned that these two items are essential in the field. But I also had the advantage of having good intel from my brother, Mike, who had deployed on the rotation before me. He told me to bring basic tools and lots of nails. Then I instructed my Chaplain Assistant that if any one asked for any of these items, give them freely. By the second week of the 4 month deployment we were out of most of our precious supplies and only had a few nails left. My Assistant was a bit concerned that we hadn’t saved more of these things for ourselves. Then I reminded him of this spiritual law, ‘whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’ And sure enough it happened. Everyone wanted to square away the chaplain by giving us things that made the deployment a little easier. We always received what we needed and more. Give to those around you and those who are in need. It will return.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

As a sniper in the Ranger Battalion half my job was shooting and the other was hiding. We had specially designed suits and received extra training in camouflage to ensure maximum stealth. I must say we were pretty hard to find. During one training exercise in Yakima, Washington, we had at least a platoon looking for us all day. Even though they walked and drove by us several times, they never saw a thing. But, one thing is sure with God, you can’t hide. He sees everything and even understands the motives behind our actions. This is some great motivation for living our lives as though we were always in plain view.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

Sometimes it’s good to get a reality check. I can remember as an enlisted guy driving my brand new car and wondering whether I should re-enlist for a $3000, $6000, or $10,000 bonus. Then all of a sudden it struck me, ‘What other army in the world has enlisted soldiers being confronted with such a quandary?’ When I consider how good I really have it, I am humbled and convicted by some of the petty things I complain about. We should also consider Christ and His sufferings. All His sufferings have worked out to benefit us. Good things to think about when we are tempted to snivel.