Medal of Honor

The newspapers recently had a story about Garlin Murl Connor, a deceased WWII veteran who won four Silver Stars, one Bronze Star and three Purple hearts. His military actions were reviewed and he was awarded the Medal of Honor for one of his heroic actions.

I don’t know why, but I did some investigation to find out just what Murl Connor did to merit such an honor. It seems he was recuperating from a wound (shot through the hip) in a field hospital when he heard the Germans were going to counter attack so he slipped out of the hospital to rejoin his comrades. He then volunteered to move to a forward position to call in artillery strikes on the advancing German army. Including calling in artillery on his own position, he was willing to die to save the lives of his fellow GIs.

It made me wonder why you would leave the comfort of a hospital bed and risk your life for others. I mean he had already done plenty.

I’ve read other accounts of American GIs who so loved their fellow soldiers that they wouldn’t leave them. They wouldn’t go home on their own they wanted to keep fighting until they could all go home. Many of them thought they weren’t getting out alive anyway so they would do anything to protect their fellow soldiers so they could go home.

What does a hero look like? His wife who was 16 years old at the time said when she first saw him he was just 5 foot 6 inches and skinny as a rail. She wondered aloud how he could be a hero. They were married a week later. She said he would frequently wake up in the middle of the night having nightmares and would just go out on the porch and smoke a cigarette to calm himself down. That’s what a hero looks like, just like anyone else.

Garlin Murl Connor, just 26 years old, was willing to die for his fellow soldiers whom he loved.

Jesus Christ said in John 13:34-35 that the identifying mark of his people would be sacrificial love for each other. Ultimately that means giving up the most important thing to us… our own lives, but includes everything leading up to that including our time, our money, our possessions, etc. If we can’t give up those things then we’re fooling ourselves if we think we’ll give up our lives for someone else.

Our congregation is an army of Christian soldiers. We have a great enemy who must be defeated. We can’t conquer him with hand grenades or artillery or bombs or any kind of munition. He can only be defeated with love.

I’ve got a feeling that when we march into Heaven the Angels will be clapping and cheering for those who have been victorious over Satan and the spiritual cowards will be skulking ashamedly to their destination.

Remember Garlin Murl Connor for his sacrifices on the battlefield but there is a greater one that he who died so we all can live… never forget Him.

Be Perfect as God is Perfect

In the “Sermon on the Mount” the Beatitudes serve as an introduction or preview to the over-all sermon.

For example, “Blessed are you when men shall reproach you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for me sake. Rejoice… great is your reward in Heaven” (5:11) Fast forward to 5:43-48, “You have heard it said… love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say…. Love enemies and bless those who persecute you…that you may be sons of your Father…” See the connection? In the introduction they are blessed when persecuted but in the extended teaching (5:43-48) they are to “love” their persecutors and “pray” for them. They cannot just be persecuted for righteousness sake and expect to receive a blessing from God they have to “love” their persecutors and that love is made evident by bowing the knee and praying for them.

If they don’t behave in this fashion they are just like the “publicans” and Gentiles” (whom they would ordinarily despise) and are not like…God. To God they look like Publicans and Gentiles. In my opinion this may be the hardest thing God asks us to do.

But let’s look at one more thing (verse 48) “you shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Most people look at this verse and say, “that’s impossible no one can be perfect like God is perfect all we can do is try and fall short” and that would be incorrect. God doesn’t give us an instruction that is impossible to keep… hard but not impossible.

Let’s look at a few examples. Jesus while hanging on the cross prayed to God to forgive his persecutors because they didn’t really know what they were doing.

Stephen as he was being stoned by his persecutors prayed to God to not lay their sin against them.

Paul in Phil. 3:8-15 identifies himself as being “perfect” and advises the others who are “perfect” among his readers to be similarly minded.

We are instructed to be “perfect”. We have instructions on how to be “perfect” and we have examples of individuals who are “perfect” so that we can become perfect.

No one said it would be easy but it can be done.

The bigger question is why does God want us to be like him? Think about that.

What is Subjection?

Ephesians 5:22, introduces the concept that Christians are required to be in “subjection” to each other.

The word translated “subjection” is a Greek word that is ordinarily used to describe soldiers who are under authority in a military sense.

In the above context Christians are to view other Christians as being superior in rank (whether they are or not).

The word “subjection” is next used as a directive towards wives. They are to be in “subjection” to their husbands.

It is important at this point to see what the requirements are towards children and bond-servants. Children are supposed to be “obedient” to their parents and bond-servants are supposed to be “obedient” to their masters.

Here’s the point about wives… they are not children and they are not servants. They are not required to be in “obedience” to their husbands they are supposed to be in “subjection”. That’s important because some husbands can get those two things confused.

Note that “subjection” is based on “love”. Christ first “loved” the church and she (the church) “subjected” herself to him. Same thing in marriage, the husband “loves “ his wife and because of that love she willingly agrees to “subject” herself to him and respect his headship.

Also note that the word “fear” modifies both “subjection” and obedience as it concerns Christians, wives and bond-servants. When you read “fear” think “respect”.

Why is that word used. I’ll tell you why. It’s not fake “subjection” it’s real “subjection”. Sometimes people can fake when Jesus wants it to be real (from the heart).

Without real “subjection” and real “love” the marital relationship cannot become what God intended for it to be.

God promises great blessings to those who follow his directives. Have a little faith, follow the recipe… do your part and God will do his part.