Challenge Accepted

My uncle was the first person in my family to serve in the US military. After graduating from college, he accepted a commission from the Marine Corps. It was the height of the Vietnam War; a few years later he was killed in an ambush. A folded flag and a picture of a young man in drab sitting on a shelf are the only memories I have of him. Although it’s been more than 50 years since his death, my mom continues to hear from men who served under his command and want to share stories of their beloved “LT Burt.”

To be commissioned is to be formally chosen for a specific task.  It always comes with a job attached, but it’s about so much more than the job.  Military officers with a commission accept responsibility for the lives of those under their command. They understand that they must be willing to send their troops into battle, to lead them places they don’t want to go, to put them in danger, to send them through hell.

I’ve accepted a few commissions myself. Sometimes I wish they all came with a little ceremony. Maybe then I would be less likely to forget what I agreed to undertake. There are plenty of days when it’s lonely or boring and sometimes it seems like the troops are mutinying. But that doesn’t erase my responsibility to hold the pass until my Commander relieves me of my post.

Most of the time it’s a pleasant assignment. But there are seasons when the enemy tries the defenses, when he attempts to break the line, when he ups his attacks and sends out flaming arrows.  On those days, I rely on the knowledge that this is a co-mission, a doing together.

God has asked me to do this, and it’s hard. But He didn’t task me with the assignment and then say, “Good luck with that!”  Instead He promised to be with me always, to help me, to equip me with all that I need to do the work He has entrusted to me. He has already done the heavy lifting and He wants me to be successful with my little part, so He says, “Let’s do this together.”

I don’t think God needs my help. I imagine it’s a bit like the ‘help’ my children gave baking cookies when they were much smaller. They made a mess, ate the chocolate chips, and dropped half the dough on the floor. But messy as I am, God invites me to participate in His work anyway because He knows that I have a vested interest in its success.

You see, the people closest to me are my primary responsibility. And while some of them aren’t specifically under my command, they’re all in my sphere of influence. So what do the “troops” see in me on a day to day basis? How do they benefit from my leadership?  Are they being equipped for the journey and trained for the trials they will surely face? Have I done all that I was asked to do to prepare the next generation to undertake their own commission?

I can’t quit and my contract is irrevocable. Desertion would mean more than disgrace – it would make me a traitor to my King.  No other path leads to the Kingdom, and to deviate from the orders I’ve been given carries the risk of leading others astray. It’s important that we know what we’re up against. This is no walk in the park, but a venture through dangerous territory. It’s the kind of undertaking that requires focus, determination, and grit.

Challenge accepted.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV