Kingdom Veterans
This past week my family has been involved in several Veterans Day celebrations. We have attended concerts and memorials and observances, all in honor of the brave men and women who have served in our country’s military. Attending these events is always such a blessing. They are replete with moments of appreciation, tears, and hearts being moved by the sacrifices and achievements of those who have served and who still serve to guard the freedoms we enjoy.
At some point in each of these gatherings, all veterans past and present are typically asked to stand and be recognized. In order to qualify for this moment, you have to have served in the military. You aren’t a veteran just by being patriotic. You aren’t classified as a veteran if someone in your family has served in the military, even if they have made the ultimate sacrifice in battle. You aren’t a veteran just because you staunchly support the military and donate thousands of dollars to the cause. You aren’t a veteran even if you have always thought about joining the armed forces but have never actually done so.
When you say the word “veteran,” most of the time the first thing that comes to mind is the one who has served in the military. But the word actually refers to “a person who has had long experience in a particular field.” This is often discussed in the sports world when contrasting the difference in experience between a rookie (first-year player) and a veteran (player of several years). There are literally veterans in every type of category you can imagine that might identify anyone as having served in some capacity in a particular field.
As I saw these men and women stand this past week at each one of these memorials, I couldn’t help but think about the veterans of the kingdom of God. You see, the church also has its heroes. But they are not necessarily people who have ever gone overseas or who have been stationed away from their families. They may have never served in a physical conflict. They may have never suffered physical injury or death.
Kingdom veterans are Christians who serve. They battle and fight the spiritual warfare in heavenly regions. When Bible class teachers are needed they step up and teach. When death visits a family they fix that family a meal. When people are sick they visit the hospital and the nursing home. When the poor and needy are starving and cold they offer food and shelter. When the world maligns the church and the Bible and God kingdom veterans defend the names and identities of these things.
Kingdom veterans are worshipers. When the church assembles they are always lined up in their row. They support and respect the leadership, and they stand behind the man who rises before them and wields God’s sword of truth. They honor the kingdom. They don’t disrespect the emblem that reminds them of the blood that was shed for their freedom. They spread a message of love and peace and hope for the nations. They have love for the laws that govern and direct them and that secure the very freedom they have come to know at the sacrifice of themselves.
As I saw these men and women stand this past week because they were military veterans, I wondered if the call came on Sunday morning for those who were kingdom veterans to stand, who would qualify. I wondered if the call came at some other gathering of the church, who would be found faithfully standing at their post.
“Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” – 2 Timothy 2:3
To Receive Every Article from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here
AUTHOR: Jeremiah Tatum
