By Jon Wren
For 101 years, every November 11 has been acknowledged worldwide in some way. It is known as Veterans Day in the United States, but was originally known as Armistice Day; the Armistice ended the Great War, now known as the First World War, in 1918. That global struggle lasted more than four years and resulted in millions of deaths. When the warring powers finally agreed to cease hostilities at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the world breathed a sigh of relief and hoped for a real and lasting peace.
That peace, however, came a few minutes too late for at least one Allied soldier. At 10:58 a.m. that day, a German sniper killed Canadian private George Price. The desire to have the last say overpowered the desire for peace.
The tragedy of the story points to an ugly truth in all of us. We all publicly pay lip service to peace and forgiveness, but deep down in our hearts, we crave something else. Beneath the surface for many of us is a desire for vengeance and vindication against the people who have hurt or wronged us.
Veterans Day can be an important counterbalance to the tension in our hearts between peace and revenge. Veterans Day honors men and women who have chosen self-sacrifice and service for others over their own wants and desires. The choice to die to oneself and live for others has its roots in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote about our Lord’s example:
Christ Jesus . . . did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8).
As we take Communion, let’s remember the desire for revenge leads only to more pain and suffering. But the work of Christ on the cross is the perfect example of service on behalf of others. The only way to true peace and forgiveness in eternal life is through our Lord’s sacrifice.
Jon Wren works with the Office of Civil Rights, addressing the impact of gentrification on school desegregation. He loves history, college football, and once got a ticket for driving too slowly.
The words challenge and hope describe well the focus of this issue. Ministry can be hard. And discouraging. But we stick with it because of hope—hope in whom we serve, and hope in the work to which he has called us.
Has your faith become complacent? Is your lifestyle a bit too predictable and comfortable? Is the Lord nudging you to do more, give more, or risk more? Don’t quit if the Lord wants you to walk a little farther.
One of the great dangers of the modern church is that we have come to rely on our thinking, strength, wit, and skill and believe we can strategize, market, and promote our way out of the place in which we and our churches find ourselves.
One of the most significant things I learned over the course of more than four decades of preaching in the local church is people don’t need to be taught something new as much as they need to be reminded of what they already know.
The fear of the Lord leads to a life of holiness and obedience, while the comfort of the Holy Spirit brings peace and strength amid trials. These two spiritual qualities enable us to be all God wants us to be as we seek to live out Jesus’ mission.
0 Comments