Article : Men in Battle: Reflections in Stone

by Col. Tom Hemingway

Passing the Vietnam Memorial, "the Wall," my eyes froze on the name of a college buddy I’d last seen near Pleiku, Vietnam, in November 1965. Tom had been an excellent runner and captain of our track team. I heard later that he hadn’t made it home, and here was that finality chipped in polished granite.

Reflections in the gleaming black stone were broken up by the names meticulously etched into its surface. My memory of Vietnam is similarly distorted by those names. Except for the casualties, the memory of war might be coherent. But casualties prove the old adage that "all commitments are ultimately signed in blood."

Thinking about Tom brought tears to my eyes. Remembering isn’t painless, nor should it be. The approach of Memorial Day often prompts reflections of this sort. Fortunately, most of my memories as a marine for more than twenty years are about heroic young men who smiled and grunted their way through the jungles of Vietnam as well as the moral morass set in motion by the ‘60s. Most led normal, productive lives. Most, but not all. Many left pieces behind; some never experienced home again.

A Different Kind of War
Because we enjoy the benefits of living in peacetime and economic prosperity, many of us American Christians forget we experience war daily – every bit as real as the Vietnam War. I’m talking about spiritual battle! Many Christians don’t believe that spiritual battle is real. Oh, we say we believe it, but a truth acknowledged that fails to affect the way we live and make decisions, do we believe it? Marines in the muck of a rice paddy with AK47 rounds whizzing by are easily persuaded of the battle, and they act accordingly.

As Christians, we would do well to make sure we believe that the war is real and conform our actions to that reality. If we are living godly lives of integrity to which Christ has called us, we are in the line of fire, whether we realize it or not. So the question is not whether a battle exists, for Scripture makes it clear that it does (Ephesians 6:12); rather, the question is What kind of soldier are you?

Refugees
War zones are populated by a variety of souls. Usually the most numerous participants are refugees, people caught in the middle who really don’t care who wins, so long as the conflict goes away. In a sense, most of our neighbors, business associates, and acquaintances over a lifetime would fit neatly in this niche. No, they aren’t into the occult, they are just middle-of-the-road folks who only want to be left alone, free to pursue the thing that interests them for the moment.

The plight of the spiritual refugees is a familiar one: facing dangers not understood, in a crowd, yet lonely, often unsupported and frequently adrift between interests. They are busy "getting and spending," happy when what is happening around them feels good but bewildered by the deteriorating social circumstance of our day. Their goal is to be where the conflict isn’t. As a marine in Vietnam, I was confronted daily by refugees. As a Christian in the United States, I see them no less.

Front Line Fighters
On the other end of the spectrum are the soldiers on the front line, those who are aware of the battle and actively praying, reading the Word of God and spreading the Gospel to enlist more troops. Being on the front line carries with it a high level of danger. Satan, who is in this world, targets Christians who are actively living out their faith and impacting their communities. Stay long enough at the front lines and you will get hit. It may not require a hospital visit, but it may mean discouragement in your daily Christian walk (i.e., too busy to pray or read the Bible, family problems or other hardships).

Therefore, it is no surprise that small unit leaders (squad and platoon) become casualties more often. This is because they are exposed while they help, rally troops, distribute supplies, and lead by example. We should remember to pray for our leaders, as well as seek needed prayer support when we are leading spiritual endeavors.

Under which category do you find yourself? A refugee, unaware or uninvolved in the battle at hand? Or a front line soldier, covering you and your family in prayer as you confront the evils of the day? Or somewhere in the middle? If you are on the front lines, which we hope you are, you need not fear because we know that God wins in the end; meanwhile, God supplies us with the ammunition we need.

First Aid for the Battle
What sort of resources do we have available to prevent us from becoming casualties? Do we have a grasp of “spiritual first aid"? As David tells us in Psalm 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." Do we have some verses stored in our first aid pack? Do we know how to apply them? A note of importance here: A battle dressing not applied does no good. Scripture is the same: no application, no remedy, no healing. "Be doers of the word, not hearers only" (James 1:22).

Fellowship & Accountability
Next, do we "hang out" with folks who understand the battle, the mission, the care of wounded? In essence, are you accountable and committed to a small group of fellow soldiers who will stick with you and be able to carry you, if needed, to an aid station, i.e., church, fellowship, etc.? Soldiering at the front involves risk, wounds and often pain. That is why Paul instructs Timothy to "endure hardship as a good soldier." At any time in battle, being a part of a fire team or squad is important, but as you become a casualty, it is crucial beyond words. We need each other! In all my years of soldiering, I never once had to tell a marine, "Don’t take the hill by yourself."

As soldiers in God’s army we must be concerned about caring for the other troops. Jesus is the source for our caring (I Peter 5:7). We can and must care for refugees, casualties and fellow soldiers. We must do this in a disciplined, soldierly, loving manner. We must be trained and obedient to the task of loving those whom God places in our path, as well as those entrusted to our care. We are soldiers of the King.

A Clear Calling
It is no accident that the Army Infantry School motto at Fort Benning, Ga., has been and remains, "Follow Me." I submit it will never change. The changeless words of our Savior for His disciples to follow Him should touch something deep within us and evoke a response befitting of the speaker. He speaks; we follow.

Each Memorial Day I am encouraged that our nation takes time to care about the sacrifices of the Toms we’ve known. I’m also buoyed by the fact that Jesus came because He loved us and lived out this truth. He has set the ultimate example, and He beckons to us, one and all: "Follow me!"

The late Col. Tom Hemingway was a Green Beret and served in the Marine Corps for 25 years.