June 4, 2014

This week we celebrate 70 years since the day that came to be known as D-Day. D-Day is a military term used to describe the day on which a military operation is set to commence. The most well known D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944 when allied troops landed on the shores of Normandy and began the march through Europe in a successful effort to defeat Adolf Hitler and his forces.

Over the past 40 years, public opinion of the military has ebbed and flowed. Often people responding to opinion polls on the military have equated views of war with views of the military personnel in general. When I look at the military I don’t think of the wars that we have fought I think of the men and women who sacrifice their lives and families to serve our nation. On Monday, May 25, we celebrated Memorial Day at Brandywine Baptist Church. Close to 140 men and women and children came together that day to honor those who died for our freedom. As we honored them it reminded me that our veterans, our military personnel, enlist and serve knowing that there is always the risk of being called to lay down their life for their comrades and for their country. This thought reminded me that while the Military is not a perfect institution it holds dear many values that have their foundation in Judeo-Christian principles.

Americans of all faiths, but in particular Christians, can learn much from the values held by our military. Some of the common values are integrity first, selfless service, excellence, loyalty, duty, respect, honor, and personal and moral courage. All of these values are honorable and should be emulated by all persons. The one that stands out the most to me is selfless service or as some state it “Service before self.”

The bible is full of passages that talk about selfless service. The greatest example of all of course is that of Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians and encouraged them to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
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!”
We see here that we are encouraged to “value others above” ourselves. Christians are called “Christian” because they should be “following Christ.” We live in a world that is plagued by selfishness. The norm has become for us to follow our own way and to value our own interest above others. This thought process has permeated the church as well as some in the military like the recent soldier who abandoned his post and his unit. How unfortunate it is because as we read in Philippians Jesus sets the example by not considering equality with God but rather “emptying” himself and taking the form of bond servant being obedient to the point of death.

Many people believe that Jesus died for others. Often the scripture passage of John 3:16 is quoted since it reminds us that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” People talk about how grateful they are for this sacrifice but they in turn do not practice the same selfless service.

Our men and women who serve our country serve and are obedient to their chain of command even if that means death. They know that dying in the line of duty means having given their life for others. This is the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus reminded us of this when he said “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

During our annual Memorial Day Service at Brandywine Baptist, retired Air Force Col. David P. Schiller in his remarks reminded us that the reason we have the freedom of religion is because our men and women in uniform have died for us to have that freedom. It is only appropriate then that we honor those who have come before us and laid down their lives by living in a way that would honor this freedom we all share.

My challenge to us as a nation and especially to those who claim to follow Christ, is that as we honor the fallen and remember the infamous D-Day this year let us have our own personal Decision Day and empty ourselves of selfishness and consider other’s interests first. Selfless service is one of the many military values we should imitate and practice. In doing so we will not only honor the fallen and those who currently serve on our behalf but even more importantly we will be following Jesus’ example. If enough people lived this way our country and world would be a much different place.

Think about it and take it for what it is worth.

About Rev. Marcos O. Almonte

Rev. Marcos O. Almonte is senior pastor at Brandywine Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church west of Philadelphia. Pastor Marcos is a graduate of Palmer Theological Seminary with more than 10 years working with families with an expertise in theology, trauma and addictions. Pastor Marcos and his wife Mary have three children, Carmen, Joseph, and Lincoln.

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