Contemplative Comics day 91

The Great War saw the death of 9 million soldiers with another 25 million wounded.

It also saw the death of 5 million civilians.

“The war to end all wars” would give way to another, more destructive global conflict only 20 years later.

As a Christian, I don’t know what to do with nationalist holidays. I don’t have a flag. I don’t say the pledge or sing the National Anthem. I usually keep quiet about this. It is a faith decision. It isn’t something I feel compelled to push on others. I don’t feel that my theology makes me morally superior to anyone.

I don’t think Christians belong in the military, or possibly even law enforcement. I don’t even believe Christians should carry guns.

Yet many wonderful Christians I am friends with do all of these things, and I greatly love and respect them.

(Ironically, I will likely inherit several family rifles, and I am totally fine with hunting.)

I don’t make it a habit of celebrating war. There haven’t been many wars that I think were fought for very good reasons.

I hold the value of human life dearly. The majority of our soldiers are just normal folks serving for a variety of reasons, holding a variety of ideologies and values. Often they are people from rural small towns like the place I am from. Many are from unimportant families or lower classes trying to find their way and make something of themselves. I am from the generation that was told college was everything to be a person of value and the military fought hard to get us to join in order to pay for that college (a small event you may remember from September of 2001 put an end to this particular style of recruitment, at least for a while).

These regular folks who make up our military don’t decide who fights in the war or what the rules are.

They didn’t decide to come home with physical and mental injuries or in coffins wrapped in flags.

They didn’t decide to spend their adulthood battling PTSD.

They didn’t decide it would be awesome to have to fight for insurance to help cover the effects of serving their county.

They didn’t decide to come home totally whole and healthy while good friends they served with didn’t come home at all.

They’re just folks.

Today, I remember, honor, and pray for those folks.

May the families who have lost their children to war find peace in Jesus.

May the families who have lost their parents to war find hope in Jesus.

May those who have come back from war find healing in Jesus.

May those who are currently serving find shelter in Jesus.

Amen.