No civilian members, soldier, or
officer only!
Paul writes that ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ This is what the
church therefore has to represent.
Our congregation more so than others
must therefore represent this “come as you are” philosophy. We are not in
church to show off or to set out our spirituality for public display. We are here
to be strengthened (as iron sharpens iron) and built by meeting with God in
fellowship with the Christian community. Totally given over with an open mind.
Here, if anywhere, we all meet God on an equal footing, member or not; civilian,
soldier or officer matters not at all. God is God and we are human.
It is not here, among friends in the congregation
that we need to show the position we’ve taken, it is not here in the fellowship
that the prophetic voice of a different life, a life that is in active struggle
against hunger, poverty, depression, disease, injustice. It's outside the walls
we must demonstrate our staunch position.
The uniform is not for the Sunday
worship meeting only, it is for the average week day living as well! Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday ...
In addition, we not only have our standard
uniform, but several different fashions of uniforms. Full uniform (dress
uniform), working uniform (no jacket, no tie, trousers instead of skirts for
the ladies), field uniforms (T-shirt or other profile outfit with the SA Shield
on it).
Here in our corps’ fellowship, we are
no longer civilian members, soldiers and officers, we are now simply siblings
and fellow human beings: We are all one in Christ. Let us be an army of
uniformed friends not only here on Sunday but all week long. Make a point to
ask: "Do you have the shield on you?" Or "Where is your shield
today?"
"We never see the Sallies around
any longer" people say, it's no wonder, when we just show ourselves to
each other here on Sunday.
It's not just uniforms but what you
do when wearing it
The uniform has been defined as a
prophetic robe (the prophetic view of ourselves and others that we have made
ourselves available in the war). The uniform has also been described as a
sacrament (an outward sign of an inner grace). These aspects are vitally important
and should not be lost. But they are only meaningful aspects of uniforms
(whether it be a parade, work or field uniform) if it is worn outside the
corps’ walls. Moreover, it is only meaningful if the uniforms as a external sign
is followed by an inner grace.
This means that you live in the
abundant grace and mercy that God gives you, and show the same abundant grace
and mercy to the people around you, whether soldiers, friends, non-religious,
non-believers, Muslims, Buddhists, homosexuals, communists , capitalists,
nobility, peasants, homeless, or even your enemies.
It is simply what you do in your
uniform that gives it its value and dignity. Wherever you find yourself, and
whenever.
Today is the feast, we celebrate our
young recruits decision to completely entrust themselves to Christ, fit to
fight, to live a life of wholeness and holiness. But I wonder as I stand here,
is not every day a cause for celebration? Is it not high time that we who are
the Salvation Army take seriously our doctrine on the sacramental life and live
out God's unmerited and merciful grace to us in our everyday life and that we
do so under the shield of faith?
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