The Sacrifices of War
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:3-8
I was feeling a little sorry for myself last week because we found out Chewy won’t be with us for Thanksgiving. He only has one day off (the Holiday), lives four hours away, and would have to quarantine upon returning home to Vermont. Chewy is a frontline worker delivering to stores. (This could also affect Christmas, but we will have to wait and see.)
Then I remembered a Christmas some 35 years ago when Chipster, my brother, was in central America doing “Army business,” and his new young bride spent time with us. Again in 1990, he was away for Christmas in the Middle East on the eve of Desert Storm. He was serving his country, and we did what we could to support him and his family. Because that is what family does!
On Wednesday night, I checked in with each of the participants of my Bible study to see how they were doing. A young wife and mom shared how her husband, an ICU nurse, was seeing the numbers of COVID patients climbing rapidly at a local medical center. He was growing very very anxious as feelings were returning of the nightmare he lived in the Spring when the ICU was beyond full. He was literally on the frontline fighting a war in March and April, and now it seems like the battle rages again!
I remember a phone call back in the Spring from another member of that Bible study who also works in a hospital; he serves ad security in an emergency room. I remember thinking that his emotions and language during that call sounded like a M*A*S*H unit. He told me he then that he never wanted to see that many people leave the ER in that condition again; in body bags. He serves on the frontline too! (He is an avid reader of this bLOG)
This week, the number of American casualties of this “war” is closing in fast on a quarter of a million people. This is nearly four times the number of Americans who died during the Vietnam War, and seven times that of the Korean War. And this number has been achieved in ten months; not three or ten years!
We will see Chewy on ZOOM this Thanksgiving. His cheerful smile and good nature will jump through the screen at us. Sure he won’t be in the room, but we will be serving a bigger purpose and sacrifice a little this holiday season, so we can protect and serve our fellow hitchchikers!
How will you contribute to this war effort? Let us unite to minimize the risk to others. You know the drill.
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