“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” – Philippians 1:27
For eight hours, he prepares his uniform and his mind for duty. Every day of his duty, he gets a fresh haircut. And when he is on duty, he will not vary from his command a single step, or for a single second, no matter the weather, no matter the hour of the day, no matter the day of the week, no matter the number of people watching, and no matter if no one watches at all.
This person is the unflinching guard, the sentinel, a member of the Third United States Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, the men and women who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside our nation's capitol.
For every minute of every day, since July 2, 1937, the Old Guard has stood guard. And there is nothing casual about the way the work is done Arlington.
When a sentinel comes on duty, he walks exactly 21 steps across the tomb, representing the 21-gun salute, the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary. When he turns, he faces the tomb, and remains in that position for 21 seconds. He turns again and walks 21 steps across the tomb. When he completes the short journey, he stops, turns toward the tomb, and pauses for 21 seconds. Over and over, the sentinel repeats the process, until his shift is completed. He walks in a manner that may prove worthy of those who have died for his freedom.
As Christians, we represent Jesus Christ here on earth. Our lives should have integrity. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His supreme example of a life lived well and seek to be a person of integrity.
"No man on earth is getting along 'pretty well' without Jesus Christ." - William Fraser McDowell
God’s Word: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” – Ephesians 4:1
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