To Die is Gain

The Medal of Honor is a great example for all of us of who follow God. It honors those who’ve acted courageously for their fellow man or country and offers us a framework for understanding the importance of living confidently for the sake of Jesus Christ.

I remember when former President George W. Bush awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to the wife of Captain Swanson—a fallen soldier who flew a helicopter over Cambodia on February 29, 1971. On a mission, Captain Swanson flew directly into enemy fire until his helicopter exploded in flight.

At the ceremony, President Bush said, “The Medal of Honor recognizes acts of bravery that no superior could rightly order a soldier to perform. The courage it signifies is gallant, valiant service at the risk of life, alone and beyond the call of duty.”

When I was a Marine officer, I wrote one of my men up for the Medal of Honor, and since then I’ve become an amateur military history buff.   

The Battle of Iwo Jima has always fascinated me because of all the tremendous acts of courage performed on the island. This is the only battle during World War II in which the American causalities were greater than the enemy’s, and more Marines earned the Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima than in any other battle in U.S. history.

Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific, gave a tribute to the men who fought at Iwo Jima, saying, “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

The plaque at the cemetery on this forsaken island says what I hope will be the desire of our hearts in following Christ with courage:

“When you go home, tell them for us and say, ‘For your tomorrow, we give you our today.’”

In addressing this great need for courage in our society today, we need to have uncommon valor for Christ’s sake becoming common. If people in our society began to practice uncommon valor and sacrifice, the world will be completely transformed.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” -Philippians 1:21

As we walk in this type of courage, we may be called to sacrifice a great deal—even our lives—so that others may experience a tomorrow filled with God’s peace and purpose for their lives.

Many soldiers who’ve died in battle did not know Jesus or understand His sacrifice, but they still chose to die in place of others. Shouldn’t believers even more so model powerful courage and moral fortitude to the outside world?

I pray that a new attitude of “to live is Christ and to die is gain” will begin to emerge when we offer our Lord our hearts anew. In doing so, the world will come to know what we know—that Jesus has gone before us to prepare a place for us.

Let’s ask God to infuse us with the passion and courage to honor Him by being willing to give up our today, if required, to honor Christ.

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