Watching the news coverage about the murder of four unarmed Marines makes me want to thank GOD for the Marines. You may have reasons to disagree, but there are many reasons why you should consider my suggestion.
Marines defend us and our way of life. This is more evident to me because of the young Marines I see each day guarding the Embassy I work in. I recall a story of a terrorist attack on one of our Consulates, where the diplomats and civilian workers retreated to safety and the young Marines grabbed their weapons and went towards the heavily armed attackers. That is extraordinary behavior for your average 19- or 20-year-old. Yes, our Marines were trained and equipped, but their lives are just as precious as ours. They are deployed around our country and the world, to go towards danger when we need them.
The World is a better place because of their service and sacrifice. Our Marines have defended most countries, and their service or influence has benefited the others. They fought communists, fascists and terrorists that wanted to take over the world and oppress us all. No, they didn’t do it alone, but they carried more than their share of the burden. It would be a very different world without them.
Marines are a part of us. Marines come from our civilian population, and they are our family, friends and loved ones. They come from all walks of life, all religions, from every ethnic background, from many countries of the world and are both men and women. They are some of our best, since they met the high standards it takes to be accepted. The rigorous training, exacting discipline and stress they are put through will bring out the worst in a few. They reflect many of the same problems of our society, but they are by far the best we have. They volunteer to be part of this elite group that is routinely called on to perform difficult missions. We should thank GOD for them, thank their families for their sacrifice and pray GOD’s blessings over them all.
Some would criticize the power which makes the Marines such an effective fighting force. Would they rather only the evil sides have power? Throughout the Old Testament of the Bible, there were “men of valor” that were used by the hand of GOD. Even in the New Testament, Jesus told the soldiers to be satisfied with their wages. He didn’t tell them to stop being soldiers and didn’t rebuke the Centurion that asked for help. The power of the Marines is a blessing from GOD, and we should carefully wield it for righteous purposes, and we should thank GOD for our Marines.
Wayne Lance (2015) – That’s Good News to Share!