...is a buzzword of many younger types today, perhaps even a badge of honor that grants you acceptance and access to peoples' lives. The term is closely related to sincerity, a term bestowed upon me by a lower enlisted soldier a few nights ago.
I was mouthing off as normal. This occasionally gets me in trouble, but is usually appreciated by soldiers throughout the unit. I had just joked around with two of my workout buddies who are both big and black (one from Congo, and the other has done 100+ funerals with me). When they were done with their workout, they came and got me to go back to the barracks. When we got back, I told them and the others in the barracks that I thought what anyone else would think if two big, black men appeared behind them, "I imagine these good gentlemen would like to engage in deep conversation." The soldiers, predominantly black, howled in laughter, knowing what most people think about when two big, black men appear behind them.
A few minutes later, I was talking with one of these soldiers. I would not naturally have much in common with this soldier. I was born in the suburbs; he was born in the projects. I am a 30 year old officer; he is a 21 year old lower enlisted soldiers. You get the point. At one point, an NCO was telling this soldier that he should memorize the NCO creed if he wants to get promoted to the NCO corps. This soldier was making excuses. I told him, "You know the CDR has told the officers that we should know the NCO creed as well--why don't we learn it together?" He turned to me and said "Wow, you're really sincere."
I was not expecting that reaction. In fact, my blustery personality can often be read as superficial. But this soldier saw my heart and the fact that I really did care about him and wanted to see his grow and do well. I must strive, by God's grace, to have a similar reputation with all of my soldiers. The perception of sincerity fosters trust and vulnerability. Inevitably, there are those couple of soldiers who don't want me around. My greetings are usually met by a brief, terse reply. Yet even that handful of soldiers is a group I must strive to engage and love.
One of the disadvantages of being constantly on the move--briefing, studying, talking, participating, listening, reading--is that I rarely allow my heart and mind to slow down. This will be one of my great struggles over this deployment. As much I love always being engaged with someone or something, I must create and guard time and energy for the silent disciplines--honest and humble prayer, meditating on God's Word, journaling, and laying my thoughts and feelings bare before the Lord. My consistence in these activities will be a good gauge of my overall dependence upon the Lord.
Ps. 42:1-4 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear before God. My tears have been my food day and night, while they say all the day long "Where is your God?" I remember these things as I pour out my soul, how I would go with the throng and lead them in processsion to the house of God with glad songs and shouts of praise, a multitude keeping festival.
The Psalmist recognizes his most basic need: to be satisfied by the living God. He thus waits upon the God who alone can satisfy. He casts his eyes to the worldly plane, and considers his sufferings. His eyes are full of tears. His ears are full of jeers. Hopefully condemnation rains upon his soul in his time of need. But then he does as God's people through history have done: remembered God's grace. Living in view of such mercy, particularly that of Christ Jesus dying for the worst of sinenrs, enables believers to press on toward the goal of appearing before their God. The God who so faithfully had led us in days gone by will surely see us through until His appointed day.
Notice the psychological process in this statement. In the midst of sorrow and suffering, a new mindset is needed (as cognitive psychologists will argue). Yet that mindset only comes in reflecting upon concrete, redemptive, historical realities wrought by the very hand of God. And the heart of those very realities, the redemptive work of Christ, is the work then continued by the Holy Spirit in the transforming of our minds (Rom. 12:2). We dispute the darkness, not with our own filthy rags we call good deeds, but with the righteous life of Christ, now credited to us.
