More Than A Cross On My Chest

Every Chaplain In the US Army wears his or her faith group symbol on their uniform. As a Protestant Chaplain I wear a cross above my name tape on the right side of my uniform. I remember the day that I was able to pin that cross on and it was pinned on by my father, one of the greatest moments of my life for several reasons. First, it was a goal that I had set 15 years prior when I felt the calling of God to be a Chaplain. Second, it was pinned on by my dad. While it may not seem that big of a deal for most people for me it was an honor to have the man who had instilled such great values in my life to be the one who passed the mantle of sorts. Finally, it was proof to me that it was the calling of God that had gotten me there and the Cross was a symbol of where God wanted me to go with my life.

Several weeks later I was at church and I remember my pastor talking about how we are to live our lives, we were supposed to live it in such a way that everyone knows that we are willing to take up the cross each day for the Lord. Our actions should be proof that we are children of God. As a Chaplain in the Army we wear that cross (or other religious symbol) in a very obvious spot and it is a testament not only to our position in the military but also of our personal faith. It was a reminder for me that not only do we carry the cross in our hearts we carry it in front of our men and women in uniform, what a great responsibility.

Fast-forward to this past weekend when I was getting my uniforms ready for inspection Tuesday morning. With each of my four uniforms I carefully removed any loose strings and ensured that my name and branch was placed in the right place. Then, I placed my cross on each uniform and took the time to pray after each placement. I prayed that God would use me in a way that would be a reflection of His love and concern for his children. I also prayed that every time I donned my uniform I would live my life in a way that promoted my faith and the Army values.

I know that there are few people in the world that wear their faith on their collar, but that does not mean that people don't or shouldn't  know where you stand. Can you wear a cross on your collar all day so that all know where you stand or are there times when you need to cover the cross so that you wont show it disrespect. I am certainly not trying to sound pious for I am like Paul in that there is no greater sinner than I.  I believe it should be our prayer everyday that we will live our lives with more than a cross on our chest, it should be just as evident in our hearts, actions, and attitudes.