Articles
Thank You for Your Service
The phrase “Thank you for your service” has become the most common compliment to those who have served (or are currently serving) in our armed forces. We genuinely offer thanks because we recognize that these men and women have sacrificed much on behalf of our country. Interestingly we often express our thankfulness to those who served without knowing what exactly they did! Whether they peeled potatoes, repaired diesel trucks, or served in the infantry, we are thankful for what they did on our behalf simply because we know they served. Our willingness to thank the members of our armed services for their service is instructive for how we should react to the service of our brethren in Christ.
When it comes to faithful Christians, no matter how they serve our Lord, “Thank you for your service” is an incredibly appropriate expression of gratitude. Consider what our brethren do on behalf of the Kingdom. Our brothers and sisters faithfully pick up their shields of faith each day and withstand yet another volley of “flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6.16). Our spiritual family is engaged constantly in prophecy (declaring God’s will from the scriptures), service, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership, and showing mercy to one another (Rom. 12.6-8). These humble workers do not serve our King to be recognized by other people, even going so far that their left-hand doesn’t know what their right hand is doing (Matt. 6.3). These are the servants of Matthew 25 who fed, clothed, visited, and helped people, and in so doing proved their pure devotion to Christ! Our ranks are full of foot-washers, sick-tenders, sons of encouragement, godly parents patiently teaching their children to love God and their neighbors and (thankfully) the list goes on and on. They feed, clothe, Beloved, we have a lot of servants for which we ought to be thankful!! To all of my brethren who are fighting the good fight, Thank you for your service.
Our expressions of thankfulness tend to be focused upon those who lead in public worship. I’ve been on both sides of the post-sermon handshake with the preacher. I wince when I think about how often I’ve thanked the preacher for his sermon and neglected to thank my fellow brethren for what they do in the LORD. On the other hand, I wince again when I consider how often I’ve gladly accepted thankfulness for my work in teaching and preaching and neglected to thank the listener for what they do in the LORD. The truth is the vast majority of our service does not happen inside the church building!!! If we only thank those who lead us in worship and study, we fail to recognize and be thankful for the majority of the good work being done by others throughout the week. I apologize to those whose diligent service to God I have callously overlooked. Thank you for your service.
Lastly, the service of the saints should provoke us to be thankful to the Sovereign. Consider Paul’s statements of thankfulness for his brethren in the salutation of nearly all his letters: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1.3-5). God is to be credited and thanked for creating the body of Christ, which is “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped” (Eph. 4.16). God has joined us together to humbly serve one another, and we have Him to thank for His gracious gift of service. Thank you for your service and thank God for enlisting us into His service. -Kyle Sanders
