What would Gunny Say?

In the Army, they are known as "Drill Sergeants".
In the Navy, they are known as "Recruit Division Commanders".
In the Air Force, they are known as "Military Training Instructors".
In the Marines, they are known "Drill Instructors".

Those who have served know what they are like.  Those who have not have properly seen them depicted in movies or television.  Probably the most iconic is Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) in the 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket".  Ermey was an actual Marine Corps Drill Instructor in 1965-1967.

Having been to Marine Corps boot camp myself, I can attest to the fact that his portrayal of a drill instructor is spot on as is the portrayal of boot camp overall in the movie.  Boot camp serves a very specific purpose.  To train young men and women into Marines.  While every Marine has their own military occupational specialty (or job), they are all considered to be "a rifleman first".  The yelling, screaming, fast pace, and attention to detail are all intended to prepare a Marine for the very real possibility of combat.  They are no longer children, but are now men and women prepared to place themselves in harms way for God and Country.

I have little doubt that Gunny Hartman would agree with the many posts, videos, and memes that have mourned the loss of the resilience of our youth.  I am sure you have seen them.  They denounce the overuse of everything from bicycle helmets to anti-bacterial soap.  They all state the kids growing up in the [insert decade here] were tougher than kids of today.  I am sure Gunny would agree.

As I write this, my son is at Marine Corps boot camp right now.  I have recently learned of another practice that would have Gunny shaking his head in dismay.  Marines graduate on most Fridays.  This means families are on base Wed-Fri taking pictures of any recruit they see.  They then post these pictures to a common Facebook page and parents at home commence to playing "Where's Waldo" as they try to find their young recruit in the sea of look-a-likes (not unlike what happened when many of them were at summer camp when they were much younger).  In addition to Waldo pictures, these pages are filled with parents supporting each other and wondering how they are going to make it until their baby comes home briefly before going out again.  Gone are the days when the recruits shipped off and Mom and Dad got maybe a letter or two before graduation.  Now we have Facebook where Mom can see her little baby marching around the base.  I think it is time some of these parents land the helicopter and let their babies go... just a little bit.  I have to wonder "What would Gunny say?"

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go find my Waldo.

Pursued

The other day I was watching a crime show on tv.  The detective saw the suspect in the park.   He observed him for some time before approaching.  He then approached the suspect and said he would like to speak with him.  The suspect then gave chase and ran into an apartment building nearby.  The detective pursued right behind.  The suspect climbed the stairs and soon found himself trapped on the roof.  Fearful of what might happen if the detective caught him, he decided to try and jump from one roof to the next.  His attempt failed and he wound up hanging for dear life to a pipe near the top of the first building.  He cried for help.  The detective approached and tried to reach out to assist him.  The suspect was wearing a backpack.  The detective told him that the backpack was weighing him down.  He advised him to let the backpack go, but the suspect refused.  The suspect tried to reach up the detective, but restricted by his backpack, he was unable.  He soon lost his grip and fell to his death.

Afterwards, I could not help but think about how this is really of picture of God's desire for relationship with us.  So often, he will approach us in the park and just want to talk to us.  Just to sit on the bench and have a pleasant conversation.  We, however, are afraid of him and start to run.  Like the suspect, we are afraid of what he will ask us to do, afraid of what he will find out, afraid of what sins he will expose, and afraid of being asked to give something up.  So we run.  We run and try to hide from the one who created the entire universe.  The one who sees all and knows all.  Like an elephant hiding behind a bamboo tree we think we can hide from God.  Like the suspect, eventually our burden of sin causes us to stumble.  Were we to let our sin go, we would find it easier to take hold of God's hand and be drawn to safety.  Clinging to the sin will eventually send us to a certain death.  At this point, the analogy begins to break down.  In the story, the detective tried to reach out to the suspect who was crying for help...but he was unable.   In reality, when we cry out to God, he will reach down and grab us and left us ... with our burden of sin still attached.  Once he has set us safely down, he will take the burden and cast it as far as the East is from the West.  If only we would just stop and talk to him...while we are still in the safety of the park.