Vigilance

Vigilance is the act of being alertly watchful especially to avoid danger. Vigilance is only necessary when there is an interest to protect. Apathy is its greatest enemy, comfort its greatest temptation.

Thomas Jefferson is well known for saying "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance".
That is because freedom must be protected or it will be lost. It is not something that is easily obtained or kept, but its value and price is so great that once obtained it must be fought for and consistently maintained.

How much more valuable are our souls? How much more valuable is the unity found in the body of Christ? Are we striving to protect it?

I've noticed in the last month some negative talk and thought circulating amongst believers..and yes, even in my own head as well. And the only reason I have been apathetic to the danger of it is that I am both lazy and comfortable and that I have forgotten the treasure that I have in the body of believers I am apart of.

2 Timothy says,
Share in the troubles we have like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. A soldier wants to please the enlisting officer, so no one serving in the army wastes time with everyday matters. (NCV)

Don't be a fairweather Christian. Get in the trenches.
I hate war...blatantly. But there is a lot to be learned from this analogy. A soldier puts himself under the authority of his commanding officer. He understands that his life is not his. He doesn't follow his own judgements, he only follows orders. His life is completely given to the mission of his unit. He understands the constant danger around him and it makes him alert and cautious for signs of danger. I once heard about how in World War 2, metal toys were even collected in mass in order to make weapons to be sent to the troops. In time of war people make sacrifices for the good of the cause.

In 2 Corinthians 10 Paul says,
We do live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places. We destroy people's arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ. (NCV)

As Christians we are called not to fight in the flesh. We are to control our tempers and not seek vengeance. However we are stilled called to fight. But our fight is spiritual. That's why its so easy to let down our guards. Its very similar to fighting to retain freedom. This is because we are fighting for something that we can't see with the naked eye. Freedom is not tangible and neither is unity in the body of Christ. We are in this fight for the long haul. Because freedom and unity are both lost gradually. They are gradually degraded, until suddenly you are left defenseless and overpowered.