Article December 28, 1998 Issue

The corporal and the general

By Donald R. Rippberger

When I was an Army corporal overseas, in addition to my regular duties, I acted as a representative for my Church, helping fellow soldiers through prayer. One of the first "fellow soldiers" to ask for an appointment was a general. We were to meet in the chapel the next day.

This concerned me because of the Army's emphasis on rank. How could I as a corporal offer help to a general? My concern prompted me to pray long into the night. I thought of the story of Naaman asking the prophet Elisha for help (see II Kings 5:1–14). But, unlike Naaman, the general had no pride or arrogance. In this case, the corporal, not the general, needed to be free of rank.

The Apostle Peter assures us, "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). This truth replaces concerns of status and rank with the understanding of man's true, spiritual commission as God's image. I realized that God is the healer and man reflects this healing power through the activity of Christ. The general actually seeking help from Christ, Truth, not from a corporal.

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