We are close to Veterans Day which is meant to be a day to honor those brave men and women who have served in the military. While I never served in the military, I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with many people who have. Veterans are an extremely diverse group of people coming from every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and geographic area but are all united in their shared commitment to serving their country. With a group so diverse, there are many things one can learn from veterans, and I wanted to reflect on a couple of lessons they have taught me.

First, as just stated, veterans come from all walks of life and offer an excellent lesson in how to work with others. I have noticed that many veterans have a mentality of “No matter who you are, when you are on my team, I have your back and you have mine.” Despite the wide swath in backgrounds, traits, and experiences, both while serving in the military and afterwards, veterans find a way to work together to accomplish a shared mission. They embody a focus on what can unite rather than divide-a mentality that I wish was shared more widely. That’s not to say that veterans all think alike-quite the opposite! But those who serve in the armed forces focus their energy on working together. For those who are Christian, this is an excellent example of living Saint Paul’s exhortation to recognize all parts of the body of Christ. It’s perhaps a good time to ask ourselves-are we recognizing all of God’s diverse children as being on “our team” or are we occupied with what divides to the detriment of spreading God’s love?

Second, veterans have lived another Gospel value: willingness to sacrifice for a greater good. Often leaving family and friends to serve in hostile areas far from home, these men and women have lived what Christ said in the Gospel: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” While not everyone who has served in the armed forces has made the ultimate sacrifice, they all have enlisted with a willingness to do so should the time come. Moreover, all of them have dedicated their lives to protecting their country, sometimes enduring unimaginable conditions with lasting scars, mental or physical. While civilians are not asked to endure the same threats of hostile military action or deployment away from their loved ones, it is a good reminder for all of us to examine our lives. Are we living in a way that sacrifices for our neighbors or do we prioritize our own comfort regardless of the cost to others? Living a life of service is one of the cornerstones of a Christian life, and we can look to the examples of veterans for inspiration in doing so.

In short, this Veterans Day, I hope you also take time to not only thank those veterans who took up the call to defend our country but to reflect on the gift they have given us. To those veterans who have served, I am grateful not only for your service to preserve, protect and defend our country but for the lessons you teach the world in how to love others and live a life of service.

– Christian Svetnicka