A True Soldier

The other day, while taking my early morning walk around my estate, I noticed a security guard in a soldier's uniform, stationed outside a high-fenced mansion clearly belonging to a “big man.” The uniform he wore was old, torn, and looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. It was obvious he hadn’t bathed either. His hair was unkempt, his shirt half-buttoned with a pot belly sticking out, worn-out bathroom slippers on his feet, and a chewing stick dangling from his mouth. He sat lazily under a tree, staring at passersby with an air of authority, as if he truly believed he was someone to be feared or revered.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and muttered to myself, “So this one too would call himself a soldier in an army? Wow!” To him, he was the authority in charge of that neighborhood and expected respect. But I couldn’t help wondering: if a gang of armed robbers were to attack that house, would he be able to command any respect or put up a fight, especially looking the way he did?

Sadly, I’ve seen many like him parading the streets daily, claiming to serve and protect civilians, and I often wonder if they truly understand what it means to be a soldier. The truth is, wearing a uniform, whether neat or scruffy, fully kitted or half-dressed, doesn’t make someone a soldier. It’s not about the badge, baton, rifle, or any other outward symbol of authority. Being a soldier goes far beyond external appearance (see 1 Samuel 16:7).

Now, let’s connect this to our Christian walk. The same principle applies. For years, and even now, many Christians have prioritized outward appearance over character: clothes, hairstyles, accessories, religious emblems like branded wristbands, jewelry, t-shirts, car stickers, and so on. These outward signs have become their primary identifiers as members of the Lord’s army.

Yes, they step into the battlefield of prayer and spiritual warfare, adorned in the uniform of a “Christian soldier.” But sadly, many end up as casualties of war. Why? They lack the essential inner qualities, spiritual training, and maturity that define a true warrior in God's army. They fight, yes, but see little to no results because their armor is cosmetic, not consecrated. They neither embody the character required to think of others before themselves, nor the courage to sacrifice personal comfort for a greater cause.

Being a soldier is so much more than putting on a uniform. It involves years of rigorous training, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes physically. It demands strong character, deep values, and unwavering principles. A true soldier is shaped by discipline, courage, obedience, integrity, honor, love, diligence, and selfless service.

When these inner qualities are combined with spiritual skill and weaponry, like the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, that person becomes equipped for true victory. But strip away these traits, and what remains is a mere civilian dressed in a military costume.

As long as we are in this world, we are engaged in spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12). And it would be foolish to think that our appearance alone qualifies us for battle. In Matthew 7:15–20, Jesus makes it clear how to identify the real soldiers: not by their dressing, emblems, religious language, or outward acts, but by their fruits, the evidence of what's in their hearts.

So the question remains: are we truly and thoroughly dressed, not just outwardly, but inwardly, with the attributes that mark us as genuine soldiers of Christ?

Even the enemy can tell the difference, so don’t fool yourself.

XOXO