Like A Good Soldier

“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” – 2 Timothy 2:3

Shortly after midnight on February 26, 1852, just 2 miles off the coast of Africa, the troopship HMS Birkenhead struck a rock and began to settle into the ocean. On its decks, 124 women and children rushed into lifeboats while 454 English soldiers stood at attention on the deck.

There was not enough room for them on the lifeboats. Major Seton gave the word of command, “Stand still, and die like Englishmen.”

Once the deck broke up, all were plunged into the ocean. Some 170 soldiers battled exposure, sharks and a rough shoreline to survive the sinking.

The sinking of the Birkenhead is one of the earliest maritime disaster evacuations during which the concept of “women and children first” is known to have been applied. “Women and children first” subsequently became standard procedure in relation to the evacuation of sinking ships.

The term “Birkenhead drill” became defined as courageous behavior in hopeless circumstances and appeared in Rudyard Kipling’s 1893 tribute to the Royal Marines, “Soldier an’ Sailor Too”.

Like a good soldier of Christ, we need to endure all that comes before us.

Thank Jesus for any hardship you face, knowing that He will give you strength to stand.

“We are always in the forge, or on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things.” – Henry Ward Beecher

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” – Hebrews 12:7