(This story is based on actual events.)
Two soldiers went off to war. They came from different parts of the country and met in the jungles of Viet Nam. One man was religious and wore his faith on his sleeve. The other man struggled with his beliefs.
Both men knew that they would be facing death in the battles that they would be fighting. The man of faith was prepared to die. He told others that because of his faith in Jesus that if death would find him, he was confident his soul would immediately go to heaven. His faith was a door to heaven and he was determined to go through that door unafraid, even if it meant that he could be walking through that door in the near future as a soldier.
The other man bartered with God saying , “If you help me make it home God, I'll be a better person.”
Their sergeant instructed the platoon that when they stopped while on patrol to sit down and not to stand up again until ordered to do so. During a long night patrol, they stopped to rest. The religious man forgetting the order not to stand up stood to relieve himself and slipped. When he did, the other members of his platoon, who were spread out in the area saw a figure and thinking it was the enemy shot and killed him.
For a young man to die in such a way seems without purpose. The soldier did not die a hero's death. He left a wife and a small child, but the other soldier would remember his life. This soldier would often think of this man and his faith. His witness of God's power over death would change the other soldier's life.
This soldier would leave VietNam and went on to live a life that would grow in faith. He now serves his Lord well. He is now a bold witness about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.
He still wonders from time to time why he made it through Viet Nam and why the other soldier didn't. The other soldier had such a strong faith and it seems would have made a better witness. After all, he was a great inspiration in the jungles of Viet Nam. Maybe a person thinks God could have done better by choosing someone else to do the work of spreading the gospel.
But then a person needs to think of Moses who doubted he could speak well enough but would lead the nation of Israel out of slavery, or Paul, who once opposed God by persecuting Christians. One would never think God could choose a man such as Paul, but he became a great apostle.
God had his purpose for two soldiers who went off to war. They both fully lived out God's purpose for them. One soldier was to be a witness and then to be killed in the jungles of Viet Nam. The other soldier was to leave Viet Nam to tell the message that he heard from a young soldier who was not afraid to die because of his faith.
