From 1971 to 1975, I served in the Air Force and was sworn to obey The Code of Conduct:
ARTICLE I: I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
ARTICLE II: I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.
ARTICLE III: If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
ARTICLE IV: If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them in every way.
ARTICLE V: When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country or its allies or harmful to their cause.
ARTICLE VI: I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.
Over the years of military history, The Code of Conduct has proven its worth:
- When Air Force Capt. Scott O’Grady’s F-16 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over Bosnia in 1995, he said the Code of Conduct gave him the will to persevere and to evade capture for six days: “I knew it was my duty to survive.” Even though he had been shot down and was alone behind enemy lines, O’Grady said: “I was still part of a team working to get me out, and I had to do my part.”
In a speech following O’Grady’s rescue, Defense Secretary William Perry said the pilot actions had embodied the spirit of the code: “They shot his plane down, but not his spirit.”
- During Operation Desert Storm, Lt. Cmdr. Larry Slade, was in the backseat of an F-14 Tomcat performing the duties of a Radar Intercept Officer when it was hit be a surface to air missile. Slade ejected, but he was captured by the enemy. Slade said it takes “takes perseverance, motivation, bravery and courage” to follow the code, and he believes the code helped him survive his 43 days as a POW.
There’s a Code of Conduct in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and there is value in living a life that exemplifies each of them. In the Old Testament it’s called The Ten Commandments, and in the New Testament it’s found in The Beatitudes.
While it would be wise for you to known each of these codes, I think you would also benefit from being familiar with the two verses that encapsulate each of them:
- Micah 6:8: What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Ephesians 4:1-3: I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
When you adhere to these codes, you can find the inspiration that will stiffen your backbone and give you the courage to live a life that glorifies God.
No one has ever accused me of being a fashionista. I’ve always preferred blue jeans over a three-piece suit; and, instead of wearing patent leather wingtips, I’d rather wear tennis shoes or boots.
You da’ man! You’ve probably heard this exclamation after someone has done something great or unusual. The only reason I even mention You da man, is to help you with the pronunciation of Eudemonic (yoo-di-mon-ik).
When you think of going to the Opera, you may think of classical music and orchestras. In Norway, people think a bit differently. To them and a growing number of the computer literate, the meaning of Opera has changed.
distracted and to keep it focused on the road ahead. Moses said God’s Word will do the same for you. Godly principles act as Opera’s ad blocker: They filter out the unwanted and unnecessary noise of the world, and they create an environment that is in 
When I woke up this morning, to the rhythm and words of an old gospel hymn. The four-line chorus reminded me of a precious truth:
Each day of your life, you are presented with the opportunity to choose to do or not to do. Many of these choices are minor, but there are times when major decisions must be made. Some of your choices can be as simple as:
Socrates once said that, “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” This reminds me of the old adage, mind over matter and the power of the mind to manage or overcome physical obstacles.
Proverbs is the one word suggestion I made last night. The first Wednesday of each month is a night I have reserved to meet with the Elders of the church, and last night I suggested that we focus on reading through the book of Proverbs during the month of February.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday—what was your focus over the past 72 hours? What does your focus say about the real you? The 5 questions below may help you answer this question:
Blueprints and road maps are useful and necessary tools to get you from where you are to where you’re going. I have the same opinion of the book of James. It’s a book of divine directives, that will help you negotiate the challenging hairpin curves of life.
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