To Protect and to Serve

To Protect and to Serve is a statement that has been adopted as the motto for a majority of police departments in the United States. However, this was not initially the case. The history behind the famous phrase has its origin in Los Angeles, as the motto of the LAPD, ironically enough.

The phrase “To Protect and to Serve” is primarily direct toward the public. However, there is an aspect of the phrase that applies to the officers as they work together as a cohesive unit.

The Unspoken Agreement to Protect and to Serve

I was privileged to serve my community as a Law Enforcement Officer for over 17 years. During my career I had great times and not so great times. One of the most important aspects of the job is being paired up with a partner that you’re compatible with.

[pullquote]How cool would it be if the motto “To Protect and to Serve” was what the Body of Christ was known for? We all have one common enemy. Lord, help us to remember that we aren’t sleeping with the enemy.[/pullquote]

Most times, compatibility isn’t an issue. But on rare occasions there are times when 2 officers just don’t mesh well together. Over the years I’ve had to work with several partners who, under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have chosen to work with. 

But the great thing is that in spite of our differences, we had an understanding. We understood that I “had his back” and he had mine. We knew that if the crap hit the fan, we were going to do whatever it took to protect one another from whatever threat or attack came our way.

Protecting and Serving One Another

Isn’t that mindset amazing? I’ve often thought about this unspoken “agreement” my partner and I had as I was going through my divorce. How could it be that the bond to mutually protect and serve one another could be so strong at work with an individual who wasn’t even a Christian, yet so weak at home with someone who professes to love the Lord?

Think about military personnel. Think about firefighters. The men and women who serve in these professions must endure violent and life threatening situations daily. The one commonality among them all first and foremost is the care and concern for their partners. Marriage is the only alliance that when the enemy rushes in like a flood and begins to attack, the partners turn around and begin shooting at one another!

The Enemy Isn’t Who You’re Sleeping With

Please pray with me that the church and particularly married couples come to the realization as the scripture tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places – Ephesians 6:12

How cool would it be if the motto “To Protect and to Serve” was what the Body of Christ was known for? We all have one common enemy. Lord, help us to remember that we aren’t sleeping with the enemy. For more encouraging and inspiring post click HERE