Unit Integrity
As British and French troops began pouring onto the beaches and areas surrounding Dunkirk, some units were amazing examples of good order and discipline. The Queen’s Own Worcestershire Yeomanry marched smartly into the perimeter singing “Tipperary” to the accompaniment of a mouth organ.11
The commander of the 8th King’s Own Royal Regiment reminded his men that they wore the badge of one of the oldest regiments of the line and that it was up to them to set an example for the rest. They marched to the beach with arms swinging in unison and weapons slung properly, in perfect formation.12 The 2nd Grenadier Guards marched in as if changing the guard at Buckingham Palace, erect, clean-shaven, and boots echoing on the cobblestone streets.13 The 1st Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders wore their kilts.14
It is easy to see the benefits of belonging to a strong, closely knit military unit. Each member can depend on the other and draw strength from those around him. For Christians, unit integrity is found in the body of Christ, his church. There we find the support that we so urgently need to persevere in our beliefs and actions. We have safety in numbers and strength to do his work, as we are called by the old hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers”:
Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Our churches may not be perfect, but they are functioning the way Christ intended when we support and complement each other and move as one body toward the ultimate goal: reflecting the glory of God.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ… God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
—1 Corinthians 12:12, 18, 27