Tie Them Around Your Neck

​Sadao Munemori was born in Los Angeles, California.  As a young man he joined the Japanese-American 442ndRegimental Combat Team which included the 100thInfantry Battalion, the most heavily decorated unit in World War II.  Sadao, while fighting on a hillside near Seravezza, Italy, was faced with a wounded squad leader and an entire team pinned down by machine gun fire. Private First Class Munemori decided to engage in a one-man frontal attack.  Using grenades he wiped out two machine gun nests but in the process became completely exposed to enemy fire.

Sadao dove into a shell hole occupied by two of his squad members while the enemy poured fire on their position.  He probably would have survived but for a grenade that bounced off his helmet and next to the two other men.  Before they could react, Sadao threw himself on the grenade and was instantly killed.

What makes this story so amazing is that PFC Munemori’s parents were confined to the Manzanar Relocation Center in California when they received a letter from the War Department that their son was killed.  Sadao volunteered to serve directly from that center.  Despite prejudice against his Japanese heritage, Sadao was loyal to his country and gave his life defending it against Germany.[1]  
 
Meditation
Proverbs 3:3—Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.  Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
 
Loyalty can be defined as faithful devotion to an entity such as a nation, company, family or friends or to a particular cause.  It is a noble concept that illustrates love and trust at the highest level.  When I think of the supreme example of loyalty it is Jesus Christ hanging on a cross for me, in spite of my sinful condition, because His Father decided that He was eternally committed to offering salvation to His created children.  His sacrifice for me burns an eternal fire in my soul to entrust my life to His care and service.

Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost For His Highest, “In a conflict of loyalty, obey Jesus Christ at all costs.”  Loyalty is a sacred grip. Faithfulness is an unwavering commitment. Neither is something to casually handle in the journey of life. We are defined by the fidelity of our loyalty and faithfulness.  And conflict is the best determinant of what we truly believe.  

​To what are you faithfully committed?  Are you willing to give up your freedom, possessions, security, status, and well being to follow after the Son of God?  What is tied around your neck?  Something to think about . . . in reveration.
 
Inspiration
Loyalty is something you give regardless of what you get back, and in giving loyalty, you're getting more loyalty; and out of loyalty flow other great qualities.— Charles ''Tremendous'' Jones 
 
©2018 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 
[1]Allen Mikaelian in Medal of Honor, (Hyperion: New York, 2002), p. 194.