The Brotherhood

      I’ve always been impressed by the brotherhood of police. And cops seem to know their own kind – even by instinct. Recently on a cruise ship we met an 83-year-old retired Jewish cop named Joe. He said he was just approached by another old, retired cop who said he could see an aura & just knew he had been a police officer. Well, Joe “Tarzan” had been in the Orange County, CA police dept. for 35 years. Maybe Firemen & some elite servicemen (not me) are also included in the Brotherhood. Members of these institutions have a common bond & work together to achieve goals such as survival training, commitment to integrity, peace keeping, exposing/controlling the troublesome, etc.
- A little Police Brotherhood slogans/trivia –
-- Power, strength, resolve; together we make the thin blue line stronger.
-- Us versus them – good guys/bad guys – protect & serve
-- The blue line is what police stand on & protect.
-- We are the barrier between anarchy and a civilized society, between order & chaos, between            respect for decency, and lawlessness.
-- On a lighter note – Joe “Tarzan” would go out on his front porch & call his kids home for dinner          with a Tarzan call – and his was the best I’ve ever heard. (And I got it on my camcorder.)
-- On a serious note – a cop cousin of mine here in Arizona had to go into a dwelling where a female        police officer had killed her 2 small children & then herself with her service revolver. He said            that was the toughest thing to deal with.

   Is there another brotherhood like that above? I have considered and studied the spiritual brotherhood of believers in Christ for over 40 years to conclude that it is truly real. Fellowship is a more fitting word as “There is neither Jew nor Greek, . . . there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 The aura may not always be visible but is truly present due to being “born again” in the salvation (body) of Christ. (John 3:3) And Christians can often recognize their own kind by instinct. There are many denominations in this fellowship/brotherhood, but there are genuine Christians in all groups. These “called out” folks have a common bond in Christ & work-together to achieve goals such as training in righteousness/godly living, how to survive & maintain the fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, . . .” Galatians 5:22. They also expose evil & the works of the enemy (Ephesians 5:11) They are determined & committed to the cause of Christ which is to stand w/Jesus & influence the world for truth & integrity. They look forward to a nice (eternal) retirement where the chaos, dysfunction, & evil contortions of this world cannot enter. (Revelation 21:3-4) The old gospel song “Onward Christian Soldiers” contains a clear statement of purpose. Lyrics omitted for brevity.
    Well, not all of us can be in the brotherhood of police, but we can ALL be in the fellowship or family of God. It is not that difficult to turn from the pursuit of ego & worldly values to Reconciliation & the values of God.  And if J. C. was God in the flesh, we can see him as the Chief of Police or Captain of the force. “. . . If anyone hears my voice & opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 See also Joshua 5:14 & Hebrews 2:10. For a glimpse of the Chief see link 7 “I saw the King” Choose Jesus, He is alive.

Many other Titles: www.gospelnotes.org                                                             * * Fred J. Stone * * 
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