But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. Therefore it is entirely fitting that we honor our Christian soldiers who have displayed courage under fire. We of the Worldwide Church of God salute the bravery and the humility, the love and the dedication of the men and women who stand for Jesus Christ in the face of opposition. We honor you. We know that the work of pastors is often compared to that of shepherds.
Shepherds lead, prod, take care of, watch out for, nurture, rescue and direct the sheep.
A shepherd's work can be hazardous and grueling. The powerful story of rescue and salvation in Luke 15, of leaving the 99 to find the one who is lost, motivates all men and women of God. But we must always remember to give thanks and appreciation to those who sacrificially give of their lives so that others might be saved. Salvation is often pictured, in both the Old and New Testaments, as rescue from a pit. Palestine was filled with both natural and man-made pits, some of which were used as cisterns to capture rainwater.