The guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier exemplify a profound commitment to duty, performing their tasks with unwavering precision and respect, not for personal glory, but to honor those who have fallen. Their dedication persists through harsh conditions—rain, snow, or blistering heat—demonstrating that duty is their highest honor, as seen during storms when they refused to suspend their watch. This same sense of duty applies to our commitment to God, where our service is not for self-recognition but to bring glory to Him. Our path, like theirs, requires sacrifice and total dedication, understanding that sacrifice is not an option but a requirement to be holy as He is holy. Just as the tomb guards adhere to strict standards and live by a creed of vigilance and humility, we are called to a higher standard, to walk differently, and to remain vigilant in our spiritual battle through prayer, study, and fellowship. Our duty to God demands that we forsake personal glory for a higher purpose, serving in quiet honor and integrity, reflecting a selfless commitment to Him.

God is in absolute control over His Creation, with a plan and purpose that encompasses every detail. We have been called into the household of the King, Jesus Christ, where He extends His scepter to the firstfruits of His righteousness. As we boldly come before Him, He provides everything necessary to fulfill our duty to support one another in preparation for His return. Our responsibility within the household of God is to remain in service to the Body, holding dearly to each other to stay within the house. We must put aside foolish pride, love one another according to the Word of God, and perform our duty despite ourselves. This means setting aside the old man and living the unleavened lives He expects from us always, ensuring we remain in the household of God for eternity.

The principle of increasing faith hinges on fulfilling our duty with a specific attitude. Christ instructs us to strive to be as profitable as the servant described, performing all tasks without expecting recognition. We must adopt the sincere, humble stance of being unprofitable servants, acknowledging that we have merely done what was our duty to do. Humanly, we might feel entitled to credit for going beyond expectations, but such a notion does not apply in our relationship with God. We can never do enough to place God in our debt, for everything we have is received from Him, leaving no room for boasting. We owe God everything, as He has redeemed us through the precious blood of His Son. The Scriptures command us not to grow weary but to do good to all, for to know to do good and fail to do so is sin. In both planning and action, we decide the extent of our giving or efforts, but ultimately, every good deed we perform is our duty, as it lies within our power to accomplish. Taking credit for these acts as if they make us profitable to God leaves no basis for true faith, which must rest in Him alone.

When God calls us, we are bound by duty to serve Him with complete obedience, regardless of the trials we face. As servants, we must conquer our human nature through suffering, just as Jesus did, enduring continuous and difficult service with the right attitude. We belong to Christ, who bought us with His blood, and thus we are not our own; God owns us and all we have, demanding our total effort at all times. As His bondservants, we are at His disposal, with no right to ownership of anything, not even our time. Our duty as servants includes spiritual labor, akin to plowing fields and tending sheep, without expectation of immediate refreshment or compensation from the Master. Even after fulfilling initial tasks, we remain under obligation to serve further, satisfying the Master's needs before our own. From the Master's perspective, all we accomplish is a matter of obligation, and He demands additional obedience and service without delay or rest. We must present ourselves completely to Him in service. The limit to our duty is solely the Master's will; there is no point at which we can claim to have done enough or are entitled to ease. As servants, we are always debtors of service, and the Master is never a debtor of reward. We should not expect even thanks for our obedience, though we serve not for nothing but for the gift of salvation through dedicated and humble service. While God promises rewards, we serve Him because we are His to command as He wills and because we love Him, not merely to receive compensation. Even after performing our duty perfectly, we remain unprofitable servants in comparison to Christ, whose suffering and sacrifice surpass our efforts. There is no excess of earned credit in us; we cannot build anything on our own effort. If we expect thanks or reward for fulfilling the minimum requirement of work, our focus is not on duty but on personal gain. Christ expects every one of us to do our duty with a mind and will unified with His, embracing a humble, obedient, serving attitude that fosters faith and true forgiveness. Much of the service we perform for Him is humbling and obscure by worldly standards, yet it must be done in faith with steadfast, persevering obedience grounded in humility.

There is a character quality essential for continuing service to God, a quality often overlooked or undervalued. This trait, devoted dedication to a cause, is vital for anyone living by faith. For Christians, the cause is God's cause, and Jesus admonishes in Luke 14 that representing Him must come before all else in life. To possess this dedication, one must have vision, understanding, courage, and humility. The Bible provides examples of such dedication. In I Chronicles 11:15-19, three of David's mighty men risked their lives to fetch water from Bethlehem for David during a battle, demonstrating their profound dedication to their commander. In Jeremiah 35, the Rechabites showed unwavering loyalty to a family principle by refusing wine, as commanded by their ancestor Jonadab, even after 200 years, highlighting their devoted dedication. God used their example to contrast the Jews' lack of loyalty to Him, pronouncing judgment on the Jews while promising that Rechab's family line would endure. In Luke 2, Simeon, described as just and devout, dedicated himself to waiting for the consolation of Israel, and it was revealed to him that he would see the Christ before his death. Similarly, Anna, at 84 years old, dedicated her life to serving God with fasting and prayers at the temple, night and day, after being widowed early in life. Another striking example of dedication is seen in the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. These soldiers adhere to strict rules, committing years of their lives to guard the tomb under rigorous conditions, never wavering even during severe weather, viewing their duty as the highest honor. Their commitment raises the question of whether God asks too much of us to be dedicated to Him and His way.