Some Gave All

Memorial Day has almost arrived. The public pools are open and you don't have to go far to smell a barbecue. Many kids are out of school. Vacations are starting and the weather is beautiful. Campfires, fireflies, and of course fireworks are common. The fellowship of family and friends makes this a great time to reconnect.

As wonderful as all these things are, I pray we take time to reflect on the purpose of Memorial Day. Let us honor and pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The kind of sacrifice that allows us to enjoy the benefits of our freedom. We all know freedom isn't free. I was fortunate to not have to go to war during my military service. I can remember when I reported to my first duty station. So many soldiers just returned from Desert Storm the previous year. I could sit and listen to their stories for hours. I often wondered if I could be as brave as these heroes. One of these soldiers gave his life in Operation Iraqi Freedom when his vehicle was struck by a RPG. I have so much respect for those who have volunteered in the past decade. These men and women stepped up knowing they were very likely to see the battlefield. That says so much about their character.

The sacrifice of these outstanding service members reminds me of another price someone paid for me. It was a debt I owed and could not pay. It is the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary. I can know him personally and with the acceptance of His gift my forever is changed.

Let's not forget, this weekend or ever, the ones who went in our place to protect the greatest country on earth. Pray for families who mom or dad never came home. As the flags are flown from our front porches we need to recognize it is not just decoration or the start of cookouts. It is about shed blood and those who gave all. May God bless the great United States of America and especially those who protect her.

The Spiritual Widow

Our churches are full of faithful women. Some are single moms, while others have unsaved husbands. Many are married to believers who have strayed from God. I trully believe God will one day reward the faithfulness of these "spiritual widows".

I guess I am burdened for these Godly women since I was raised in this type of home. I can remember my mom ensuring we were in Gods house pretty much everytime the doors were open. My father was an alcoholic and was not very involved. So many mothers, just like mine, are basically doing it alone. They just keep on moving forward through the pain.

I know today it is difficult to maintain a strong Christian family, even with two like-minded parents. Our homes are under a spiritual attack. Even in the best situations challenges arise. Imagine the struggles for the ones flying solo. This is why the church family is meant to strengthen each other. The spiritual widows need our compassion. They also need our support, but mostly they need our prayers. I can't imagine the pain of some just hoping and praying, year after year, that their mate will step up and fulfill their role.

So many of our problems today are not always from the bad things people do. It is often from the things that are not done. The failure to act among men is destroying our families. The combination of Satan's easy access through modern technology and sideline fathers not standing in the gaps, creates a difficult atmosphere for our children to be victorious. Let's encourage and pray for these families. God can fix any family with willing participants.

What Makes A Hero?

Webster's defines it as a central figure in any important event or period, honored for outstanding qualities. For my boys it's Ironman and Spiderman. For young men maybe it is the latest sport star. Many think of our troops and first responders. I definitely have much respect for those who put the safety of others before themselves. With all that being said, what makes a hero?

In the Bible we can read about heroes of the faith in the book of Hebrews. Men and women of different status all pleased God for one reason, their faith. When I think of great faith I often think of Noah. An ordinary man with extraordinary faith. He had no special physical power. He was just like you and me except for the strength of his faith. Noah simply obeyed God and took him at his word. What if we used this criteria to select our heroes today? Would anyone measure up?

Someone with the faith of Noah or Abraham today would still be thought of as a lunatic. It helps prove the Bible is perfect and just as relevent today as it was thousands of years ago. We can learn so much from these heroes. Moses refused to enjoy sin for a season. He showed us the importance of having eternal vision.

It's sad that most great athletes are just naturally thought of as great family people. When the truth is many are horrible fathers and husbands. Just look at Tiger Woods. If you step back and look at it with a clear perspective it makes sense. Do you really think these athletes achieve such a high performance level by putting their families first? Of course not. Tim Tebow is clearly the exception.

We need to first realize anyone who is human is capable of sin and can let us down. Christ should be who we look up to most and try to pattern our lives after. Our kids don't need Ben Roethlisberger or Lebron James to look up to. They need Pastors and Sunday School Teachers. They need the mechanic next door who supports his family, leads his kids in devotionals, and helps spread the gospel. So what makes a hero? I guess it depends what measuring stick you are using, God's or that of the world.