“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Jesus did not come to us as a military conqueror. He came to serve. That service was defined by his willingness to voluntarily die for our sins, so that we can live free.
In a worldly sense, Veterans have made and do make the same promise. They do not seek to rule the Nation. They instead offer selfless service, even to the point of death, so that our country can live free. America understands this. This is why I so often hear a parent say that their son or daughter is in the service. And everyone listening knows what they mean.
Selfless service, with the willingness to put the needs of others above your own, is a prized commodity. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, went so far as to say, “If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, then he isn’t fit to live.” Veterans have found that preserving our freedoms is very much worth dying for.
Therefore, as the poet Maya Angelou noted, “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”
Perhaps this Veterans’ Day you may not feel appreciated. But know that your service has not gone unnoticed. Our Lord and Savior, who set the example, nods his approval. And I for one agree with military author Claudia Pemberton who wrote, “America without her Soldiers would be like God without His angels.”
Have a happy Veterans Day. You earned it, along with the gratitude of our Nation.
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of your Son, who died for my sins and showed me the way of selfless service. Help me to think of others more highly than myself, and to find joy in my service. Amen.
