My Great Uncle Elvy died during WW2. They were attacked off the shores of Germany. Experts are following the stories of all those who were lost and are trying to discover how he died. According to his shipmate who wrote my Great Grandmother, he was killed while shooting at the enemy, as they had just been attacked. The way his fellow soldier described my Great Uncle’s last action, it was as if he was in a war movie and after he took his last shot, he was shot off of the boat.
He was considered MIA for years. One of the soldiers said that he was there one moment, and when he turned around, he was gone and nowhere to be found. That gave a lot to our imaginations. History conservationists are working to have his headstone placed in Arlington National Cemetery to honor his ultimate sacrifice for his country. A country struggling to find its way, even today.
Nothing in this world is free. Someone has to pay for it somewhere. We all enjoy receiving free gifts, but we forget that someone had to pay for those gifts. Freedom comes with a price. The price costs some people everything. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. If he didn’t, we would have to be killed for every single wrongdoing we have committed. We cannot repay the ultimate sacrifice, but we can begin to live as if freedom is priceless.
We have soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom to live our lives on our physical land, and we have Jesus who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom to live our lives on our spiritual land. Now, it is our turn. We can make small sacrifices in order to create a big free world. If we just sacrifice little habits that destroy people, we will recognize freedom all around us.
We can recognize how our actions and words affect others. We can use our freedom to berate others or empower and encourage others. We have to decide which one will make a difference and make actual changes. If we do not like certain words or terms, then we do not use them, but we are gentle when we instruct others about those words. If we want the world to be a better place, we have to start with being better people. Each day we can choose to practice good habits and work to break a bad habit. That is how we make America better. That is how we represent Jesus better.
I cannot fathom living in a country without freedom but in order to have that freedom for everyone, I may have to sacrifice some choices in order for others to be free. I can sacrifice time and resources so others can also enjoy the freedom that all humans deserve.
Memorial Day is a time to remember and reflect of why those men and women sacrificed everything for our freedom. Let us reflect and let us make a choice to honor their lives with respecting our freedom and not taking advantage of their freedom or the freedom that Jesus gives us from sin. Our small sacrifices can make small differences that when added together, can create a better country. We can do better, and we must.
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