When Unity Doesn’t Mean Uniformity

Overcoming the vast divide afflicting our nation today seems
as difficult as leaping the Grand Canyon in a single bound.

A blogger friend of mine recently addressed the subject of unity. This got me to thinking: Our nation is called the United States of America, but in some ways it seems we’ve never been more divided. Perhaps – and I tread gently as I say this – even more divided than during the days leading up to and during the Civil War.

Politics, an arena in which compromise and negotiation once seemed possible and desirable, has become divided to such an extreme the only common ground is agreement that “never the twain shall meet.” Achieving “middle ground” appears as realistic as crossing the chasm between the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon with a pogo stick.

Ideologies concerning gender, socio-economics, beliefs, lifestyles and even race despite progress we’ve celebrated since the 1960s, seem just as severely separated. Other divisions currently afflicting our once proudly United States come to mind. Perhaps national spell-check got confused and switched the spelling to “untied.”

Without intending to sound simplistic, one factor in these growing disunions could be confusion between unity and uniformity. The differences are considerable.

I remember back in the ‘60s – yes, I’m old enough to recollect them. Those were days when the hippie generation and young people across the country were attempting to display unity by length of hair, clothes they wore (and didn’t wear), the music they listened to, and the vocabulary they spoke. But as they conformed to their unique brand of non-conformity, what they really demonstrated was not unity but uniformity.

Bell-bottom pants, tie-dyed shirts, determination to be “out of sight” (which morphed into “far out”), espousing the virtues of free sex, the pressure to “turn on and tune out,” along with a resolve to “question authority,” had many of us marching in the lockstep of uniformity for a time. Conformed to a singular image of non-conformity, but united? Not really. For the most part, everyone was just looking out for themselves in the comfort of a crowd.

Seeds of that era have spawned current versions of uniformity (political correctness) and disunity (intolerance of anyone holding a view contrary to your own opinions and ideology).

Maybe it would be good to grasp the differences between uniformity and unity, recognizing that while a house divided against itself cannot stand, as Jesus stated in Mark 3:25, all the parts of the house don’t need to be identical.

It’s amazing how, in one way or another, the Bible talks about unity and its importance. It presents unity in terms of teamwork: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17) and “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work…. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9,12).

When God created man and woman, He did so to provide unity and a complement for the other. Uniformity obviously was not the goal. As the French saying goes, “Vive la difference”!

And writing to believers in the ancient city of Philippi, the apostle Paul placed great emphasis on unity. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his hope, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1-4).

That’s an intriguing definition of what unity should look like. At the same time, Paul made clear this unity did not require uniformity. In fact, uniformity would have impeded unity. He wrote, using the metaphor of the human body to describe the Church, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body…. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

So how can we once again become united in the midst of diversity, truly United States without having to become Uniform States?   As the apostle wrote above, stop focusing on our own interests, cultivate true humility, and strive to become one in spirit and purpose. Emphasize the common bonds that can unite us rather than the differences that can divide us.

Hardly a complete solution, but it could be a great start.

Fathers: An Underappreciated Resource?

Upon receiving his award for Most Valuable Player in the NBA, Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant gave an emotional homage to his mother, who as a single parent raised Durant and his brother. It was a wonderful, stirring tribute to a woman who had toiled and sacrificed mightily to provide a livelihood for her sons. But underlying Durant’s glowing words of gratitude was an unanswered question: Where was their dad?

In no way do I wish to diminish the loving devotion demonstrated by Durant’s mom. She – and all single mothers like her – deserve accolades for the incredible challenge they accept each day in holding down jobs while also raising their children, hoping to build them into responsible, productive adults. The mom of Dr. Ben Carson deserves similar commendation, providing the inspiration and motivation for a young man who came from the ghetto to gain acclaim as an accomplished neurosurgeon, author, speaker and – in the view of some – become a credible candidate for President.

Yet for every wonderful story about a single mother and her family, there’s also a back-story of an father missing in action. In many cases the dad never played much of a role in the lives of his progeny; sadly, in too many cases the biological father was absent from day one.

Having joined my wife in raising our children, and now watching them guide their children (our grandchildren) through the various stages and phases of childhood, I know how difficult the job of parenting is. How a single parent can pull it off successfully is almost beyond my comprehension. Ecclesiastes 4:9 states, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” This passage clearly relates to the workplace, but also holds strong meaning for the home and parenthood.

I greatly admire my sons-in-law as I observe their devotion to nurturing their own children. In some cases they’ve made work decisions to ensure they don’t spend too much time away from the kids. Regrettably, I think back to my own career as a newspaper editor and have to admit I spent far too many hours at the office and not nearly enough watching our daughters grow up. If I could do it over again, yes, I would do it differently.

My father, shown with me and my sister, wasn't a man
of many words, but he served as a good example.

My own dad was not a hugging, touchy-feely type of man. Few from his generation were. But he modeled for me the virtues of hard work, integrity and marital fidelity. He, like myself, wasn’t extremely vocal, but his actions spoke loudly and true.

I think of my uncle Joe, my dad’s brother, who in many respects served as a second father. He also built into me a work ethic, a vision of what I could be, and instilled a sense of confidence. Many times after some professional accomplishment, I couldn’t help but wonder, "What Uncle Joe would think about this?”

The Bible speaks extensively about fathers and their importance for society as well as the family. The Scriptures assign fathers the primary responsibility for spiritual training of children, a role too many fathers today have neglected. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). They – along with mothers – are told to provide instruction and discipline. “Train them (your children) up in the way they should go (follow their natural bent), and when they are old they will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

When fathers do wrong, there are consequences. The Bible speaks of the “sins of the fathers” affecting multiple generations of children (Exodus 34:7). This doesn’t mean God holds children responsible for their father’s misdeeds, as other passages make clear, but they often endure “collateral damage.” We see this today with the rise of broken homes and the emotional toll children suffer; abuse in the home, and many other problems resulting from family strife.

But this Sunday, Father’s Day, is a time to focus on the positive, celebrating the vital contribution dedicated, caring dads have in their homes and society.

It’s also a time for remembering the only one we can count on with complete confidence, our heavenly Father – Jehovah God. Jesus assured His followers, “do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?” or ‘What shall we drink?’ or “What shall we wear?’…your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Our earthly fathers may have failed us at times, even many times, but the Lord promises He never will. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”” (Hebrews 13:5). From personal experience, I can attest that’s true.

Success, and the ‘10,000-Hour Rule’

Do you consider yourself successful? What would you cite as necessities for someone to achieve great success?

Whenever there’s a discussion of what constitutes success, opinions are plentiful. Innate abilities, sometimes also referred to as “giftedness” or aptitude, can certainly make a huge difference. Education and training usually are significant contributors. And you can’t discount the level of one’s determination and perseverance – willingness to continue pressing forward in the face of obstacles and adversity.

As someone has said,
before trying to climb
the ladder of success,
make certain it's
facing the right wall.

Years ago in Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell examined success from many perspectives. He introduced the “10,000-Hour Rule” as a key factor for attaining high levels of success. Drawing from Swedish psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research, Gladwell proposed spending at least 10,000 hours practicing a specific skill as a prerequisite for mastering it.

Predictably, Gladwell’s declaration met criticism from experts arguing time and repetition alone can’t guarantee success. The saying, “practice makes perfect,” falls flat if you practice making the same mistakes again and again, they noted. Maybe that’s why the adage was later amended to “Perfect practice makes perfect.”

In reality, both sides are right – and wrong. Large quantities of time will produce success only if practice and repetition are done with quality. And practice, even if done with precision, will foster success only if done in sufficient quantities to make excellence almost second nature.

Thinking about Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule, only a handful of things I’ve done over the years would qualify. When I took Personal Typing as a junior in high school, learning the “home row” seemed impossible, and I couldn’t imagine typing without looking directly at the keys. After many years of work as a journalist, learning to think and compose at the keyboard, I became very proficient as a typist. In fact, my typing surpassed many of the secretaries and administrative assistants wherever I worked.

I couldn’t begin to calculate how much time I’ve spent writing, over more than 40 decades as a newspaper reporter and editor, magazine editor, book author, columnist and blogger. But the hours must total tens of thousands. On happy occasions when someone is kind enough to compliment my writing skills, I’m thankful. But it also occurs to me, “Well, I’d better be a pretty good writer. I’ve spent enough time doing it!”

Contrast that with pursuits I’ve enjoyed but never invested enough time to perfect. It was fun playing the drums in high school, but after a couple of years of formal lessons, my percussion practice consisted only of random “bang sessions.” As a result, I never became the drummer I would have liked to be.

In college I spent many hours on tennis courts playing recreationally. Over time I became reasonably skilled given my athletic limitations, but because I never invested the time demanded to become a good player, I never advanced beyond mediocre. Ten thousand hours practicing tennis? Not even close.

So what’s all this got to do with anything? Well, for one thing, the mantra, “It’s the quality that counts, not quantity,” is a copout. For instance, in parenting, children want quality time – but they like it in quantity. If you want to have a good, growing marriage, you need to give your spouse quantity time – not an occasional quality hour or two. Successful parents – and successful partners – aren’t afraid to invest whatever time is necessary. Maybe even 10,000 hours or so.

Spiritually it’s much the same. The average Christian seems to think attendance at a worship service and maybe a Sunday school class or small group is sufficient for spiritual maturity. “Hey, God, I gave you a couple of hours on Sunday. What do you want?”

Granted, we have work, family obligations, time for eating and sleeping, maybe a few community activities thrown in. And we need time for TV and just chillin’, right? But how can we experience success spiritually if we spend more time eating chips than we do speaking and listening to God?

In reality, He wants us 24/7. That doesn’t mean we walk about with hands folded and heads bowed. But the Bible does say, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means doing that in the classroom, during a business meeting, while disciplining our children, cooking meals, even driving the car. Praying does not require closed eyes or opened mouths.

The verse preceding that tells us to “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). This applies to good times and bad, victories and defeats, happy times and sad. Because being successful spiritually involves trusting the Lord is with us no matter what.

Do you really want to know God? It’s going to require a lot more than reading “the verse of the day” that arrives by email every morning. King David understood this from personal experience when he wrote, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9,11).

Imagine if, over the course of your lifetime, you were to invest 10,000 hours or more in prayer, Bible study and meditation. Do you think that might result in spiritual success? It sure would be worth a try.

Not ‘Just a Layman’

We all, to one extent or another, think about status. In school we see smarter, more studious classmates earning the lion’s share of recognition and rewards. High-performing athletes receive applause for their accomplishments. In the workplace, pay raises, bonuses and promotions are based at least in part on how we rank among our peers in the quality and quantity of our work.

Parents proudly display bumper stickers on vehicles to proclaim their children are honor students at such-and-such school. They watch and listen as their offspring perform at various functions – dance or instrumental recitals, athletic competitions, even spelling bees – and take note of their children’s standing compared to those of their friends.

We rate ourselves according to the cars we drive, houses we own, portfolios we accumulate, vacations we take, even places where we eat. We can equate much of what we do in terms of status – perceptions of who we are.

Where did we ever get the idea that legitimate
spiritual service must be confined to a
sanctuary or religious facility?

Life in the spiritual realm, I’ve noticed, can be very similar. I attended a Christian institution’s send-off for young people advancing to the next level in their academic climb. The speaker gave the customary challenge, encouraging them to lofty aspirations, suggesting roles such as pastors, missionaries, even business people – adding the latter can contribute financial resources to support various ministries.

I’m sure the speaker meant well, but it seemed implied that pastors and missionaries – those engaged in vocational ministry roles – rank as the elite in the institutional church realm. They are holders of the greatest status. Everyone else, as a business friend described himself to me years ago, is “just a layman.”

That perception lacks biblical support, however. Years ago we attended a church where at the close of the worship service, people regularly walked forward to declare their commitment to “full-time Christian service.” This always confused me, since there is no such thing as a part-time follower of Jesus Christ (either you are or you aren’t), and as His followers we’re each called to serve God and other people. Sure sounds like full-time Christian service to me.

Yes, I know these fine people meant they were determined to give their lives to pursuits such as preaching, working full-time with specific segments of the congregation, or expressing their willingness to venture to a foreign land, live in an alien culture and learn to speak an unfamiliar language, all in the name of telling other people about Jesus.

There’s nothing wrong with any of those things. What troubles me is the perception that if you’ve not done any of those, you’re somehow a second-class citizen in God’s kingdom.

I remember having lunch with a business executive who told me, “I’d do anything to go full-time for God.” Looking him in the eyes, I asked, “Why do you think you haven’t already done that?”

A good friend works with business owners and top executives, meeting with them monthly to encourage them to live their lives and conduct their businesses in a manner that honors God and upholds the truths, values and principles of the Scriptures. To remind them that as business people, they have a high calling from God to serve their customers, employees and suppliers in His name, my friend gives each leader a little sign they can affix to the inside of their office doors. Walking out they can read, “You are now entering the mission field.”

Somehow we’ve been seduced by the notion that if you’re really serious about God, you need to attend a seminary, get a degree, and then have people refer to you “the reverend” or “pastor” or “sister.” I once thought that myself, and appreciate people that qualify for such titles, but the Bible doesn’t make this distinction. For His closest followers, Jesus chose lowly fishermen, tradesmen, even a despised tax collector. The author of one gospel, Luke, was a physician, not a clergyman. None of them attended Jerusalem Theological Seminary, nor did any hold diplomas from Bethlehem Bible College.

Jesus told His followers, “...let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). That exhortation meant any good works, not only those performed in a religious context.

Later, the apostle Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). Again, he didn’t offer these remarks at a graduation of seminarians or commissioning ceremony for foreign missionaries; he was writing to every follower of Jesus in the ancient city of Colossae.

So next time you’re tempted to spiritually demean your vocational role, whether as a teacher, engineer, grocery clerk, corporate executive, burger flipper or business manager, and the thought, “I’m just a layman,” crosses your mind, remember: You – and every worker that professes the name of Jesus Christ – are in full-time Christian service!

The Elijah Syndrome - and Each One of Us

This archival photo shows a wringer
washing machine, perhaps the
origin of the phrase, "Going
through the wringer."

Are you old enough to remember wringer washing machines? I’m talking about the kind with an agitator to jiggle the clothes around as they were washing, and a wringer to squeeze out moisture so the clothes wouldn’t be soaking wet hanging from the clothesline.

The clothesline? Really? Yes, but that’s fodder for another post. My mom had a wringer washer. She’d remove just-washed items from the basin and run them through the wringer to remove most of the water. (Not a good place for fingers.)

I wonder: Have you ever had a time in your life when because of work demands, or life in general, you felt like you’d been dragged through a wringer like this?

Recently a friend mentioned feeling mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. I’ve been there a couple of times. During one particularly stressful period at work, I had pushed the so-called envelope as far as it would go. Physically depleted, I wound up with an illness that required heavy-duty medication and physician’s instructions to stay home and rest.

I did as advised, determining to salvage the time by catching up on reading I’d been putting off. For several days I’d sit down with a book, read a paragraph or two, and promptly fall asleep for a couple of hours. During those days I didn’t read nearly as much as I’d hoped, but got much-needed rest so I felt renewed and recharged when I returned to work.

Thinking about mental and spiritual exhaustion, I love the biblical account of Elijah in 1 Kings 18-19. In case you’re not familiar with the story, feisty prophet Elijah singlehandedly confronts hundreds of false prophets to a showdown. Elijah and the imposters prepare sacrifices on altars and then call upon their respective deities to consume the sacrifices by fire.

Despite elaborate demonstrations and even self-mutilations, the false prophets’ “gods” fail to respond. Elijah, after demanding to have his sacrifice and altar drenched with water three times for emphasis, calls upon Jehovah God and sees the entire offering instantly consumed – even the water in a trench around the altar. The false prophets, deceptions exposed, are then executed.

Next Elijah accurately predicts a torrential rain ending a three-and-a-half year drought. Quite an amazing day for the lonely ambassador for truth. A great demonstration of faith. But right after the downpour, someone informs Elijah evil Queen Jezebel has ordered his death.

That is the proverbial straw that breaks Elijah’s back mentally and spiritually, and he takes off running. He’s reached his limit. “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep” (1 Kings 19:4-5).

However, rather than chastising Elijah for having weak faith (as many preachers have accused him in their renditions of this story), God sends angels to minister to him, feeding him and letting him rest. “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’… He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time…and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you’… (1 Kings 19:5-8).

So why, after defeating hundreds of false prophets and predicting a miraculous shift in weather, does Elijah head for the hills at the news of Jezebel’s threat?

For starters he was human. Years ago Dr. Archibald Hart, in his book, Adrenalin and Stress, explained during major events in life – good and bad – the body’s stress hormones are activated. Enough stress, regardless of whether it comes from positive events like marriage, getting a job promotion, buying a house or becoming a parent, or negative events like financial hardship, the death of a loved one or losing a job, and we can become tapped out physiologically. It happens.

Elijah also must have felt as one of his successors, John the Baptist, would feel centuries later – like a lone voice crying out in the wilderness. He said, “’I have been very zealous for the Lord God almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me’” (1 Kings 19:14). Honestly, can you blame Elijah for reaching the end of his rope?

The good news is God did not denounce or discipline him. He understood the prophet’s physical limitations, letting him rest and feeding him. Then, when the prophet was restored, God said in essence, “Okay, Elijah, get back into the fray. And contrary to your opinion, you’re not alone!”

So while he might have fully depleted his physical, emotional and spiritual reserves, Elijah hardly lacked for faith in his God. If anything, the prophet displayed more faith than most of us could ever imagine. We often collapse even under minor burdens, while Elijah repeatedly put his own life on the line, trusting God to come through. Which He always did.

So Elijah offers a simple yet important lesson. When the press of life has taken away everything you’ve got, take a break. Then regroup, restore, and re-engage!

Fitness: Body, Mind and Spirit

Standup paddleboarding has become a fitness favorite in many
parts of the world. Here two people paddle their boards near the
historic Delta Queen steamboat in Chattanooga, Tenn.

If talk and intentions equated to physical conditioning, the United States would become the fittest nation in the history of mankind.

There have been enough books written about diets to fill the libraries of many small towns, not to mention diet and fitness videos. Fitness centers of all types seem to be popping up on every corner, ranging from the casual, come-whenever-you-like variety to women-only facilities to YMCAs to hard-core camps designed for aspiring Navy SEALS. There are even programs to conveniently fit your lunch hour or unorthodox work schedule, so you can flex on your flex-time.

Do you like competitive events? You can choose from fun walks and runs to mud runs to marathons to triathlons, including the Ironman. There’s mountain climbing, repelling, hiking, rowing, and just about anything you can imagine using a board, from surfing to skateboarding to gliding over and through the snow. Pick your poison. In reality, if you’re out of shape, you have no one to blame but yourself.

The same applies increasingly to training the mind: Mental fitness. With fears of Alzheimer’s, dementia and similar disabilities looming, particularly as we grow older, all manner of strategies have been developed to “exercise” our gray matter. For a long time we’ve had crossword puzzles, anagrams, riddles and word-finds, and now we’ve also got Sudoku, computer games, smart phone apps like Lumosity, and an ever-growing assortment of other helpful tools.

So how many words and facts and memories can you “bench-press”?

We spend a lot of time trying to shape and tone our bodies and minds – at least we plan to do that. But how much time and effort do we devote to spiritual training? As the Bible wisely points out, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, building promises for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

That’s not to disparage the value of physical fitness, exercise, proper eating and other means for getting and staying healthy. After all, the Scriptures tell us, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Good reason for keeping our “temples” properly maintained.

But in addition to being physical, intellectual and emotional beings, we’re also spiritual in one respect or another. To deny that is to ignore an important facet of who we are and what we become. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states God has, “also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” God wants us to know this life is not the end, but merely a “preview of coming attractions,” so to speak.

What should a spiritual fitness regimen look like? Some might endorse rigid rules and regulations, but what the Lord describes in the Scriptures is a daily, continual relationship. For instance, we’re told to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Rather than waiting for a specific time, place and posture to talk with God, we can remain in constant contact with Him – at work or at school (no separation of church and state from His point of view), in an intense business meeting, in the car, on a playing field, or in the midst of a picnic with family and friends.

It’s curious that the Bible is regarded the least-read bestseller among all books. This isn’t the way God intends, as He repeats throughout the Old and New testaments. Bibles aren’t designed to take up bookshelf space. The truths they contain are to fill our minds and prepare us for the rigors and challenges of daily living.

For instance, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you will be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). Study it, think about it – and think about it some more. Then act on it.

The Scriptures also admonish disciples of Jesus to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Later in the same passage it states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (and woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In the Psalms we find this advice that applies to every person professing to know and follow Christ: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11).

Aiming for physical fitness and the proper weight? Great. Wanting to keep your mind sharp as long as you have breath? Excellent. But if you’re not diligently pursuing spiritual fitness, in ways such as described above, you might be neglecting the most important facet of all.

When should you start? How about now?

Value – and Importance – of Remembering

The Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. is one of many
memorials designed to help us remember our national heritage.

Every year we observe Memorial Day, a time of remembrance and reflection about the sacrifices of men and women who have served our country in global wars and conflicts. When we consider the costs paid over nearly two-and-a-half centuries, this commemoration should never cease.

Can you imagine what the world – let alone our nation – would be like if the Revolutionary War had not been fought? If the Civil War had never been waged? Or if World War I and World War II had not been undertaken to oppose tyranny and thwart the advance of evil?

The war in Vietnam and the various conflicts in the Middle East have been far more controversial. But the sacrifices made – including the thousands of lives lost and the paralyzing and disabling injuries suffered – by our military entitle them to great honor and our full appreciation.

Julius Tamasy, served in World War II.

My father served in World War II in both infantry and armored divisions, experiencing battle on fronts in both Europe and Africa and being wounded twice. He was still in active service in the U.S. Army as fighting in Vietnam began to escalate, and after more than 22 years of service he elected to retire. “I’m not going both for the third bullet,” he stated with great honesty.

He knew too well the horrors of war. I still remember nights he would awaken screaming, no doubt emerging from a nightmare that revisited one of the horrific moments of confronting and doing battle with the enemy. Unlike the depiction of theatrical films of the 1940s and ‘50s, war was not fun.

Even for those of us that never saw a moment of wartime conflict, knowing what others have done on our behalf is worth our remembrance. In Washington, D.C. various memorials assist with this remembering process, ranging from the picturesque Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials to newer memorials to honor those who died in the world wars and Vietnam.

The Washington Memorial,
recently reopened, also
symbolizes American
pride and values.

Holocaust memorials have been created not only in Germany and Poland where death camps were located, but also in other parts of the world. Recently the 9/11 Memorial Museum was opened in New York City to honor the victims of that horrific day and “bear solemn witness to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and Feb. 26, 1993.”

Of course, this practice of using memorials to trigger our memories is hardly new. It’s been used in many societies, and memorial creation figures prominently even throughout the pages of the Bible. After the Israelites finished crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God instructed Joshua to appoint leaders for each of the 12 tribes to remove a large stone from the river floor and arrange them “to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” (Joshua 4:7).

The Israelites were instructed to observe various annual festivals and feasts to keep fresh in their collective memory how God had intervened on their behalf to preserve a chosen nation of people that has continually defied the odds of survival.

When a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head, He quieted her critics with His declaration, “When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, whenever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Matthew 26:12-13).

And all around the world, followers of Christ participate in a regular memorial service called the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. Writing to believers in the city of Corinth, the apostle Paul recounted Jesus’ final meal with His disciples: “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’ (1 Corinthians 11:23-25).

So this Memorial Day we pause and reflect on those, as we will hear repeatedly, that gave “the ultimate sacrifice.” And so we should. But as we do so, those of us that profess Christ as Savior and Lord should also take a moment and observe a different kind of memorial, a remembrance for the One that truly made the Ultimate Sacrifice, willingly enduring death on a cross to make atonement for the countless sins of mankind.

That is truly worth remembering.