Thursday, November 11, 2010

November 11, 2010

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." Luke 9:25
On this Veteran's Day 2010, I want to pay tribute to those who have served to protect and preserve my freedom to write in this blog and your freedom to read it! I am very grateful that there have been millions of brave troops who were willing to risk their lives to defend the American way of life.
They remind us that there are some things that are worth dying for. That alone is worthy celebrating! Why? Obviously, if there was nothing worth dying for their would be nothing worth living for.
What makes America great is what makes it worth dying for - FREEDOM!
Patriot, Patrick Henry expressed it in his immortal declaration, "Give me liberty or give me death!" That is the spirit that has motivated brave young soldiers to leave their cities, and villages, and farms to go to war in far away lands. Far too many never returned.
The highest tribute you can pay is to be good stewards of the freedom for which they shed their blood. And there is no greater freedom than spiritual freedom!
Freedom, with all its blessings, also provides opportunities to do wrong and harmful things. The rights that come with freedom must be balanced by the responsibilities it brings. Our culture is at risk today because so many have lost sight of their responsibilities in a quest to claim their rights. All great empires have crumbled under the weight of the irresponsible abuse of rights and neglect of responsibility.
The veterans we honor today are worthy of respect for this very reason, they surrendered some of their rights and took their responsibilities! That is the very value Jesus is teaching His disciples. If you cling to your rights above your responsibilities you will lose both. If you regard your rights as more important than doing right, you will cease to be free.
Will you be true to your responsibility to God and your nation today? Will you do the right thing and place your responsibilities over your rights?