I see young people demonstrating these characteristics every day. We just don't hear about it very often. It seems the media would rather hail the protesters, the troublemakers, and those who would raise controversy or heartache instead.
So with that in mind.....I'll share a memory from several years ago.
I was at our local middle school attending the Veteran's Day concert. My youngest son was in the the beginner band. I was thankful to be able to be there to see him. I made it a point to get there early enough to get a good seat. I wanted to be sure I could see Aaron from where I sat.
Being an extremely patriotic person, I was also happy the band leaders and school leadership chose to honor our local veterans in this manner. I was honored to be able to sit near several veterans of various ages. Some of them were in uniform. It was a wonderful sight.
In my mind this was an important event. The children in the band had practiced for several weeks. The other students were invited to attend the concert. So were parents, veterans in the community and other citizens too. The gymnasium was full.
Ah, but I digress -- back to the concert. Like I said I was sitting close to many of the veterans in attendance. And I was wishing my Dad and husband (both Marines) had been able to attend. There were several elderly gentlemen veterans in attendance. These men were once strong and fit and stood tall and proud, but they moved a little slower now and were perhaps not as strong as they used to be.
As the concert progressed, I noticed something about these men. I saw how proud they were still -- proud of their country and proud of the service they had provided. They stood up when the band played "The Star Spangled Banner."
That's not all, these men stood up when they heard the notes of "God Bless America." And they stood up again when the band played the theme song of their particular branch of service. They stood up a little slower each time. I could see lines of discomfort in their faces -- as they struggled to make their bodies do what their hearts told them to do. It wasn't an easy thing for them to do but they still stood.
These men were still serving their country. They were showing the people in that gymnasium how important loyalty is. They were teaching us about allegiance. These veterans in their older years were still teaching the whole community about sacrifice.
I was honored to be there among those heroes. After the concert was over, a young man - a student there - came over to speak to one of the men. The older man spoke to him and shook his hand -- asking him how he was. You could tell the two were fond of each other ... they had a mutual respect for one another.
When the student walked away, another one of the men asked the first guy if that was his grandson. The man told him they weren't related, but he and the boy were neighbors. I heard him comment on what a fine young man he was, saying he came over to visit him from time to time. I had a feeling the boy thought the older man was pretty special too.
I will always remember the concert. I will always remember the veterans who were there -- veterans of all ages -- and from all branches of service. I treasure the opportunity I had to see and hear my son play at such an important event ... even if it was in a middle school gymnasium in a small community in rural northeast Mississippi.
I will always remember the concert. I will always remember the veterans who were there -- veterans of all ages -- and from all branches of service. I treasure the opportunity I had to see and hear my son play at such an important event ... even if it was in a middle school gymnasium in a small community in rural northeast Mississippi.
I will never forget how those veterans stood up during the playing of songs they held dear to their heart. I hope others still remember the lessons they taught us by doing so. And I will never forget how two very special fellas of two very different generations gave each other a little encouragement that day.
So what about you and me? The Bible talks about loyalty. It's usually called faithfulness or steadfastness in the scriptures. And the Bible speaks about integrity too. In God's Word it is usually mentioned as righteousness or holiness.
Throughout the New Testament Christians are called to be holy, righteous and faithful to Christ our Savior. We are also exhorted to pray for our country's leaders and to be good examples to those around us by obeying the laws of the land. Showing our allegiance to God means obeying all His commands, including those to be good citizens. That's not always easy, but it is a commandment.
I would have been able to tell those men were veterans even if they weren't in uniform that day. I would have known by their behavior. Most everyone around here stands up for the national anthem and some stand for God Bless America. But probably only a veteran would stand for "Anchors Away" or "The Marines' Hymn."
More importantly .....
Do those in the world know what we stand for? If they see us perform an act of kindness for a friend in need, they might say we are loyal. If someone sees us turn in a lost wallet full of money, they would understand we are someone of integrity. But if they never hear us invite them to worship or talk about Jesus; they will never know we are Christians.
Those veterans were willing to fight for our country. Are we fighting the good fight of faith? It is the most crucial fight of our lives. So be strong ... stand up for Christ ... it might not always be easy ... but it will always be worth it.
Christ above all things,
Robin
