Jesus brought the sacrifice for the sins of all the people, once and for all, when he sacrificed himself. Hebrews 7:27
This week on Thursday, November 11, our thoughts turn to all the veterans as we honor them for their service and sacrifice on this Veteran’s Day. World War I ended on November 11, 1911 some 110 years ago this year and the next year, Armistice Day was created as a day to commemorate the end of “the war to end all wars”. A federal holiday was created in 1938 and after WWII and the Korean War its name was changed to Veterans Day.
It is sobering to consider that there were nine million soldiers lost in WWI and twenty one million wounded. The United States alone lost over 116,000 souls. All wars create a lot of sacrifice not only on the part of our service men and women, but also on the part of their families, friends, and this country. Wars require people to make sacrifices. This day is a day to honor the men and women who made that sacrifice.
Sacrifice is defined as the act of giving up something you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help some? We all make sacrifices of one kind or another, but how many of us have been called to give our lives for someone else?
Desmond Doss was a devout Christian who served in Okinawa during WWII. Because of his devout faith, Doss refused to touch a weapon or work on Sunday. He became a medic because of these beliefs. His battalion considered him a slacker and a pest, and it is even said that they would throw shoes at him while he prayed.
In Okinawa in the spring of 1945, he and his company were ordered to climb a steep cliff and face thousands of heavily armed Japanese soldiers. As the attack began and members of his battalion were wounded, Doss rescued 75 men who were trapped at the top of an escarpment by lowering them using a special knot he made. The whole time he was crawling to the wounded, he prayed, “Lord, please help me get one more.” He was awarded the Medal of Honor by Harry Truman on October 12, 1945 and became he first conscientious objector to ever receive a medal.
The story of Desmond Doss was made into a movie, Hacksaw Ridge, in 2015 and tells the story of his sacrifice and bravery. He honored the motto of the veterans, “Leave no man behind” and saved as many as he could! He was a true hero!
There are so many veterans who are heroes and live among us. Their stories are ones of valor, dedication, loyalty, love of country, and bravery, yet many of them are reluctant to share them. It is enough for them to know they served their country and served it well.
There are heroes among us in our every day life as well. For instance, in our neighborhood, there is a young mother who strolls her older son who is physically disabled each and every day. As he continues to grow, it must get harder for her to push him up and down hills, but she is faithful. There are doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, fire fighters, teachers, and police officers which sacrifice each day for others. There are couples who deal with separation from their loved ones, but they dutifully care for them. Sacrifices are made by so many in so many situations. There are truly heroes among us.
Jesus died on the cross to show us what love looks like in action. His sacrifice brings to light the scripture in John 15:13, “No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The sacrifice He made offers us access to a life with no more crying, no more sickness, no more pain, no more sorrow or death.
Jesus’ sacrifice offers us a new path for our lives. This path is one that challenges us to sacrifice for and spread love to all we know. Our prayer should be likened to the one Desmond Doss prayed all those years ago, “Lord, please help me to win one more for You.”
This day we say “thank you for your sacrifice and service” to all the veterans.
(The picture above is of Eddie Huffaker, US Army Vietnam 1967-69 at the Vietnam War Memorial)