If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26b (TNIV)
On Thursday September 15th, 2011 President, Barak Obama honored the United States Marine Corps and every soldier fighting in the messy war in Afghanistan. He gave the Medal of Honor (the highest honor that our country can give) to a 23 year-old farm boy from Columbia, Kentucky for the worst day of his life (there are only three living recipients of this honor for this war).
When a Marine recruiter first saw Dakota Meyer as a senior he asked him what he planned on doing after high school. Dakota, a big strong boy, told him that he planned on playing college football. The recruiter said, “Good. That’s what I would do if I were you, because I don’t think you have what it takes to make a marine.” Those words haunted Dakota so he enlisted in the marines. He was stationed in the Ganjgal Valley where they were talking to village elders about supporting the Afghanistan government and encouraging them to refuse siding with the Taliban. There were only six marines on this mission. Dakota was asked to stay outside the village and guard the Humvees. Taliban snipers had been positioned in the surrounding mountains and in the village and opened fire on the marines. The gunfire was so thick that it sounded like static. The marines called for support and were denied. The two outside asked to go in to get them and they were denied. So Dakota and his friend, who won the Navy Cross, went in anyway. Dakota was asked if he had thought they would come out alive and he said, “No, but they were our brothers. We just couldn’t leave them there. They would do the same for us.” The press asked Dakota if he deserved the award. He said, “No. I’m not a hero. Those who died are the heroes.” They asked him why he would accept the award and he said, “Because it brings honor to everyone in the Marine Corps.”
Did you know that there are other battles going on in this world? Maybe not with guns, but they are battles for life and eternity. Risk and courage is still displayed; and every act of heroism brings honor to the all those who serve humanity in the name of Jesus Christ. So every time a Sunday school teacher does their best to teach the children who will lead our future- - - it brings honor to all of us. Every time a youth leader sacrifices to spend a couple days with the young people of our church and those young people commit their lives to Christ- - - it brings honor to the whole body of Christ. Every time someone gives a sacrificial financial gift or tithe to keep the church up and running and in the game to make this world a better place- - - it brings honor to all of us. Every missionary we send, every ministry we launch, every act of service that we do reflects on the entire body of Christ. Let’s honor Jesus Christ this week in all that we do.
Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White
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