Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
I occasionally reuse themes or phrases from my previous articles without reusing articles in their entirety. To commemorate Veterans Day over the past three years, I’ve written about the increasing political and other strife in our country, and it hasn’t slowed down any. So what follows is much of what I wrote in 2018.
Because I wrote about national strife/peace also in 2019 and 2020, I’m reminded of a preacher who continued presenting the same sermon. When asked why, he replied when people started doing what he preached about from the Bible, he’d change his tune. So here we go again!
Initially called Armistice Day, as a celebration of peace, Nov. 11 now is called Veterans Day to honor all American veterans, living or dead, who served to maintain our peace.
So, first, thank you, American veterans, for serving our nation to sustain the peace and protect our Constitution, including the civil liberties we enjoy through the Bill of Rights.
Second, for all of us, in my opinion, the best way to honor all our veterans is to maintain our nation’s internal peace. The ongoing political strife in our country is outright disgusting, and I pray that all our elected officials will get the wake-up call that we’re are fed up!
America’s global greatness is due, in part, to our abundant natural resources and generally good climate, but our greatness came about because we’re a melting pot of culture, philosophy/politics/religion and talent with a strong work ethic. While I’ve never given up on America’s greatness, despite the fact it’s waned somewhat in the past 30 years, America can only be great when we have the internal peace that maintains civility toward each other.
This doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything, but we should be able to disagree without being so disagreeable. We must mutually and peaceably respect the constitutionally protected (veteran-protected) rights of others.
So you’ll know, I’ve personally been the target of negative remarks by someone locally, likely in my own political party, who jumped to conclusions without knowing the situation. He came out as the loser on that one, although his dignity remained intact.
Following Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is actually the only way to have peace among men and with God (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 2:11-14; John 14:27; 16:33). He provided for that peace by breaking down every political, cultural, ethnic, economic, and gender barrier that divides humankind (Ephesians 2:11-22; Galatians 3:26-29; 4:6-7; Colossians 3:11).
Veterans should be honored at all times, not just on Nov. 11. The church meets every first day of the week to specially remember Jesus’ armistice of peace (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We also should constantly consider our relationship with him. Are you following God’s plan for peace every day, not just the first day of the week (Colossians 3:15-17)? Peace among men results from that plan.
Finally, thank you, again, veterans! Hopefully, we’ll really honor you as a nation at peace again well before Veterans Day 2022.
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].