We the people of the United States of America celebrate our independence this month. As we pull out the red, white and blue, make much noise and overindulge in festive delectables, let us not waste the day waiting for the big light show at dusk. Rather, let us humbly and thankfully pause in silent respect for those who paid freedom’s price.
Freedom is a privilege and its cost is easily forgotten by those who did not pay for it. Like other yearly remembrances, the Fourth of July seems to have slipped into the list of paid holidays as if it was another one of our rights. But this year, I encourage you to look into the eyes of a veteran and see the battle that paid for your rights. You can be sure their mind’s eye keeps daily account of every expense. Stand next to them when the national anthem is played and you will see that their right hand still covers their hearts with pride when our flag is raised. You will hear their trembling voice sing our national anthem and know that each note is sung with humility and reverence. The tear that drops from their eye falls in memory of those who fell beside them on a field of blood.
I always choke back tears when I see these brave men and women during the fireworks. They stand still as if their own hearts will explode like a firecracker and shoot out endless tales of pain and sorrow spun on the shores of other worlds. Their humble silence is louder than all the noise we could possibly muster rising above the meaningless jabber of those whose hands are buried in coolers and whose mouths have yet to learn words that contain more than four letters.
Theirs is a holy silence; a stance of honor.
These are the Americans who truly understand the price of independence. They understand that being independent doesn’t mean freedom from all restraint, rules or authority. They know that independence means freedom from tyranny and oppression, not freedom to do whatever we want whenever we want or however we want—but freedom to unite and agree and to live in peace. These brave soldiers served under command and obeyed their officers to win the rights that we all enjoy on a daily basis. It took obedience, unity, courage and sacrifice.
Sadly, the tragedy in freedom’s price is that blood must be shed. We may not all agree with or like it, but history records this truth; it is a fact of life on an imperfect planet. And despite all the analytical condemnation that surrounds every war, of this I am sure: We are a nation that will not stand still when wrong is being done to any human being nor turn our eyes away from those in need.
I like that about my country.
I like that about my God, too. He is the One Who taught our forefathers to pen our country’s declaration that all men are created equal. God is the One Who gave our soldiers the victory over tyranny so that America could become the land of the free. It is God who we chose to put our trust in from the very beginning. So much so, that we proclaim it on our currency for the entire world to see.
May we never take for granted the price of our many freedoms in this great nation and may we never forget how God has blessed America!