This weekend, many of us will fire up the grill, enjoy time with family, and take a well-earned break. But let’s not forget, freedom always comes with a cost.
Memorial Day is not just about a long weekend. It’s about the empty chairs at kitchen tables… the folded flags handed to grieving families… the names etched into stone that too many walk past without really reading.
I’ve been on the other side of those ceremonies.
As a JROTC cadet, I had the honor of serving in the firing squad for a 21-gun salute. I didn’t know the veteran we were honoring. None of us did. But we showed up early, double-checked our gear, and gave it everything we had. Not because it was for us but because he had given everything for us. That salute wasn’t a performance, it was a sacred duty.
Years later, I received a call from a family whose loved one, a World War II veteran and former POW, was entering hospice care. Somehow, after everything he endured, his Bronze Star had never been formally presented. They asked if I would do the honors.
I put on my uniform and walked into that room knowing I was stepping onto holy ground.
And then he did something I’ll never forget, he stood up and saluted me.
Me. A nobody. Just a young Captain commanding the local Army Recruiting Company.
But in his eyes, I wasn’t just a man. I was the uniform. The flag. The continuation of the legacy he fought for.
This man had earned the Bronze Star for fighting off five or more armed Japanese soldiers alone, and yet it took over half a century to hand him that medal. I was grateful we were able to do it while he was still with us.
And the question that’s never left me is this:
Am I living a life worthy of the freedom he, and so many others paid for?
Stewardship isn’t just about finances. It’s about what we do with our time, our talents, our influence, our faith. It’s about carrying the torch they passed down, not dropping it in comfort or distraction.
If we live aimlessly…
If we waste our days in bitterness or fear…
If we let division, apathy, or comfort dull our calling…
We dishonor the gift.
So this Memorial Day, yes, please rest. Have fun, eat a burger, drink a beverage, have a good time, that is what it’s all about.
Also, grieve, or remember.
But also resolve.
Live with purpose.
Love fiercely.
Lead boldly.
And steward what you’ve been given.
Because someone else didn’t get the chance.
Ready to take that next step?
I created a free 7-day devotional called “Faithful With Little: Steward What Matters.”
It’s short. It’s powerful. And it’s designed to help you take immediate steps toward living with the purpose God gave you.
Click below to get instant access—no cost, no spam. Just a guide to get you started.
Download the Faithful with Little Devotional now
Let’s live lives that honor the cost of freedom—and steward what matters most.
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