My past two Weekend Inspiration messages have dealt with qualities that I believe are the foundation for the true spirit of Christmas. Using Christmas stories, the first about generosity and then the second about love, it was my Christmas wish to kindle within you the warmth and meaning that they sparked in me. Now, as I pondered how close this medley of Christmas prose, it occurred to me that one quality of Christmas that is not often in our holiday thoughts is sacrifice.
“Interesting!” I thought to myself, “While these stories shared over the past two weeks centered around generosity and love, hidden within their core was also sacrifice – The farmer and his son foregoing their own Christmas gifts in order to help a struggling widow and her children. The love between the elderly lady and her pet being so strong that even death could not separate them. Each of these wonderful stories involved sacrifice.
As we all strive to embrace the real reason for the season, we cannot escape the reality that the generosity and love that came into our world on that first Christmas, came with a price. For the ultimate promise of the peace of Christmas that began in Bethlehem would not be fulfilled without and until the Cross of sacrifice.
In attempting to find a Christmas story that would exemplify that quality of sacrifice during this Christmas season, I had to look no further than our country’s men and women in uniform. As many of us complain of the stresses we face with all our entertaining and gifting responsibilities, think about the thousands who will not enjoy this Christmas at home with their families and loved ones because of their commitment to duty, honor and country.
I discovered the following story on a website called AllMilitary.com. It was written by a veteran named Michael Connelly. It says much about the sacrifices faced every day, even on Christmas, by our exceptional military members. It is simply titled A Soldier’s Christmas Story.
A soldier nervously fingers his weapon and stares into the darkness watching for any sign of the enemy. He is alone this night because yesterday his best friend, who usually shared this position with him, was killed. He misses him, he was a brave man who left a wife and two small children behind. The soldier hopes that he will survive this war and someday be able to tell the little ones how bravely their father had died defending freedom.
He doesn’t know exactly what time it is but his instincts tell him that it is approaching midnight on this Christmas Eve. Soon it will be Christmas morning at home and his own family will be getting up to have breakfast and open presents. His breakfast will consist of some cold sparse rations and a sip of water from his canteen. There will be no hot cider or coffee for him and no turkey dinner later in the day.
He hopes his family enjoys the Christmas celebration and understands why he can’t be with them. There are people in the world that would destroy the things he is fighting to defend, and he faces them this night. He would rather be home, but this is his choice and his responsibility. He hopes his countrymen appreciate what he is doing, but sometimes he wonders. Then he tells himself that it doesn’t matter, he would be here anyway.
The soldier takes a moment to reach out and gently touch the Christmas tree he and his buddy had set up shortly before he died. It’s not really a tree at all, just a branch that had been blown off a real tree by an artillery shell. They had dug a hole in the hard ground and set it up. Of course, they had no tinsel or ornaments so they decorated it with empty cartridge shells and hoped that the Lord would understand. It was the only way they had to honor his birth.
By now, you may be wondering what place this is and who this soldier fights for. He is an American soldier and the name of the place doesn’t matter. It could be Valley Forge, Northern Virginia, the Ardennes, the Chosin Reservoir, the Mekong Delta, or somewhere near Kabul or Baghdad.
For over 200 years, there have been American soldiers far away from home every Christmas watching our backs. Today they are of both genders and many races and religions.
On this Christmas Eve, the soldier quietly hums Silent Night and again wonders if anybody really cares. Then he hears a voice from the darkness. It is a soothing and pleasant voice and admonishes him gently for his doubts. “I was born on this night to bring my Father’s word to the world.” says the voice. “My Father is called by many different names and worshiped by many people in different ways, but you are still his protector. You guard the right to believe and you are not alone on this Christmas Eve. I am by your side and I salute you.
WELL DONE AMERICAN SOLDIER!”
While not not making light of the real stresses that can often affect many during the holidays, if you are one who feels overwhelmed, pressured or stretched too thin amid the hustle and bustle of these waning days of Christmas, think for a moment about what our soldiers stationed in distant lands are enduring. Then, perhaps, you will think of the stresses you are feeling as merely your small cross to bear. Bear them proudly and graciously…our soldiers sure do, as did He who is the reason for the season!
The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers. The Soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country – George S. Patton Jr.
Wishing You All an AWE-full weekend and a Merry Christmas!
William “Bill” Bacque