This week we recognized those that have given of themselves to serve our country and defend/protect the freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of the greatest country on earth, the United States of America. As I thought about the sacrifices of our veterans and those that are serving in the military today, I had to stop for a moment and think about how relevant the term sacrifice is for all Americans and really everyone around the world as we battle the Coronavirus. I can rest assured that the sacrifices that we are making in our daily lives do not equal or even come close in comparison to the sacrifices made by our military veterans, so I would like to spend just a moment today, giving us all something to think about before we blurt out again that we are making grand sacrifices in the pandemic war that is being waged around the earth.
Call it WWIII if you like, but please don't compare it to the two previous World Wars. Talk about the things you are having to endure like avoiding large social gatherings, having to eat take out instead of dining in, or maybe even the most controversial sacrifice being asked of all Americans to wear facial coverings, but please think about your use of the word sacrifice and stop. The World Wars, Vietnam, the Korean War, and the extended years of war and conflict in the Middle East have impacted the lives of thousands and hundreds of thousands of young men and women across this great country we call home. In most cases these heroes made the voluntary choice to serve their country, in some cases our government volunteered young men to serve by means of the draft. Regardless of the means by which they ended up serving I feel pretty confident saying they endured so much more than we will ever be asked to "sacrifice" during our battle with this virus.
In no way, a comparison worthy to be made, but during the Vietnam War nearly 60,000 American soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their life for their country. In less than one year the COVID-19 virus has taken the lives of well over 200,000 Americans and counting. I was a young preteen during the Vietnam era, but being a history major and just knowing the history of that time period, it would be fair to say there was some controversy surrounding our reason for being in that region of the world. The loss of life that our country sacrificed in that war, not to mention the number of lives that have long been impacted by what these patriots endured in that war, should make most of us red faced in shame for talking about the discomfort of wearing a mask to "possibly" protect the life of another person that might be at risk more than yourself. I won't even go into all the "sacrifices" you and I are making in this war that we are fighting today because they are not sacrifices. More like inconveniences than anything remotely similar to a true sacrifice. Those serving our country in the medical and educational fields are making sacrifices by exposing themselves in our hospitals and schools placing their health on the line each moment that they are working, providing health care to a certain percentage of individuals that have stated they won't stay home and sacrifice going out to eat Friday night. Educators are faced with classrooms packed with students whose parents are not wearing a mask, because they are Americans and nobody is going to tell them that they have to wear a "diaper" on their face. Something to consider, if the men and women who we recognize on Veteran's Day and even more so those we remember on Memorial Day had said I'm not going to serve my country because it will mean I have to sacrifice some aspect of their life, or even considered the possibility that they might very well never return to American soil again where would the "land of the free" and "home of the brave" be found today? Shame on us, we are spoiled. Notice I'm not pointing fingers, I own this myself as well as each and every American should!
I could go on, but deep down inside, do I really need to go further? If you can't see that the small sacrifices you are being asked to make in the effort to fight an unknown enemy that we are finding out more about each day that passes, then this message probably still won't make a difference to you. But if you won't think about the sacrifice you are being asked in comparison to the men and women who have defended and are defending our country today, then maybe you will consider this last comparison. God sent His son to die for the very people that would eventually hang Jesus on a cross. Jesus knew that He was about to be tortured, shamed, and then murdered on a cross that he was nailed to, and the only thing He asked His father in Heaven was to "let this cup pass" if possible, but if not then "Thy will be done". Matthew 26:39 As Jesus was taking His last breath He cried out to His father, "Forgive them for they know not what they do" Luke 23:34. Love is sacrificial. Not love of self, love for those that you disagree with, love for those you serve, love for thy neighbor, and love for all mankind over love of self. The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" Matthew 7:12, certainly does apply here. God gave His son knowing what the outcome was going to be. Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for YOUR sins today. Jesus died for all the sins I have committed against Him and He did so without a question about what that sacrifice was going to be for himself.
If I complain about my french fries being cold because I am unable to eat inside a restaurant, if I dare refuse to wear a mask in public because "I don't want to and I don't have to", or even if I deny the reality of a virus that has ravaged the world and continues to be a war that we have not yet won, I certainly hope that I won't deny that the men and women who have fought, and in many instances given their life for me sacrificed so much more than I will probably ever be asked to sacrifice. I pray that as we place men and women, boys and girls, health care personnel, educators, cashiers, waiters, and all other public servants at risk because we don't want to be inconvenienced, we will stop and consider the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for each of us and then think about what our "sacrifices" are in comparison.
May God Bless America, I for one do not deserve His mercy nor His grace!
Coach Carter
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