So my name isn't Dudley Do-Right. Yours, probably, isn't either. The phrase popped into my head from a long ago memory of a fictional character. He was a Mountie character from the "Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" from many years ago. I remember dramatic music and much drama in the snippets.
"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." - Peter Marshall
On Memorial Day, who do we figure out what is right as we remember those who gave their lives for freedoms. Their sacrifice purchased and protected our right to make good choices... and bad ones, too.
Memorial Day is for remembering those who stepped out in faith to fight for the hope of a better tomorrow. They are the ones who stood in the gaps between freedom and living in fear. They were heroes. It is good to honor their sacrifice We must remember them. They are part of our story. They are why our story continues to be one of freedom.
It isn't always easy to know right from wrong. Really good and kind people can and do stand on opposite sides. In this season of political turmoil, I am reminded of the famous quote: "I wholly disapprove of what you say and will defend to the death your right to say it!”
It is more important than ever to attempt kindness. It feels as if the media is eager to divide us. I suspect that history is repeating itself, as it often does. We can look to the scriptures for wisdom:
"Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding." -Proverbs 10:23
"Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted." -Proverbs 12:15-16
There are so many more, but these were a good start. On this day when we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it is easy to become discouraged by the world circumstances. We can find hope in the words of the prophet Isaiah.
"He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law."-Isaiah 42:4 9 NLT
I think is is interesting that the term "the coastlands" is used in most translations, don't you? Have the coastal regions always been at risk for outside influences? Some things change and somethings stay the same. How we respond to those influences can impact our days here and echo into eternity.
Be calm. Be confident. Don't lose hope.
Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to do what is right.
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