Monday, November 12, 2001
"EARN THIS"
In honor of Veteran's Day, they showed Saving Private Ryan on TV last night. I really like the movie probably for all the reasons why some people hate it - it's gross, gory, and paints a very real picture of what war is like. The premise of the movie is these 5 guys, led by Tom Hanks, are supposed to find this guy Ryan and bring him home from the fighting of WWII because his other two brothers have already died in battle. Along the way, a lot of the men die or get seriously wounded, including Tom Hanks' character. Near the end of the movie is where the most moving part takes place. A dying Hanks, who in his weakness has been reduced to whispering a few words before his death, suddenly develops a strong voice to tell Ryan, "Earn this!" He wanted Ryan to earn all the work that these men had done to bring him home safely. Then, the movie flashes forward to Ryan, now old and gray, with wife, kids, and grandkids present, standing at Tom Hanks' character's grave. He says something to the effect of, "I've thought about those words you said everyday of my life. I brought my family with me. I hope I've earned it." Then, he breaks down, falls to his knees, and cried.
These are the types of gestures our veterans have done for us and for this country. Let's give them some much-deserved props today.
But this also got me thinking about my dad, too. Similarly, he has made great sacrifices to bring me through this world safely. He has never asked me outright to "earn this" and I don't think he ever will. But I feel, to a certain extent, that I should try my best to earn it, to make his sacrifices worthwhile. He used to always tell me about how he came to this country with $20 in his back pocket and went to the World Fair in the last 1960s in New York (outside Shea Stadium) to find a job ... any job. He ended up being a dishwasher only after he lied to the boss when he asked, "Hey, kid. You ever use a dishwasher before?" "Sure," my dad replied, even though he had never, ever even touched one before. And from such humble beginnings, come a wife, a family, a six-bedroom house with a pool, etc. My dad is a lot like Tom Hanks' character - a class act who never complained.
And again, this also made me think of Jesus Christ, my Heavenly Father. He never asks us to "earn this." In fact, our salvation is not based on our works at all (thank goodness), but based on our belief and trust in Him only. Amazing! And Jesus made the biggest sacrifice of all - dying on the cross for us. And again, even though I know it is not based on what I do, I feel a certain responsibility and desire to earn it and continue to grow spiritually and run away from sin.
So for me, today is not just Veteran's Day, but also Father's Day and a holy day.
In honor of Veteran's Day, they showed Saving Private Ryan on TV last night. I really like the movie probably for all the reasons why some people hate it - it's gross, gory, and paints a very real picture of what war is like. The premise of the movie is these 5 guys, led by Tom Hanks, are supposed to find this guy Ryan and bring him home from the fighting of WWII because his other two brothers have already died in battle. Along the way, a lot of the men die or get seriously wounded, including Tom Hanks' character. Near the end of the movie is where the most moving part takes place. A dying Hanks, who in his weakness has been reduced to whispering a few words before his death, suddenly develops a strong voice to tell Ryan, "Earn this!" He wanted Ryan to earn all the work that these men had done to bring him home safely. Then, the movie flashes forward to Ryan, now old and gray, with wife, kids, and grandkids present, standing at Tom Hanks' character's grave. He says something to the effect of, "I've thought about those words you said everyday of my life. I brought my family with me. I hope I've earned it." Then, he breaks down, falls to his knees, and cried.
These are the types of gestures our veterans have done for us and for this country. Let's give them some much-deserved props today.
But this also got me thinking about my dad, too. Similarly, he has made great sacrifices to bring me through this world safely. He has never asked me outright to "earn this" and I don't think he ever will. But I feel, to a certain extent, that I should try my best to earn it, to make his sacrifices worthwhile. He used to always tell me about how he came to this country with $20 in his back pocket and went to the World Fair in the last 1960s in New York (outside Shea Stadium) to find a job ... any job. He ended up being a dishwasher only after he lied to the boss when he asked, "Hey, kid. You ever use a dishwasher before?" "Sure," my dad replied, even though he had never, ever even touched one before. And from such humble beginnings, come a wife, a family, a six-bedroom house with a pool, etc. My dad is a lot like Tom Hanks' character - a class act who never complained.
And again, this also made me think of Jesus Christ, my Heavenly Father. He never asks us to "earn this." In fact, our salvation is not based on our works at all (thank goodness), but based on our belief and trust in Him only. Amazing! And Jesus made the biggest sacrifice of all - dying on the cross for us. And again, even though I know it is not based on what I do, I feel a certain responsibility and desire to earn it and continue to grow spiritually and run away from sin.
So for me, today is not just Veteran's Day, but also Father's Day and a holy day.
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