Privileged

Thinking of the annual, national pause termed Veterans Day this Monday to remember that freedom comes and continues because there are those who are brave – willing to run toward danger… 

Alistair Begg (truthforlife.com)

On the twenty-first of October 1805, one of the most famous sea battles in the history of warfare took place. At the Battle of Trafalgar, the British troops, under the leadership of Admiral Lord Nelson, soundly defeated the French and Spanish fleet. And although the details of that historical period are hazy to virtually all and particular snippets of information are known only to a few, any well-educated English schoolboy will be able to tell you two things concerning the Battle of Trafalgar. 

One, they will be able to tell you that the name of the flagship on which Nelson was carried was the Victory.

And they will also be able to tell you that the message which Nelson conveyed first to his captains when they came on board the flagship Victory and then to the other members of the crews of the remaining twenty-six ships by means of flags going up the lanyards―the message was simply this: “England expects that every man will do his duty.” 

“England expects that every man will do his duty.”

And consequently, all the members of the crews of these various ships would acknowledge the fact that while it was a privilege for them to serve their king and their country, it was impossible to think “privilege” without at the same time thinking “duty.”

Our national anthem ends with “o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  You can’t have one without the other.  That is, we enjoy freedom because there were those who were brave, putting their lives on the line in order to defend against enemies.  Furthermore, we will not continue to have freedom nor will our offspring if there are not those who will be brave standing up to danger and even running toward danger.  Freedom exists because there are those brave.  

Privilege comes along with duty.

Most crossing our border get a host of privileges without rendering duty – WRONG!

Too often our own children are swamped with privileges without a corresponding rendering of duty. 

Too often our children are NOT taught that freedom is because of those who are brave. 

Too often our children aren’t taught how many privileges they have in this country to which they owe a “Thank-you” to others such as George Washington or Samuel Adams or George Carver Washington or Sergeant York or the Doolittle Raiders or the firemen that raced into the twin towers burning or grandpa and grandma for their sacrifices for their parents and for them.  

Too often WE do not appreciate the privileges we have as Christians because of the duty that Jesus fulfilled in facing down torture, Satan, Hell and death that we might have life, abundant life and an eternal glorious future.  

We are indulged as are our children and most all around us.  We are “entitled.”  We “deserve.”  We are “owed.”  We “demand.”  We “expect.”

Best we all sit down to ponder afresh on what we have and commit to being much more thankful and to serving in greater ways in the days ahead. 

Best we all understand that our God “expects that every man will do his duty.”  

Best we teach our children that we “expect that every man will do his duty.”