Mighty Men of Valor
In 1 Chronicles, the Bible speaks of the “Mighty Men of Valor.” These men loved their families, their nation, and their God. They were willing to fight and die for their families and their faith.
In America, we have our own Mighty Men of Valor. For many generations, brave American soldiers have laid down their lives for our freedoms. And we owe a huge debt of gratitude to all the men and women who have sacrificed so dearly.
In a nursing home, a sweet lady spoke about her brother, who died in World War II. Many years later, her heart still ached, and her tears were a tribute to her brother. She described the darkness she felt, even in the bright sunshine, when she learned that he would not be coming home. I told her that her brother was a hero, and the truth is, he was a Mighty Man of Valor.
I once worked with a man who had served his country in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He recounted his experiences marching through Europe, where he saw his buddy being obliterated by a mortar round just a few feet away. Years later, during the Vietnam War, he found himself much older than most soldiers.
When the helicopter landed, the soldiers jumped out and began running toward the enemy, each carrying a heavy pack. Due to his age and the weight of his load, he stumbled and fell. At that moment, a young Black soldier stopped to help him. He picked up the older man’s pack and carried it alongside his own. This story illustrates a profound truth. When the bullets are flying, there is no distinction between skin colors. Every soldier is a brother among the Mighty Men of Valor.
Another mighty man of valor was my neighbor, Mr. Thomas Rhodes. Like many true-life heroes, he was a gentle man who worked hard and rarely spoke. It was only after his passing that I discovered he had been a German prisoner of war during World War II.
We have so much to be thankful for. We are free to gather in our churches and worship without fear. We can go to the polls to vote, also without fear. We have the freedom to travel wherever we wish, again without fear. We live in the greatest country in the world and are among the most blessed people on Earth.
With heartfelt appreciation, I pay tribute to the extraordinary American heroes we proudly call our Mighty Men of Valor. Their courage and sacrifice inspire us all!
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
From the Bible
“Now these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, chief of the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time.
After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. He was with David at Pasdammim. Now there the Philistines were gathered for battle, and there was a piece of ground full of barley. So the people fled from the Philistines. But they stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David.
I Chronicles 11:10-19 NKJV
Amen and Amen – there is a black wall in D.C. that doesn’t have my name on it because someone else took my place and didn’t come back . praise Jesus and those who gave their all.