“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 KJV)
There are different dates given for when Memorial Day was first observed. Some will point to it becoming a National Holiday in 1971. Others will reference May 5, 1968, when a group of Union veterans of the Civil War called the Grand Army of the Republic instituted Decoration Day. Over twenty-five states claim to be the place where Memorial Day originated. Even New York claims to be the first city to establish Memorial Day in 1873. To be honest, when I was a kid, I just knew that it was the day for the Indianapolis 500. Well, that’s not exactly true, but close. Dad was an officer who served in War World II.
All the claims above were pushed to the side in my mind when a faithful member of my church sent me an article with an intriguing, opening sentence, “Know your history.”
Intrigued, my interest stirred, I read the rest of the article. It reports that Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina to honor 257 dead Union soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp.
What I have written so far does more than validate the value of a great first sentence in any written communication, written documentation, or oral presentations, and it does more that share an historical fact that most of us were not taught in our required American History classes in high school. Listen! What I have written points to the fact that we have a responsibility to share good news with others, and that definitely includes the good news that is all about Jesus, including the great things you have experience in your life, and will experience in the life to come because of Him.
If Jesus has ever done anything for you, I challenge you to share your history with somebody today. Perhaps share it with anybody and everybody, but definitely start by sharing your history with somebody in your family, a relative whose personal history does not report that they have come to know the truth that sets one free. Do it out of love. Have a great Wednesday! Be blessed!
“But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” (Mark 5:19 NLT)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King