My husband, Ken, loves to honor American soldiers…
He does, really. Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and just recently Ken and I were out in the Palm Desert area getting ready to drive the freeway back to LA. We thought we’d stop at a Burger King for lunch before we got on the road – I told Ken I didn’t mind waiting in the van while he went inside to place our order. While I was sitting in the van, I noticed an SUV pull up in the parking lot with a bunch of young men and women in uniform. They all piled out of their vehicle – five of them -- and headed toward the Burger King – I couldn’t tell from their uniforms what branch of service they were in, but when Ken got back with our lunch, I asked him, “Did you see those young soldiers?” Well, they must have missed each other, but it was enough to spark my husband’s curiosity.
Leaving our lunch on the seat, he reached into his duffel bag in the back of the van and got out a few Gospel tracts – then he grabbed his wallet and went back into the restaurant. I knew what Ken was about to do. And sure enough he found those young people in uniform, introduced himself, and then bought them all lunch. Plus, he gave them each a Gospel tract, thanking them for their service in the armed forces.
When Ken came back to the van, we opened up our own hamburgers and while we ate our lunch, he explained that they were military cadets in training. He said they seemed really appreciative of his encouraging words – even more so than the gift of a couple of hamburgers. Just as we were finishing up and ready to pull out and head home, the five cadets stopped by our van. They were absolutely beaming and wanted to thank Ken again for treating them to lunch, as well as graciously acknowledging their service in the armed forces. “Not many people stop us like you guys,” they said. And we were quick to add that probably most people when they see someone in a uniform are grateful… and they want to do something, it’s just they’re not sure what to say. Ken told them that he hoped they might consider lifetime careers in the military and that we would be praying for them as they went through training. We then waved goodbye and headed home.
Ephesians 5 tells us to live very carefully, making the most of every opportunity. This means that every day God gives us openings into the lives of other people – and you and I have innumerable opportunities to encourage and strengthen them, to build up and bless them. And no one needs more encouragement now days than our brave men and women in the Armed Forces, especially those stationed in Iraq or fighting in Afghanistan. Many of these soldiers have returned home bearing terrible wounds of war – and I'm just grateful that Ken and I get a chance to minister to these soldiers through our Wounded Warrior retreats which Joni and Friends holds during the spring and fall. At our last Wounded Warrior Getaway, we had a chance to film the stories of some of these incredible servicemen and I’d love for you to meet them in a video I’ve posted on my radio page at joniandfriends.org. So after our time together today, please go over to joniandfriends.org… meet me there and I promise you’ll be blessed by these wounded warriors and their stories.
And one more thing, if you happen to run across a cadet in training, someone in uniform may be in the airport or at a fast-food restaurant or on the street… please make the most of that opportunity and take an Ephesians Chapter 5 minute to bless and encourage them; thank them for their service to our country, buy them a meal, pay for their magazine at the kiosk, or give them a Gospel tract and a warm handshake. It’s one way that you personally can strengthen our military… and I promise that you will be blessed for it.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends