Welcome Home — A Veteran’s Story!

People who have never experienced being in the military sometime have a hard time understanding the sacrifice this commitment requires. This is true even in other personal life choices. Mothers who choose to be stay-at-home moms while others choose to or must go to work. Either way their choice is a sacrifice.

About ten years ago, I was sitting in a Veteran’s hospital waiting for a test. I started talking to another veteran and thanking him for his service. This opened the door for Mike (not his real name) to tell his homecoming story.

Mike was being released after serving his time in Vietnam. As he was walking through the Dallas airport in his dress uniform, a man dressed in a monk like outfit headed his direction. Mike veered off in another direction to get out of the man’s way. This monk like person, then turned and went right towards Mike. When this person got close enough, he spit on Mike. Mike in response to this action beat up this person and thought he had killed him. Two military police appeared and grabbed Mike and escort him to his plane. Forty years later, Mike still thought he had killed this person and the guilt had beaten him down.

Then Mike said to me, “That was my welcome home!” I looked at him and said, “That wasn’t your welcome home.” He looked at me as if I was out of my mind. I said, “Your welcome home was that you didn’t kill that man.” If you had killed him, the police would have met you at the next airport.” “Your welcome home was that God protected you from killing that man!”

Mike stared at me in disbelief but at the same time you could see the guilt lift from his shoulders. Mike carried that burden of guilt for over forty years. After servicing in Vietnam and doing his duty with all traumas from the war, his reaction of survival mode kicked in when that monk like person spit on him. He didn’t have the ability to see or react in the right way because of the trauma. He needed help to see God’s grace even when he reacted in the wrong way.

Many men, like Mike, were drafted to go to war. They served out of duty or because they didn’t want to go to jail. They were pulled into a fight that the government decided was in the best interest of the United States. I know that is debatable view but that is not the point of this blog.

Some people point out that many other people have sacrificed for different causes. That is true. One of the main differences is that veterans fight for the United States to exist and to have freedoms other countries do not have. Their sacrifice covers all Americans including those who spit on them. A veteran’s service pays for freedom for all people whether they agree with that person’s personal preference.

So, when you see a veteran, no matter your race, sexual orientation, or political view, they should be thanked for their sacrifice. Don’t worry! It isn’t a requirement because they will keep serving no matter the cost.

Prayer

Father God,

Thank you for allowing us to be born in the United States of America. We ask for your blessing upon our military and our allies’ military. We stand-in-the-gap for them and ask for your mercy and forgiveness on wrong decisions that have caused trauma and chaos. We ask for your wisdom to enlighten them with strategy to outwit our enemies.

Keep us on your path of truth and justice. Help us to see through the lies that have entangled us. Give us strength and peace as your directions become clear. Guide our leaders to walk the honorable path that based on your word. Untangle our leaders and military from the fleshly decisions that cloud our thinking with personal gain. Let God’s servant heart come back to our nation.

Reveal and heal the traumas that have caused us to isolate and disconnect with our families and communities. Open new doors of favor, peace, and joy that restores our soul as we allow Jesus to bring wholeness to us.

We honor and thank all veterans who have served our nation. We say, “God bless you!”

Because of Jesus and all he provided through his sacrifice, amen!

Scriptures

Hebrews 13:3 Leaders are accountable to God for their actions. 1 Timothy 2:1-8