I was in a martial arts class on Memorial Day afternoon in 1981.
Being a holiday, I could have skipped the class, but I didn't... in large part because we had such an impressive instructor... and you didn't want to miss a session with him unless you had a really good reason.
Our instructor was a muscular, six-foot-three inch, eighth degree black belt and Vietnam vet with a commanding presence.
He was extremely smart and articulate too. And he often shared interesting anecdotes... with lessons we could all apply to our lives.
So every class -- besides being a grueling workout -- was a bit of an adventure. You just never knew what you were going to experience on any given day.
Well before class on this particular Memorial Day our instructor paced around the dojang -- or training hall -- asking individual students to tell him what Memorial Day was about.
I remember cringing when I heard how bad the first few answers were.
But even more...
I recall the mix of fury and hurt in our instructor's face as this collection of mainly high school-aged students revealed their ignorance of the price others had paid for the freedom they enjoyed in America.
With each pitiful response the emotions filling our instructor intensified.
At one point he grabbed a bamboo stick and I wondered if he was going to whack someone!
He didn't.
But finally, he'd heard enough.
And this battle-hardened warrior... who lived with a piece of shrapnel in his knee... launched into the most passionate and memorable speech about the human cost of war I've ever heard.
I'll never forget it. And it's helped shape my view of war and freedom to this day.
So...
What does this have to do with the dominion mandate theme I write about each day.
Quite a bit, actually...
Because just as there are those who are ignorant about Memorial Day, so are there those who don't know that Jesus came to pay the price for the greatest freedom of all.
And that's the freedom from sin and guilt and judgment... and the freedom to live life in His presence, using the gifts He's given us, according to His glorious design.
And this, my friend, is something no one should miss.