In the 2016 Rio
Olympics, Sam Kendricks, a U.S. Army Reserve second lieutenant from
Mississippi, earned the bronze medal in the pole vault. By clearing 19 feet, 2 ¼ inches, Kendricks
was the first pole vaulter to medal for the United States since 2004. He was honored for that feat, but it is what
he chose to do before the medal ceremony that still stands out in my mind. As Sam was running down the track, in anticipation
of practicing his vault, he heard the United States National Anthem being
played in the arena. He stopped, let his
pole drop to the ground, and stood at attention as he fixed his eyes on the
flag. He willingly gave up his practice
time to honor his country.
Nebraska Huskers
football punter, Sam Foltz, died in a car accident five weeks before their
first game this season. At the first
game Virginia Kruta reported that “The stands were packed with Foltz jerseys,
and banners in the stands were emblazoned with Foltz’s personal motto: ‘Dream big, work hard, stay humble.’” Before the start of the game, two of the
kickers ran onto the field with Foltz’s jersey as their way of honoring him. The game began and soon came the time when
the Huskers were forced to punt for the first time. Ten men took the field, but the punters
position was left without a player as a tribute to Sam Foltz. A delay of game penalty was given. Even the players on the opposing team clapped
for the display to honor Sam. That’s
when the head coach at Fresno State declined the penalty on the Foltz
tribute. Tim DeRuyter stated, “If we
can’t teach our guys about (being) classy like that, what’s college for?” No matter the score, both teams were winners
this past week.
Royce Thompson, a
kindergartener from Sante Fe, Texas, was late to school. As he was about to reach the doors to the
building, he heard the students in the school reciting the pledge. Royce stopped, put his hand over his heart,
said the pledge, bowed his head in prayer, and then entered the school.
On August 23, 2016,
9-year-old Kaiden Wade and his dad went to visit his sick grandmother in Ocean
Springs, Mississippi. It was the same
day as the funeral for Jeremiah Joseph “Jerry” O’Keefe III. O’Keefe was a former member of the
Mississippi House of Representatives and later the mayor of Biloxi,
Mississippi. During their conversation,
Kaiden’s grandmother mentioned that the funeral procession for Jerry O’Keefe, a
93 year old World War II veteran and decorated fighter pilot, would be passing
down their street on the way to the cemetery.
Even though Kaiden did not know O’Keefe, he went to the corner and stood
in the pouring rain to watch for the processional. As the horse-drawn hearse and cars
approached, Kaiden placed his hand over his heart and stood at attention for 30
minutes until the last car passed by.
O’Keefe’s family was so touched by the gesture that they asked to meet
Kaiden and share some of O’Keefe’s memorabilia with him.
Every day we have the opportunity
to honor those around us. Most
importantly, we have the privilege of honoring God with our words, thoughts,
actions, deeds, and attitude. When we do
that, others are blessed as well.
“Honor your father and your mother, so
that you may live long in the land the Lord your
God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12
Those
who sacrifice thank offerings honor
me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
Psalm 50:23
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your
crops;
Proverbs 3:9
Whoever
oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the
needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31
‘Honor your
father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 19:19
They
honored us in many ways; and
when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Acts 28:10
Be
devoted to one another in love. Honor
one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10
Give
to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then
revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor,
then honor.
Romans 13:7
You
were bought at a price. Therefore honor
God with your bodies.
I Corinthians 6:20
If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I Corinthians 12:26
Now
to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
I Timothy 1:17
These
have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than
gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is
revealed.
I Peter 1:7
They
have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner
that honors God.
3 John 1:6
“You
are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they
were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11
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