The other night, at the urging of friends, my dear, sweet wife and I watched the film, "Act of Valor." The film was based on the work of Navy Seals and portrayed, in rather graphic detail, the life and death missions they carry out.
I cannot recommend the film. It is violent, realistically so. Lots of blood, lots of dead bodies. There were also several scenes of torture. The language was often crude and vulgar. While I enjoy a good suspense film, this was an uncomfortable, white-knuckle affair that, at times, was hard to watch.
Without giving the plot away, I felt that one of the overriding messages of the film was this, "Freedom is not free." These soldiers were continually sent into situation in which it was possible that none of them would come back home alive. Many of the men were married, with children or a child on the way. But not once did they flinch or ask out. They did their duty so that you and I might live in freedom.
In one scene, a grenade was tossed in a room in which a number of soldiers had gathered. One called out, "Grenade!" and dove on top of it. He was killed. The rest of the men were saved.
That kind of sacrifice never fails to capture our attention. We so admire those who are willing to give up their lives on behalf of others.
I couldn't help but think about the Lord Jesus. He, too, gave up His life so that the world might be saved. He didn't die just to save a few of His buddies. Jesus died for those who hated Him. He died for those who were jealous of Him. He died for those had no idea that they were in trouble - with God the Father. John 3:16 says it all: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...
Through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit enlightens us to see the sacrificial death of Jesus as something done so that we might be saved. Faith embraces Jesus and makes His promises of forgiveness and peace our very real and personal possessions. Every time I see a crucifix I think to myself, "He died for me."
And He did. Jesus died for me. He died for you. It was the greatest act of valor the world has ever known.
