Whenever December 7th rolls around, I stop and think about how much the world changed on that date. On that morning, our country was at peace and doing all that it could to stay out of the evergrowing World War. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of countless lives. Thousands were killed in that attack alone and thousands of Americans would die for our country in the following four years. One family lost all three of their sons on the USS Arizona as it sunk to the bottom of the Pacific.
If you ask someone who was alive about the attack on Pearl Harbor, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Moreover, they will likely explain the flood of emotions that were created by this horrific news. Veterans of WWII will pause to remember what happened on this day. Others may do more to remind as many as possible the significance of this date.
But what I realized today is that with each and every new generation, dates like December 7th are remembered less and less. Part of the reason for this is that new dates - like September 11th - replace older ones since personal experience plays a huge role in our memory. The risk for future generations, however, is that the lessons learned and sense of appreciation for who we are as a country can and will be lost if a date like December 7th becomes just another event in a history book.
I know that as a parent, I must do all that I can to remind my son and daughter of the importance of these dates. Even more, it's paramount that I impart the spiritual knowledge and understanding that surrounds these world changing events and, more importantly, the events and people found in scripture. I desparately want my children to grasp the lessons learned from dates like December 7th and with it the relevant truth found in the Bible.
All of this reminds me of a passage found in Psalm 78.
"I will teach you hidden lessons from our past -
stories we have heard and known
stories our ancestors handed down to us
We will not hide these truths from our grandchildren
we will tell the next generation about the glories deeds of the Lord
about his power and his mighty deeds."
Let us not hide the truths from our kids and grandkids. We must pass them on. So, tonight, my son will learn about "the date which will live in infamy."
