Honoring Our First Responders

What were you doing when you first heard about the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon? It’s hard to believe but that was 18 years ago, and yet I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was a school superintendent at the time and spent the rest of the day with our high school students following the news on televisions in the school library.

We must never forget the courage of the “first responders.” While others fled from the burning infernos, the courageous men and women from police as well as fire and rescue did what they were trained to do. They placed duty ahead of personal safety and rushed into the flames to try and save others.

What better time to honor these American heroes than the 18th birthday of a day that changed America. The Bible is clear in telling us to “give honor where honor is due.” And in various parts of the Bible we are told specifically who we should honor. Appropriately, the list starts with a command to honor God for all he has done for us. But the Bible also reminds us that children are to honor their fathers and mothers; and all of us are to give honor to the elderly.

This past year our church took seriously the command to “give honor where honor is due” by singling out throughout the year some groups we felt deserved to be honored. They included:

• Mother’s Day: Honoring mothers

• Fathers’ Day: Honoring fathers

• Memorial Day: Honoring those who died defending our country

• Veteran’s Day: Honoring those who served in the military

• Independence Day: Honoring those currently serving in the military

• Sanctity of Life Day: Honoring the defenders of the unborn

The church will hold a special service Sunday, Sept. 8, at 9:30 a.m. to honor key first responders in Fallbrook. Receiving primary accolades will be the men and women of law enforcement as well as those of fire and rescue.

In addition, we will be acknowledging the staff and volunteers of the Fallbrook Food Pantry. They are the first responders in our community when people are hungry. As they like to say, “When you are hungry, nothing else matters.”

Many people will attend their own church that Sunday; however, if you are free that morning at 9:30 a.m., please join us for an hour as we “give honor to whom honor is due” by saying thank you from a grateful community.