“The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their grey hair.” (Proverbs 20:29) As I spoke at a church in North Carolina recently, I noticed a thin and elderly gentleman who did not miss a service. His face lit up as I shared about the Love of God in Christ. His name is Richard. One night he came up to me and wanted to talk. With a low voice and tear filled eyes he said, “Bro. Terry, your message about the love of God reminded me of the first sermon I heard 75 years ago at a little church in Tennessee. I felt young again.” I thanked him for all that he shared but never knew what was in store for me.
Later in the week, the pastor told me that a couple in the church wanted to take me out to dinner. We met at a restaurant and ordered our meal. It was the same elderly man, Richard, and his wife. As we talked, something came up about respecting the flag, and the present day climate of how many athletes refuse do so. Richard looked at me with steely blue eyes and said, I think all people should honor the flag. Upon inquiry, I learned that he was a veteran. He never pushed his experience upon me but it seemed there was more to this gentle giant than a firm respect for the flag.
I learned that Richard had worked at Andrews Air Force base when Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy were in the White House. He knew them personally and was one of the men in charge of overseeing the crew that prepared Air Force One for their travels. He spoke with endearment of both Presidents, though one was a Republican and the other was a Democrat. Their political party never came up. Richard was at Andrews Air Force base when President Kennedy’s body was flown back from Dallas. I asked him how it felt. He simply said, “I felt I had lost a friend!” as his eyes begin to fill with tears.
For a couple of hours I sat and listened to first hand stories of Richard and his presidential friends. I was in awe by the fact that I was spending time with a man who personally knew several presidents—and he respected all of them. Because of his service, he also respected the flag and remembered how it covered the casket of his personal friend, John F. Kennedy. After a long conversation, I shook his hand and thanked him for his service. Richard was entrusted with the safety of President Kennedy’s body, and disrespecting the flag was like standing on his friend’s casket.
More than ever I respect the flag and the men and women of the armed forces. If the younger generation would slow down, maybe they would learn about the special meaning of the flag and realize there are…Heroes Among Us!
