Faulty Memories

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, Colossians 1:19

It’s funny (sort of) how our memories change. I remember being the absolute worst baseball player on my little league team. But I probably wasn’t all that bad.

I remember being the most stylish dude at my Senior Prom. But now I look at the picture of my long shaggy hair, wide lapels, loud cummerbund and goofy grin and I just laugh. And laugh. And laugh.

I remember being a hero when I probably wasn’t. I remember being a failure when I probably wasn’t. Our memories are untrustworthy, altered by time, and usually biased.

Memorial Day is a good holiday. It is a time to remember. At first, on Memorial Day we remembered those who had sacrificed their lives in the Armed Forces. In more recent years, we have added those who sacrificed in any public service. And even those who served, without loss of life.

All good things to remember. All good reasons to have a holiday.

But don’t forget… that memory is faulty. Whether it is over-rating a heroic family member… or ignoring the faults of those who have sacrificed… or focusing on only half of the story… our memory is faulty.

As we “remember” this weekend, let’s be grateful, nostalgic, and proud. But let’s also be accurate.

In fact, I think that being accurate in our memories honors the one remembered more. Glossing over faults doesn’t prove we loved Grandpa. Being truthful and complete shows we loved HIM. Purposefully forgetting the troubling times doesn’t make the happy times more memorable. In fact, remembering the troubles helps us appreciate the good.

And… setting up our ‘heroes’ as faultless belittles the One who IS faultless. Only one hero was perfect. Only one hero has NO bad side. Only one hero is impossible to over-rate. The Savior, Jesus Christ.