Two officers of the US Army folded a flag meticulously and captivated all who watched them perform their duty. Since it was a memorial service instead of a funeral with a casket, the flag detail (the officers conducting the ceremony), unfolded and then held the flag aloft. They then refolded it and presented it to his wife. This was to honor my father-in-law, a US Army Ranger, a God-follower, a husband and father, a patriot, a Steven Minister, a pool-shark, a golfer, a fisherman, a horse farmer, a brother, and a friend.

The precision with which each fold was executed was impressive. There were two lengthwise folds, bringing the flag to a quarter of its width. Then a perfect corner-to-side triangle fold starting with the all-stripe end of the flag was followed by 12 more folds. Each fold looked intentional and exact. There was hand-ironing and attention to detail even as they tucked the final edge of the flag into itself and spun the starry triangle to press all 3 edges. The coordinated salutes, the playing of Taps, the respectful silence where a pin drop would have sounded like the clang of a cymbal, lent an air of pride and respect to the heavenly send-off for Robert L Manley, Jr.. Perfection.

In speaking with military personnel who had conducted such a ceremony before, I learned it was well done, but not perfect. Nothing took away from the beauty, meaning, or honor intended, however, to knowledgeable eyes, tiny elements were seen that weren’t exact. Where the human element is involved, no matter the appearance, perfection is elusive.

If humans lived perfectly, there would be no need for a Savior. We would have a self-earned ticket to heaven to be with Jesus. Alas, there is “none righteous, no not one.” (Romans 3:10) Even if someone lives in such a way that appears perfect, there is no such thing. We are born with a propensity for sin, called a “sin nature”, and no matter how disciplined we are, “We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Because of our shortfall, if left to our own devices, we would not be allowed in heaven. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Wahooo!! Jesus provided, and is, the contingency plan for us to get to heaven! “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He didn’t die for us because we deserve it, He did it because He loves us. He would rather die than live without us! So He offers us this undeserved gift, His grace that pays for our sins. But like any gift, it must be accepted for it to belong to us.  We must surrender to Jesus as not only our Savior but also submit to Him as our Lord: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved [from the punishment of your sins]. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)

I have heard people say, “I’m a good person, so I’m sure I’m going to heaven…I mean, I’ve never killed anyone!” We can look as polished on the outside as the wonderful soldiers who performed the flag ceremony, but the discerning eye of Jesus knows our every offense, and He paid the difference.

Some say, “You don’t know what I’ve done. I could never be forgiven for my sins.” “EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

The motivation of the flag detail was to honor my father-in-law’s service to our nation. Mission accomplished. Jesus’s motivation was to redeem us from sin’s penalty. Mission accomplished. To honor Jesus for His service to us, accept the gift. Make Him both Savior and Lord.