My wife and Abraham Lincoln share a birthday… she would want me to point out same day, different year. Being born and raised in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, added to her affinity for the President. In conjunction with her birthday, my wife and I usually do something related to Lincoln on or about Feb 12th. Many times we’ve decided to watch a movie and perhaps our favorite is Spielberg's take on Lincoln’s push for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to forevermore end slavery in the US. To us, this birthday tradition demonstrates the value of intentionally remembering people and events, or in some cases learning about them, that have helped shape our present and upon reflection can often inspire us now.
This year I’m recalling an inspirational moment from a 1939 movie titled Young Mr. Lincoln, set years before Lincoln’s political career transformed him into our nation's 16th president.
The scene: immediately after a dramatic courtroom victory, he was in the hallway just outside the courtroom about to turn to the door on the left, retiring to familiar quiet and solitude. Then the door on the right opened and a voice beckoned him to go that way because “the crowd’s waiting." It was decision time for this young attorney. To the left, he had a sort of comfortable peace and a promise of the status quo. To the right, he had challenges that required energy and commitment, but also a hope for a brighter future. After a brief hesitation, as if to assure himself of the decision he was about to make, he turned right.
It was Lincoln's pause in the hallway that captured my attention. To me, it represented a moment of self-awareness before an awesome choice of doing nothing or doing something - of being a spectator or getting involved - of behaving indifferently or making a difference. Sometimes, that's a choice which comes at great personal sacrifice. Sometimes, it's a choice which costs very little other than some time and effort. The choice has played out so many times throughout history, and it is a choice which plays out so very often today and every day. These defining moments are inspiring; they should be remembered.
Take time to remember the family members, churches, teachers, military, public servants, medical professionals, mentors, and other everyday heroes who rose to hero status simply because they cared and wanted to make a difference for all the right reasons. It doesn’t matter the result, whether world history making or seemingly unnoticed. What matters is that they made a choice to take the next right step and by example encouraged others to do the same. Sure, accomplishments can be forgotten by future generations and certainly our goal should not be for self-indulgent glory, but the mark we can leave on the people in our lives is not something to be taken lightly. Goodness, admirable character, and intentionality to make a positive impact are worthy goals for all of us to leave behind.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Let us personally resolve to not let our own moments pass by as wasted opportunities. It doesn’t matter how large or how small the situation; what matters is how we act. It matters that we do act. We must use our talents and experience. Get involved. Make a difference. Do the work. People are not only waiting for us, they need us to inspire, to bring new hope and a promise of a better future.
Friends, make the decision. Choose the door on the right.
"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in…” – Abraham Lincoln, 1865
- Ken Yunevich, Associate Dean of Online and Graduate Studies, York University