Redeeming Values
A month ago, when I was getting a haircut, I mentioned to my barber that my wife and I had recently streamed 3 seasons of a popular TV series which had aired on one of the cable TV networks.
I asked her if she had watched it and she politely informed me she had started watching the series but stopped because none of the characters in the drama had any “redeeming value.”
Recently, I reflected on those conversations and started thinking about Harry Miles. Adopted by a family after his birth parents were killed in an automobile accident, Harry’s first experience with redeeming value occurred while a teenager when he learned a valuable lesson from his adoptive father, Morris.
Whenever Harry had faced a crisis in his teenage years, Morris had always advised Harry to “do the right thing.” Once when fourteen years old, Harry had shoplifted a Compact Disc (CD) from a store, he reacted differently than Harry had expected. When Morris found the CD and realized what Harry had done, he had not screamed or yelled at Harry. He sat Harry down and told him if Harry kept the CD, nothing would be done. He told Harry it was always important for Harry to make a choice. He pointed out to Harry.
Morris said, “The choice you make about this will determine how you will live his life after this. You’re going to have to be the one to decide what the right thing is and then decide if you want to ‘do the right thing.’ Neither Flo nor I can watch over you.”
Morris then told Harry early in his marriage, he had a problem with drinking.
Morris continued, “I had already cut down my drinking considerably, but there still were times I would drink heavily. When Flo and I were faced with the opportunity to adopt you and your sister, if we were to have any success with raising you and your sister, I realized the drinking would have to stop completely. I cleaned myself up and now the strongest thing I drink is a double expresso. It wasn’t easy, mind you, but I felt it was the right thing to do. Sometimes what you choose as the right thing to do is not easy, but once you make it a habit, it gets easier. I know Phil Blankenship who runs the store. He’s not going to miss the profit you caused him to lose by taking the CD but think about this. If more people did what you did, it might build up to such an amount, it could really hurt his business. Besides, how would you feel of someone took something of yours.”
After Harry had enlisted in the air force, he earned a chance to attend the Air force Academy Prep School for a year and then Harry attended the Air Force Academy for four years. During these five years, Air Force Academy embedded its Honor Code in Harry’s consciousness.
“We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does.”
It is safe to say Harry had a code to live by – even after his choice to “do the right thing” after flying a daring mission over Iraq, his subsequent trails put his values to the test.
Did Harry make the grade. I think it’s up to the readers of my story, “Redemption” to find out.
If I have peaked your interest, I would invite you to find out.
If God grants me the time and ability to finish the Harry Miles series, many times in the future, Harry will be put to the test to “do the right thing.” What will he do?
What do you think?