Of course, this holiday began as a celebration of George Washington’s Birthday, which is actually February 22. It was eventually moved to the third Monday of February in order to also include Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is February 12, and conveniently create a consistent, long weekend.

The character and courage of these men is a wonderful example to all of us today. Many of the crises facing our nation today would never have arisen if our people in general simply had more personal character and morality. Imagine what would have happened if either of these men had been opportunists, seeking only to increase their own power and wealth. If Washington and Lincoln had no more character than many of our political and private sector leaders have today, the United States of America would not exist.

Suppose everyone in America decided to be honest. What would happen? What if every citizen was committed to standing for what they believed was right, instead of what would benefit them personally? What if everyone simply told the truth? How much different would our country be?

May God give us more people of character and courage!