By Thurman Hayes

The video footage was absolutely captivating. In fact, when I came across it, I was so transfixed that I watched it several times.

I’m talking about the image of 95-year-old Sen. Bob Dole being helped from his wheelchair so that he could salute the casket of his old political foe, President George H.W. Bush.

I’ll never forget the night during the 1988 election campaign, when an angry Dole went after Bush on national television. Both men were running for the Republican nomination for president. Tom Brokaw of NBC had both men on camera at the same time, and asked both of them if there was something they would like to say to one another. A visibly angry Dole said to Bush, “Stop lying about my record.” It was a jarring encounter. If you’ve never seen it, look it up on YouTube.

But then do yourself a favor, and look at Dole saluting Bush’s casket. Even with help, it was a tremendous struggle for Dole to rise to his feet. Even when he did so, he had to be steadied by someone else. But he managed to raise his hand in salute to the former president, who had beaten him for the presidential nomination. Surely this embodies more of the American spirit than the ugliness and acrimony of our present-day politics.

Perhaps a uniting factor for both these old political warriors is that they also served as military warriors. Both Bush and Dole fought bravely in World War II. Dole lost the use of one of his arms, after being hit by German machine gun fire in Italy. Bush almost lost his life after being shot down by the Japanese, in the Pacific.

They were part of the Greatest Generation. In the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, millions of young Americans flooded the recruiting offices to give themselves to military service. My own father, who was born just a few weeks after Bush, was one of them. He saw naval action in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

There was something special about that generation of Americans. They had grown up during the Great Depression of the 1930s. But now they were facing the biggest test of all, the ruthless might and barbarism of Nazism and Japanese militarism.

They prevailed. They prevailed for all of us.

After giving his salute, his attendant helped Dole back into his wheelchair. As he sat there, one could see his eyes welling up with tears. Perhaps he was thinking of his old fellow veteran. Perhaps he was contemplating the fact that he will soon join him in eternity.

Those who remain from the Greatest Generation are dying in huge numbers each and every day. Most of them are gone. The question before us is, “What will this generation do?”

Americans are as divided as I can remember. We seem to be retreating into Red America and Blue America, into warring political tribes. I hope and pray we don’t need another World War to bring us back together.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the One who was called the “Prince of Peace,” let us put aside bitterness, be mindful of our own sins before those of anyone else, and thank God for his amazing gift of Jesus.

Dr. Thurman R. Hayes Jr. is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Suffolk. Follow him on Twitter at @ThurmanHayesJr.