Even as a teen, it troubled me to see that our nation was
becoming a republic that no longer wanted to be “under God.” We tried to
distance ourselves from these two words (and the God they represent), which
were etched into our identity as a nation.
The recent events splashed into media are just a snapshot of
an attitude spreading across this country, which I believe is another important
casualty to our identity as a nation: We are now looking at our brothers as
“us” and “them”.
Growing up as a child in the United States, you no doubt
recited the Pledge of Allegiance before even learning what those words meant.
In light of all that is going on across our country, one word has been
absolutely haunting me: INDIVISIBLE. Undividable. Inseparable. United.
As the Bible says in Mark 3:25, “If a house is divided
against itself, that house cannot stand.” (New International Version). Abraham
Lincoln referred to this idea as well, when he said, “A house divided against
itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half
slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not
expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will
become all one thing or all the other.” Lincoln, and countless others, lived
and died with the mission of closing every divide that would keep us from
unity.
In my humble opinion, it will not take a World War, ISIS or
any other terrorist attack to bring down our great nation. It is an inside job.
As we pull threads from the fabric of our identity, the tapestry of our flag
and all it stands for is slowly coming unraveled. But that doesn’t seem to be
enough…even as this post is read, flags are being stomped on. By Americans. We
are the wrecking crew storming unity with sledgehammers…therefore, we have
become our own worst enemy.
So, what is the remedy? Is there any hope of restoring the
values that once were, before there is no longer any freedom or justice to be
found?
I believe the remedy stems back to the first in a series of
pivotal dismissals our country has made: Being “One nation under God”. For
those that do not have a relationship with God, I want to share one small truth
with huge implications: We are ALL selfish, broken sinners in need of Jesus. No
race, education level, religion, job, status or criminal record makes someone more
or less valuable than another. The labels that we stick on others and ourselves
don’t change the fact that we are all at fault. We all do things that hurt
others and warrant the need for forgiveness. But to hide our own sins, we try
to redirect the spotlight to someone else’s side of the problem.
One thing I know about God is that he loves ALL people. He
created us in his image and wants relationship with us. Even after all the
messed up ways our country has gotten to where it is today, the common ground
of our depravity and the freedom that has been given to each of us should unite
us.
Our very flag stands for freedom. An idea that is
beautifully defended by the lyric, “If tomorrow all the thing were gone, I’d
worked for all my life…and I had to start again, which just my family by my
side; I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today. Cause the flag still
stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away” (God Bless the USA).
The song is right. “They” can’t take that away from us.
However, we can choose to continue to live in slavery. Slavery is much deeper than
one nation controlling another, or one man controlling another. We may have
gained “independence”, but we can continue to be slaves to our own fear,
unforgiveness, division, addictions, selfishness, pride, sin…the list goes on.
The bible says in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened
again by a yoke of slavery” (NIV). Christ has bought us out of slavery. He has
sacrificed himself for our freedom. And I am proud to say I am a recipient of
that grace. I am a beneficiary of that freedom. And YOU are a beneficiary of
that freedom.
Countless men and women have sacrificed for our freedom as a
country. Not only do we have our independence as a nation, but we have personal
freedoms granted to us that others in the world only dream about. And I am
proud to say I am a recipient of that grace. I am a beneficiary of that freedom.
And YOU are a beneficiary of that freedom.
So, I ask you: What are you doing with that freedom? How are you using your freedom of speech? How
are you using your right to bear arms? How are you using your right to
assemble?
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But
do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly
in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other,
watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:13-15, NIV).
I want to end with one simple thought and challenge:
God, the God our nation was once founded on, is pro-you. He
is pro-me. He is pro-black, and he is pro-police…because he is pro-PEOPLE. What if we as a nation put down the
sledgehammers? What if we stopped bulldozing the values we were found upon?
What if we stopped devouring and destroying one another?
My remedy: Want justice, but administer that justice in love. In light
of your freedom, extend grace. In a world of hate, be pro-people.
