"Men chained together are brothers." (Roots)
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines family as “a group of people united by certain convictions”. A majority of us take pride in putting our hand to our hearts and proclaiming our loyalty to the UNITED States of America. We accept the shared responsibility of fighting to maintain the integrity of this nation, fully convinced our republic is worth protecting. That would make us family, inextricably linked as brothers in arms. No one in her right mind would stand by watching loved ones starve, be molested, wallow in ignorance, be unjustly hated, wither in the midst of plenty, be slaughtered one by one… The list of horrific crimes against humanity is obscenely long but you get the point.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9 NIV)
A true patriot would not condemn America to darkness. The first step is to seek The Lord by reading his Word. Emulate his tender compassion for all of humankind. See our extended family, with new eyes, to your left and your right. May the glorious revolution arising out of this radical change of attitude be televised.
The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. (Deuteronomy 28:13)
"The most important one,” answered Jesus, "is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
We are flawed humans, never really giving EVERYTHING. Still, we can start with acknowledging there is only one God. The next step is to pour our energy into making sure every action, thought, dream, and ambition is about helping anyone and everyone we meet. That is how one cares for neighbors. His grace allows these imperfect acts of kindness to be counted as perfect love.
As we reflect His goodness, we become the head. A good leader starts with his family and expands this influence until she can show the world the path to greatness. Americans and America will be at the top, not to lord over everyone, but to be an example of obtaining excellence through service to The Lord.
A wise woman or man will leave an inheritance for future generations. We can leave our children's children a nation that is strong, fruitful, and full of honorable citizens who are proud to be Americans.
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)
Other nations proudly say they are Muslim. Why can’t the US be an openly Christian nation? This nation would not stop being a democracy. God is all about free will. No citizen would lose the freedom to choose her or his own path. The separation of Church and State would remain. It would just be a matter of this nation saying we collectively follow the good example of Jesus who conducted all of His business with integrity, kindness, and wisdom.
Our great land needs a healing. The ills ailing this country are great: rampant violence and lawlessness, systemic racism and sexism, youth left to their own devices, corruption at all levels in government, frequent gun violence, acts of terrorism, breakdown of the family structure, lack of tolerance for those considered “different”… The list is long and painful. America must humble itself and admit it has lost its way.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking this will turn into the USA following an unforgiving god who is all about hellfire and brimstone. There cannot be finger pointing and talk of who is the bigger sinner because we all fall short in some way. It is about the one and only God, through Jesus’ example, being a perfect and loving leader. Our nation would thrive under such benign guidance.
Let’s try something different by praying to God for advice on how to conduct our national business with more wisdom. It is okay if you do want to participate, but keep your eyes open so that you can be witness to the great blessings which surely will come.
