Back in the mid-1980s, our family took a road trip through Arkansas and Missouri. The two things I remember about the trip to Branson were the long lines of vehicles attempting to get through town, and the quality of the evening entertainment.
At the end of the first night’s performance, someone sang Lee Greenwood’s song: “God Bless the USA.” Who knows, it may have been Greenwood himself? I don’t remember.
What I do remember is the response of the crowd. It was almost as though a switch had been flipped and a current of patriotic energy and enthusiasm captivated the hearts of everyone present. The sense of patriotism was contagious. Long before the song ended, everyone was standing. It was an electrifying evening.
I guess you could say Greenwood’s song carried a double punch. It is also a song with two names. It is known both as “God Bless the USA” and “Proud To Be An American”. Perhaps the two concepts go hand-in-hand.
I suspect that you, like me, long to experience that kind of collective spirit among the people of our nation again. We live in a day where discord and hostility is found in almost every dimension of our lives.
Many operate on the notion, if your opinion differs from mine, or mine differs from yours, we are at odd purposes. The mantra of our day is simply: “If you disagree with me, you’re wrong.”
To make matters worse, we’ve come to hold the mindset that since you are wrong, we can no longer be friends. I am both saddened and perplexed at how easily long term meaningful relationships render themselves shattered and forever broken.
I guess you can say that: “Hate dresses well to please the buyer.” Because of disagreement, people walk away from family and friends who previously were important in their lives. I’m not making the stuff up – it happens. I’ve seen it even in churches. The message is clear: “I want nothing more to do with you.”
In today’s environment, we no longer live as free men. We’ve become imprisoned in a sense of indignation and we’ve allowed anger and resentment to become the defining characteristics of our lives. Consequently, we live without a sense of freedom.
It is true not only of non-Christians, but it is often true and most noticeable for those who claim to have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Somehow we’ve allowed ourselves to be blinded to the things of God. Let me rephrase that. I want to ensure that you connect the dots and understand what I’m attempting to communicate. In today’s culture, often the “family of God” – the church, allows ourselves to be blinded to the things of God.
How often do we opt-out of turning the other cheek or walking the second mile, or loving the unlovely? We are simply not going to do that as though it were up to us.
Turning the other cheek, walking the second mile, loving the unlovely may not be the kind of Christianity that we want. Yet in reality, that kind of Christianity is the only kind of Christianity that actually exists. Mull that over and give it some thought:
If loving others is too much of a stretch for us under the auspices of God’s leadership, we need to carefully evaluate who we are really following.
It is not my intent to ruffle your feathers, but we can’t live with a total disregard for anyone other than ourselves and find that it reflects God’s love.
The freedom that God intends for our lives has nothing to do with self-righteousness, or being judgmental. It has more to do with meeting others at the point of need with the love of Christ.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” [Matthew 9:36 ESV]
All My Best!
Don
Carpe Diem 