In my previous life, when I was not yet a citizen of this country that gave me opportunities, recognized my talents, forgave my shortcomings, and helped me grow, I struggled with the concept of patriotism. I looked around at my patriotic counterparts and wondered what made them so proud of the country I was born in. Google defines patriotism as “the feeling of love, devotion, and pride in one’s country, accompanied by a sense of loyalty and a willingness to support its well-being, citizens, and core principles.”
When I looked around, I did not have pride in my fellow countrymen. They were self-absorbed, resource-hungry, and self-serving. The gods they served did not roll up their sleeves and work in the trenches with them. They did not love, so it was hard for them to love their fellow countrymen. I was not aligned with the country’s core principles either. And as our one true God would have it, I had the good fortune of moving to the land of the free and home of the brave. But even then, my feelings of love, devotion, and pride were not sparked until I surrendered to the Hound of Heaven. Francis Thompson’s poem of the same name describes God’s relentless pursuit of a soul that keeps running. I was that soul.
“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind.”
-Francis Thomson, The Hound of Heaven (1890)
He pursued me. Funny thing is, I was looking to fill that God-sized hole in my heart and was searching for Him, yet running from Him at the same time. And the moment I stopped running and surrendered, something shifted. Love found a home in me and with it came something I had never expected: patriotism. Not the kind that needs flaunting, but the kind that is deep and honest, a completeness about my existence that was until then missing. Rooted in love, the kind that will not change with time. I am proud to be American and will be proud until my dying day.
What I love most about this country is that it was founded by men of faith and on Christian principles. That is why it may be hard for those outside the faith to love it as deeply. There is a foundation here that makes sense and does not need elaboration. It is subliminal and yet obvious to those who stop to take notice. Why is she so beautiful? Because she was made to love the Lord and to be loved by Him.
The point I am trying to make is that a framework is necessary to build a good community. To illustrate, let me share my experience mentoring young professionals in my field. When they come from a faith background, I do not have to explain why work ethic matters. They already know who they are ultimately answering to. I had the misfortune of working with an acquaintance who falsified his resume and then wanted my help landing a job. The fact that I had to explain to him why that was unethical boggled my mind. He did not have the framework of answering to God in every aspect of his life, and it showed. Needless to say, it took me three times as long to get him up to speed on the fundamentals of ethical behavior. My fear is that unless he surrenders to the power of Jesus, no amount of coaching on my part will help him grow in that area.
In a country rooted in Christianity, we do not need a governing body to tell us to be kind or generous. Jesus expects us to be both.
“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
-2 Corinthians 9:6-7
In a country rooted in Christianity, the honor system is innate because there is a natural fear of God and the knowledge that He watches everything.
“For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps.”
– Job 34:21
Now, it is easy for me to feel love, devotion, and pride in America, accompanied by a sense of loyalty and a willingness to support her well-being, her citizens, and her core principles. It feels like practice for Heaven. Because in the end, we as Christians are ultimately citizens of Heaven, citizenship purchased by the precious blood of Christ. God bless you and God bless America!
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 3:20
Dear God,
Thank You for creating a beautiful world for us. Thank You for fellow Christians. Bless them and keep them safe until we see You in Heaven. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.