What will keep America strong?
I love the nation in which I live and was born. I love America. From the rugged oceans of Northern California to the majestic mountains of Montana, from the Freedom Trail in Boston to the battlegrounds of the Civil War, from the Florida Keys to the plains of Iowa to the hill country of Texas. Small town football, inner city soccer camps, baseball little leagues…the Blues Festival in Chicago and the food of New Orleans…I love it all.
And I love the spirit of America, how we come together facing a crisis—our own or others. People stop to help a person in need, others show up to volunteer for months in a flood—we are a nation of neighbors. A generous nation.
This week the USA celebrates its founding. Fourth of July is a tremendous holiday to thank God for His sovereign blessing. This nation was founded on mutual respect, honor, brotherhood and the Word of God. The strength of America is not based on economic prowess or military might—the true strength of America is based on its generosity. Generosity is always the product of love, and love comes from men and women who are willing to follow truth. Truth isn’t a philosophy. Truth is a person—Jesus Christ. That Truth is the core that will keep America strong, and the rejection of that core will hasten its decline.
One of America’s founding heroes was the statesman Patrick Henry. He famously said:
“I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”
“It cannot be emphasized too often or too strongly that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."
“If moral precepts alone could have reformed mankind, the mission of the Son of God into all the world would have been unnecessary. The perfect morality of the Gospel rests upon the doctrine which, though often controverted has never been refuted: I mean the vicarious life and death of the Son of God."
"I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again."
May all Americans again commit to a love for all men. May all Americans continue the spirit of generosity to all peoples. All created equal by their Creator. No man having rights over another man. Truly brothers.
May we all hold fast to this scripture that was our theme last November at the Lions Roar Global Summit: “Honor all men, love the brotherhood, reverence God, respect the king” (1 Peter 2:17).
May God bless our brothers in every nation of the world, and may God bless America.
