July 4th is just a couple of days away. In this year, 2020, insurgents are threatening to disrupt public celebrations of our Independence Day with violence and destruction of property, claiming an end to America as we know it. It comes on the heals of months of sequestering of our people by authorities in response to a pandemic. History will judge whether their actions were positive or negative for our overall health. I expect it will lean toward the latter.
Many are moaning and wringing their hands about how this current craziness will be the end of America. Some say, “Our grandchildren will never know the America we knew but will live in a near 3rd world socialist state.” Maybe they will. God is still in control. But why the handwringing and what are we imagining is bringing America to destruction?
Many point to the growing number of liberal politicians who are no longer wearing American flag pins and are screaming about the crimes of our white generations against not all of the millions of immigrant cultures to our nation, only to the African-American, or as some require for political correctness, Blacks. Honestly, in all my 63 years, I have never seen a black man or woman. I have seen some very dark brown ones and all of those who are called white, have you ever really seen a white person who is not Albino, that is, missing the color pigmentation in their skin? We all have color pigmentation and it is all on a spectrum of browns so it is time to put away even the children’s Jesus song about how He loves His little children, red and yellow, black and white…. If you see any red children running around or yellow ones for that matter, be sure and let someone in the health services know because that cannot be healthy! We are all precious in God’s sight, all of us matter, every shade of brown. But I digress, why are we thinking suddenly America is coming to an end? I bet this is not the first time in our history we thought the same thing!
When the British burned our Capitol and the White House in 1812, Americans must have said, “This is it! This is the end of the American experiment!”
When the South seceded from the Union and Civil War broke out across our nation. Brother against brother, the hatred ran rampant! Many must have said, “This is it! This is the end of the American experiment!”
When World War I erupted and the world was tossed into a melee such as has never been known to the world some must have said, “This is it! This is the end of the world as we know it!”
When the Great Depression brought soup kitchens and bread lines, Dust Bowls and starvation, record unemployment and a list of social welfare programs second only to Communist Russia, someone must have said, “This is it! This is the end of the world as we know it!”
The Civil Rights battles in the 60’s and 70’s in America with riots in every major city, the Vietnam war protests, a President assassinated, a Senator running for president assassinated, a Civil Rights leader assassinated, and the military quelling riots on college campuses, someone must have said, “This is it! This is the end of the world as we know it!”
This is just a brief sketch of some of the things the American experiment has endured. In three days, there is supposed to be a major confrontation on the fields of Gettysburg. It won’t be the first time that has happened. The first time too, it was Americans versus Americans. We need to remember President Lincoln’s words on the occasion of remembering the first battles there.
“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated… (referring to a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”) …can long endure. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Did you catch the President’s words? He saw coming from the hate and carnage of the Civil War, a new birth of freedom! He was either the greatest optimist who ever lived, and based on the story of his life, I don’t think that is the case, or he saw with a depth few men can see. He saw past the moment, past the darkness to a time of light and rebirth. Maybe we should catch a little of Lincoln’s hope and vision for the future!
As Americans in 2020, we must fight for the cause of liberty and freedom which is America and is part of what makes her great. If we do not fight, if we knuckle under like Germany in the 1930’s when Hitler used identical tactics to those of the Left and Antifa today, then all who have given their last full measure of devotion have died in vain. (Does anyone else find it odd that ‘Antifa’ supposedly anti-fascist are using the same tactics as Hitler’s Brown Shirts?)
Here is something we must understand to prevent any further ‘oh woe is us’ mentality. Today, I was told that a well-known and (in some circles) respected NFL veteran said that Colin Kaepernick is as much a patriot as Pat Tilman. Obviously, that is not only untrue it is disparaging to Pat Tilman’s memory, his service, and his family; but the important point is… Who cares what Bret Farve says? He is just a former football player. His opinion is no better than mine or yours or anyone else’s. Just because he says it, doesn’t make it true. The only thing it does is show Farve’s lack of understanding of patriotism. A quote I read, “If you have never been handed a folded American flag, you can never understand its meaning.” (That does NOT count for the flag Pelosi gave to the family of convicted felon and child abuser George Floyd.)
We are inundated with 24-hour news that makes anything and everything seem like it is of the direst importance. Hollywood rich and noted people from sports or politics make a statement and it seems to rock some people’s worlds. They are one human being who has made a statement. YOUR opinion matters just as much, maybe MORE than theirs! You honor America when you stand-up for YOUR belief in her. It matters not what someone else thinks! The vast majority of AMERICAS believe in AMERICA! I believe that! If you do not think so… imagine this… even with the dent in recruiting due to Covid, statistics indicate that ANNUALLY just about 200,000 young Americans COMPLETE military basic training. That does not count the large number of those who volunteer to join but do not make the grade. It also does not count the thousands that come through ROTC programs and the U.S. military academies. This is just young men and women who VOLUNTARILY choose to take an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic! If you have not witnessed a graduation exercise from military basic training, you need to do so. It will reignite your faith in America! If you added up all those who have rioted, protested, and broken the law in the name of anarchy, you wouldn’t be anywhere near just one year’s number of total recruits. I venture to guess you would not even come close to the 68,000 plus who enlist specifically into the U.S. Army each year!
Individual citizens are key ingredients to making America great. Never forget YOU COUNT. Your opinion counts. Every time you do something to help another, it COUNTS! This is America, neighbors helping neighbors. Local cops and firefighters who attend church with their neighbors and go out at night to keep evil away are what makes AMERICA GREAT!
The single most important, and in the final result, the ONE thing that can make and keep America great is God’s grace toward us as a nation. The Bible tells us that God raises up nations and tears them down. We must, as a nation, turn our hearts toward Him and seek His grace. Those who try to strike God from our government should, themselves be stricken from our government. America is One Nation Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. Those are not just words; they are a commitment, a Pledge of Allegiance. One this author takes seriously.
Doc Riggs' Ministry Minute 