I read somewhere
that a French sociologist came to America in 1831 on a quest to discover the
secret of US greatness, (even then) He is reputed to have written that he
researched her wondrous universities, hospitals, agricultural and industrial
achievements and work ethic. He also spent time considering the beauty and
richness of her lands and natural endowments. This sociologist was impressed by
all of America ’s
attitudes, ethics, educational institutions and creative energies.
He came to the
conclusion that the thing that showed the secret of her increases and blessings
most intensively, was the thundering power and impact of her preachers and the
flaming righteousness of her churches. He is believed to have said that his
ultimate finding was this: He realized that the key to her vast success and
achievements in world shaking prominence was not in her educational
opportunities, commerce, agriculture, creativity, energy, work ethic or brilliance.
He is claimed to
have said, "America is
great is because America is
good, if America
ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great!"
Fast forward
now---Here we are, midway through the second decade of the 21st Century and
most thinking, questioning scholars have reached the conclusion that America’s
world image is somewhat tarnished at best. Her colossal moral impact and greatness
and exceptional economic power have been eroded and compromised.
Even more
significantly, America
has lost lots of her moral clarity and foundational Biblical values to a large
degree. The USA always
represented (particularly since Britain ’s
decline after WW2) a nation that strongly stood for Judeo/Christian morals and
values. This furnished her with a deep bedrock foundation that has guided her
through many storms, economic, military and otherwise. Many believe it was her
Christian (and Judeo) foundations that caused her exaltation to amazing world
dominance in the 20th century.
There was a point
in the late 1950s and early 1960s that America had less than 5% of the world
population yet had over 95% of the world’s wealth. In those days America was
largely self sufficient and did not really need imports or exports, to thrive
as a gigantic economic and military colossus.
Everything was made
here, and sold here and there was a mega economy, independent of what the rest
of the world did.
The economy boomed, the middle class flourished and thrived,
as in no other nation in history.
Sadly, times have changed;
there has been a seismic shift in American values, morals and foundational Spiritual
compass. America
once stood tall as showing True North Spiritual morality to the rest of the
world. It is no accident that she and her President have been called the leader
of the Free World. America
stood for political freedom, economic freedom, Spiritual freedom and Moral
freedom. (Amazing that the world’s favorite comic book superhero was Superman,
who stood for Truth, Justice and the American
Way )
Today, many are
saying that America is not
the America
it once was and consequently she is not as blessed as she once was. Poor national decisions at every level have been
made, also millions of individuals are doing their own thing and getting bogged
in swamp lands far from the mainstream of time honored Truth. Multitudes believe
she needs to embrace her former Rock Solid Spiritual Values and Ethics so she
can again rise to greatness. It is interesting that over 10% of the Chinese population
are now passionate evangelical Christians and many business and professional leaders
are Christian. It is said that even the communist hierarchy, recognize the
economic and social positives that Christians bring to China .
Yes, America still
loves her flag, the Stars and Stripes, or Old Glory. But we must realize it is
not the flag that makes the people great, it is the people that made the flag
great. I saw one man with at least 4 or 5 flags flying from his car, as if this
was what made him a patriot. If we want the flag to mean what it once meant, we
must return and become the people again that made that flag, the amazing symbol
of freedom that it is.
Remember though,
the symbol of freedom is not what brings true freedom, it is through the
substance, spirit, belief system and lifestyle of people that Freedom prevails,
not the flag. You could put a 2015 BMW emblem on a 1962 Volkswagen beetle and
it would not change what the car is. The emblems of a luxury car mean nothing. It is the cars true manufacturing and engineering standards and track record that
matter; Emblems don’t make the car, the car must dictate the emblems symbolic quality
and performance.
Somebody once said
you could probably do plastic surgery on a mules ears and deck him out in
racing colors and he may look like a race horse but when he races against true
racing thoroughbreds, his performance will expose he is a mule.
How true, we must
become the kind of people that will make our nation great, wherever we live on
the globe.
"Righteousness
exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."--Proverbs 14:34
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