UnPatriotic

To be honest with you, I really wanted to name this post, "I Hate America." I don't know that I actually hate America as much as I have been extremely discouraged by the way that we are heading.  Plus, that would just been a ploy to get more people to read, which is not my intent.

This whole thought came about a few months ago when my wife mentioned putting a flag on our house. I told her I would never do that. I didn't really care for the cheesy season ones and I sure as heck didn't want an American flag hanging on my house.

Yes, I know I live in America, but I was not proud to be an American. It may just be that I am uneducated on the subject (and I welcome the education), but when I look at our past, I can respect those that fought for our freedom, or did something with their lives, who worked towards a goal. I see people who lived their lives ethically, loved people, cared for people. People lived in community, took care of each other, helped each other out. War was fought to stand up for what was right. People would lay their lives down for one another...they would sacrifice for one another.

Now, I see people who are so full of greed they do whatever they can to take a dollar from another person. People isolate themselves and pretend as if they don't need community. They push people away. Soldiers are being trained to be killing machines where they see no man on the other side of the line as having value and being taught that the best place to be in war is on the front line for no other reason than to kill. Sure I know there are still good people, but I see satan taking ground all over the place.

This is what I saw before last night.

As I was reading last night I began to look at all the failures of the Israelites. They had God in front of them for so long. He showed Himself to them in so many ways and yet...they became just as corrupt. God sent His SON to them and they rejected Him. They were constantly coming up with new idols to serve, just as so many of us do.

Yet...there were prophets, rabbis, teachers, leaders, and disciples who were Israelites and didn't complain about it. Sure they had a heart for the people and were saddened and sometimes outraged with how people were acting and refusing to see the light, but they lived where God had placed them.

As I see that and begin to look at other countries of the world, what nations are there that haven't fallen into satan's snares.

The more I look at it from that perspective, the more I see things differently. I can't say that I am to a point where I am proud to be an American, but I can say that I am proud to be a follower of Christ and privileged to have the opportunity to be in an area of the world where there are so many fields that able to be worked....even if the soil isn't ready.



Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV