The Apostle Paul states in First Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.” So, as we are in this extra-special summer of the 250th Anniversary of our United States of America, I find myself thinking of this Bible verse in relation to where we are at in the overall life cycle of our exceptional democratic republic. For I am convinced that the basic process of maturation also applies to entire nations, not just to individual persons.
Generally speaking, when we were little children, we viewed our parents through an almost entirely positive lens. They could do nothing wrong in our eyes. Later, when we became adolescents and young adults, we tended to view our parents through an almost entirely negative lens. They could do virtually nothing right in our teenage and young adult eyes. And periodically during adolescence, teenagers will slip in and out of a childlike orientation toward their parents as they grow. However, if we had a loving and faithful set of parents, we then matured to realize in our full adulthood (usually around 25-30 years of age) that our parents are basically good and decent people (despite their various imperfections), and that they actually know a thing or two regarding the most important matters of life.
In a similar way, our United States of America has been in its adolescent phase of development for decades now as our national life has been marked by a great deal of adolescent-like angst about our national history, heritage and identity. So, while some Americans maintain a childish view of the USA as virtually doing no wrong in the world, there are many Americans who view the USA through an almost entirely negative adolescent lens.
Of course, the truth is that there’s no such thing as a perfect nation. All nations have negative aspects to their histories and present realities. Yes, our United States of America is not perfect, but our history and heritage are not a horrible travesty either. As my longtime colleague and friend, Pastor Jeff Spencer, recently wrote: “There is much to lament in American history, to be sure, but there is so much more to be grateful for.”
I would argue that the USA has been (by far) and continues to be (by far) a great blessing within our world. Therefore, it is indeed right and salutary that we should have a healthy sense of patriotism for everything that is good and laudable about our national founding, history, heritage and identity. While acknowledging the bad historical aspects, and learning lessons from these without falling into a kind of national self-loathing, we can make sure to uplift and give thanks for the great many good aspects of our nation. Moreover, it’s these numerous good aspects of our nation that our national symbols point toward and represent, particularly the US Flag. So, as we celebrate a quarter millennium of nationhood, I believe it is important to be mindful of the fact that our national inheritance is truly a great good overall — although we have at times failed to live up to our highest ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers.
I call this perspective a mature patriotism, and it is my hope and prayer that our country is heading out of our time of national adolescence into a time of national maturity concerning our founding, history, heritage and identity. While the far right and the far left of our sociopolitical spectrum both continue to agitate for a national culture of envy, victimhood and grievance that’s based upon false histories and conspiracies, I pray for a spirit of national wisdom and maturity to win the day.
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord…” – (Psalm 33:11-12a)
Happy Birthday America! God bless the USA! All glory be to the Lord God Almighty!
Grace & Peace, Pastor Tim