Ask a number of people what we celebrate on July 4th, and many will surely mention FREEDOM or LIBERTY.
Rightly so.
They’ll likely agree with Rev. Robert J. McCracken (1904-1973) who wrote:
We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. –Rev. Robert J. McCracken (1904-1973
But, we need to remember, with FREEDOM comes responsibility.
Freedom is like a coin. It has the word privilege on one side and responsibility on the other. It does not have privilege on both sides. There are too many today who want everything involved in privilege but refuse to accept anything that approaches the sense of responsibility. –Joseph R. Sizoo (1884-1966), pastor and professor at George Washington University.
And former chaplain for the U. S. Senate, Peter Marshall, (1902-1949) would have us understand:
Even though Christianity is not as prevalent in our society as it once was, most Americans have a sense of what’s right, naming these qualities as important to them: respect, trustworthiness, kindness, integrity, and fairness [1].
Would some be surprised to know all of those qualities are set forth in the New Testament? In fact, since the founding of our nation in 1776, FAITH in God and respect for his commandments has provided a strong foundation for our nation’s ideals.
The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.
—Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States
Imagine a country where most people couldn’t be trusted, kindness was rare, and hardly anyone treated others with integrity and fairness. Such circumstances would severely limit “the pursuit of happiness,” and the opportunity for prosperiety.
Now consider America, where most of us (!) show respect to others most of the time. We can be trusted to stop at red lights, for example, and stay on the right side of the road. (If you’ve visited a third-world country, you’ve likely witnessed disrespectful driving.)
In America, it’s not unusual for strangers to kindly help someone in trouble. And we’re still among the most generous nations in the world [2], with our time and resources.
Volunteers help with clean-up after a tornado
In America, most of us pay our taxes, because it’s the right thing to do. And in America, most jury-members seek fair decisions in the cases they hear.
Yes, America has its flaws and problems, but she’s still a great place to live. Just ask the enthusiastic Europeans visiting here for the World Cup!
America is worthy of our PATRITOSIM.
Patriotism is not about blind loyalty, but about recognizing the greatness and potential of your country.
–Charlie Kirk
As for the flaws and problems, it’s been asserted that Christianity is part of the solution to our difficulties—by a man well-known for his wisdom and discernment:
As Lincoln walked the streets of Richmond (the capital of the Confederacy) shortly after it was captured by Union troops, a slave ran to meet him and fell to his knees before the president.
“Don’t kneel to me,” Lincoln responded. “Kneel to God only, and thank Him for the liberty you will enjoy hereafter” [3].
We’d do well to do the same, and to pray for God’s holy protection of our nation.
“Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just;
And this be our motto: In God is our trust.”
(Francis Scott Key, from the fourth verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner”)
[1] https://news.gallup.com/poll/691964/family-top-value-americans.aspx_, April 2025.
[2] https://johnsoncitypress.com/news/73107/americans-are-the-most-generous-people-on-earth/
[3] https://www.deseret.com/2015/5/4/20563998/lincoln-saved-a-nation-but-deflected-credit-to-a-greater-power/
Image credits: http://www.printerval.com (Letitia Grasshopper); http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.picryl.com (George Armstrong); http://www.pickpik.com.
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