The America You'll Die In

The America you'll die in is not the America you were born in.

Is that a true statement? Has there been a 70-year span at any time in America's history that did not show dramatic change? One thing is sure: change is a given.

Those who lament the current state of the union simply aren't happy with the way things are today. They prefer something they've experienced that they like better. For some Americans that is a time years ago. For other Americans that is a time weeks ago. But things change. That is a given.

Consider a person's level of patriotism or commitment to the country. And also consider a person's level of Christian commitment. The intersection of the two spheres is not the same for each person. I know people who think the two are virtually the same. They say that to be Christian is to be American and vice versa.

I also know a few people that have no intersection of the two realities. They see themselves as Americans but not Christian at all. Still others see themselves as faithful to Christ but are not committed to the country.

Most people I know are somewhere in the middle. Their patriotism and their Christian faith intersect, at least a little.

But everyone will die in an America they were not born in. Change is a given.

I think - from a Christian perspective - we ought to be focused on the Gospel mission no matter our position of patriotism. The country you love may change - it will change. But Jesus Christ will never change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Though the country will change, Jesus will not.

Are political, social, and economic positions unimportant? Not necessarily but our position on salvation and Christlikeness is of ultimate importance.

Christians, we are to be more concerned with a person's abode after his death that the political climate of his earthly home. Read that sentence again… Not concerned only with heaven but concerned more with heaven and still concerned with this life.

Rather than an intersection of the spheres of our lives, perhaps the right way to see it is for a Christian's faith to stretch over and into all other areas of our lives.

I read an article a few years ago that pointed out the grammatical difference of saying, "I am an American Christian" and "I am a Christian American." The significance of using the word Christian as an adjective (the second example) is that it influences our position as an American. Otherwise, being an American influences our Christianity and only Christ and his word should do that.

So you are an American. Be a Christian American.

You are a parent. Be a Christian parent.

You are a business owner. Be a Christian business owner.

You are a friend. Be a Christian friend.

You are a ___________. Be a Christian ___________.

Let your faith in Christ influence and impact everything else that you are.