Not even two weeks ago I rose with a crowd of people in a stadium, put my hand over my heart, and listened as the Star-Spangled Banner was sung loud and clear. In that moment the most delicious chills ran up and down my body. The baseball stadium was located in Baltimore where the song was originally written. It was a surreal moment.
I believe the reason though it impacted me so greatly was because I’d been walking around DC, my nation’s capitol, all week. I’d seen the monuments rising tall. It’s all quite thrilling. More than that though as the song was sung I thought about all the people who have died to keep our country free. Those brave men and women that fought for independence gave everything they had for the freedoms we enjoy today. It’s a humbling reality. Freedom isn’t free.
One of the things that I saw in a museum in DC was a map of the world showing the levels of freedom of speech in each country. Honestly it was shocking. Very few countries have the level of freedom the United States has. Freedom isn’t free my friends. People have fought for it and still do and hopefully will till the end of time.
There was an interactive wall at this same museum where anyone could write what they would give up to feel safe. Some of the answers scared me. Several people had said “everything.” People gave their lives so that we could could have the freedoms we enjoy so please think about that today my fellow citizens as you party and watch fireworks. Let’s not take our freedoms lightly. Freedom isn’t free.
“Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”
May we stay brave and free. Happy 4th of July my friends!
I honestly don’t believe freedom is found through wars and fighting at all, only through Christ. Our country is only 239 years old now. The American pride (and the way we treat the flag) honestly feels like idolatry whenever I see it (and it bothers me). I think I have such a hard time with it because my brothers and sisters in Christ are in every single nation and I have a love for them. God’s people are united not through a country or through any fight, but because Christ’s blood freed us from our slavery to sin. That is the only way to freedom. We harmed a LOAD of people which doesn’t seem Christlike who said to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and to turn the other cheek. I’d rather be killed than bow to our nation or put my hand on my heart to say a pledge. I’d rather show love to my enemy rather than point a gun at them. So today I hide out at home. No one invites us to their bbqs because they think Christianity and patriotism go hand in hand and we don’t and so they laugh at us and say we’re insane (or they stop talking to us, which has happened). :: sigh ::
Victoria, yes, ultimately true freedom is found in Christ. I don’t worship the United States, the flag, or the national anthem but I am thankful for the people that sacrificed so that I can openly talk about Jesus and the things that matter to me. Unfortunately we are not all freed from sin yet and so countries, people groups, etc. make massive mistakes. Even as Christians we still battle sin until eternity. As Christians our true home is in heaven and we are just passing through here but the scriptures themselves say to be a part of the nations we are divinely placed in. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7 ESV) Think of Daniel, a high up official of a very wicked culture, or Esther who was crowned queen of yet another worldly domain. Joseph is yet another person in the Bible who was second only to pharaoh in Egypt, another country who served other gods. Wanting the good of your country and being grateful for where God has placed you isn’t bowing the knee to it. I DO think we should show love to everyone around the world and I simultaneously think we should love the people and the place we are currently at. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. <3