Yesterday was the 4th of July, a day Americans celebrate with food, fireworks and other things. Every year I find myself feeling out of place, and out of sync with most of those around me who proclaim their pride in America. That doesn’t surprise me. You see, I’m not a proud American.
Before you put me on your “Detested Persons List”, I should say I am grateful for many things about this country. It has afforded me opportunity and relative freedom. It is beautiful. It has many benefits provided by our taxes—and unlike many proud Americans around me, I never complain about paying those taxes.
So, why am I not a proud American?
First, those of us who belong to the Lord have been warned about the “pride” part. The Bible says God is opposed to the proud. But I can hear the objection from Christian Americans: “Isn’t it a good thing to be proud of your country?”
No. Unless there is a caveat in the scripture that says “…except when you’re proud of being an American”.
This isn’t a figure of speech, or a suggestion. It’s a statement of where we stand with God when we adopt pride.
So, being a “proud” American, for a Christian, is just a bad idea.
But it doesn’t stop there. Those of us who belong to the Lord need to answer a simple question about identity. Are we Americans who are Christian, or Christians who live in America? I have found I have to be a Christian. My American citizenship is nice, but its primary value should be for how it can benefit my real country–the Kingdom of God.
The Bible also says that those of us who belong to the Lord are strangers in a strange land. We don’t belong here. Our citizenship is in heaven.
Also not a figure of speech.
We can debate the implications of this, but however we apply it, we have to take it seriously. I grew up in an environment where many claimed to be Christian, but were Americans—their allegiance was first and foremost to this country, and they obeyed the Lord if—and only if—doing so didn’t conflict with their American identity.
Some would say this isn’t a problem. I’m making too much of this. Christians in America surely can rest easy. Our allegiance to our earthly country won’t conflict with our allegiance to God. But history is full of examples where people believed that. And reading that history we shake our heads wondering how they couldn’t see the problem.
If our faith is real, we have to be vigilant. Not against worldly enemies or political powers or policies. But against our own tendency to equate “good” with “us”, and to be proud that we’re Americans.
