OPINION:
Amongst the euphoria and rhetoric of our post-election insights, it’s clear the heartbeat of our country remains deeply divided. The media reports that “few elections in the nation’s history have provided such a divide as this year’s,” with many believing that the outcome “will determine the fate of the country and whether it can hold on to its Democratic moorings.”
This is reflected in a September 2024 Gallup poll which showed a record-high 80% of Americans saying our country is divided on our most important values, with national pride, trust in government, and confidence in U.S. institutions near record lows.
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Here’s the problem: America has lost its soul.
What we’re witnessing today has been coming for decades and is far too complex to be resolved in the halls of government or by a presidential election. Our society has fallen victim to the corruption of everything we believe in, and everything that made America that “shining city upon the hill.” Ronald Reagan’s inaugural address also rings true: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
And we’ve been here before.
In June of 1787, the framers of our Constitution were at odds and ready to give up. James Madison called it a “Period of Gloom.” That’s when Benjamin Franklin stepped in to remind his colleagues of their need for divine intervention, and he called for a return to prayer at the start of each day’s deliberations. Peace was restored and the Constitution was signed.
Despite most of our Founding Fathers being Christians, their mission was not to turn everyone into Christians. Their goal was to turn everyone into Americans. Following the signing, Benjamin Franklin was asked if we have a Democracy or a Republic. He reportedly replied, “A Republic if you can keep it,” understanding the fragility of what they had just created.
John Adams expressed these thoughts more succinctly in 1798 when he said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.” In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Adams also wrote, “Without religion, the world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean Hell,” which expressed his belief that religion is essential for maintaining morality and order, and without it, the world would be such a bad place it can’t even be described in polite conversation.
Sadly, that sounds a lot like today.
In 1802, on his first day in office, President Jefferson received a letter from the Danbury Baptist Association imploring him to protect the church from government intervention. In his famous “Separation of Church and State” response, he was adamant – and abundantly clear – that the church was protected from the tyranny of government. This is why our Founding Fathers fled England: to escape the government’s control of the church.
However, those who oppose God have succeeded in twisting Jefferson’s words to mean the exact opposite: government must be protected from some supposed tyranny of the church. This is the lie that has silenced the church; it’s why most pastors are afraid to speak up, even when candidates and issues are in opposition to the word of God. Had our Founding Fathers followed this, the United States would have never been established. Today, the salt (the Church) has lost its saltiness and is being trodden under the foot of man.
With that as our backdrop, what’s the answer? How do we return to a nation of shared values, respect, and prosperity?
It’s time for Christians to model Franklin and remind everyone that we need divine intervention, that we must live out the most basic and divine truths of the Bible: Love God and Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves.
The 1960’s Burt Bacharach song, “What the World Needs Now” (is love, sweet love) has never been more appropriate. Everyone’s starving for love. Most of the chaos in America is being sown by those who feel unloved.
As it happens, God is love – and His Great Commission is for us to share His love continuously, even in the worst of circumstances. While we must stand up against issues and candidates that oppose God, if even to our own peril, we must never lose sight of moving everyone, every day closer to Jesus. Changing our society is really that simple.
Notice, God didn’t say to preach to others, or quote scripture to them, or judge or condemn anyone, or only love on those you naturally like. He said to love everyone no matter how unlovable they might be. Yes, even the person with the opposite political beliefs.
The unchurched know our world is out of control. They would like to believe there’s a God who can end the chaos. They are looking for someone to tell them about God. We could ignite America instantly if we wanted to.
However, it has been said that the opposite of love is apathy. Without question, it’s the apathy of the church that has allowed those who oppose God to prosper. The problem is us. Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” We need to do something, and that something is to share God’s love.
While it’s tough for one person to change the world, know that each of us can change our own world, one person at a time. Love God and Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves. Replace the division with the heartbeat of God’s eternal love. That is our mandate.
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Barry Meguiar is a businessman who grew his family car wax company into a global brand by viewing his business as his pulpit for telling people about Jesus. He’s an author, speaker, podcaster, TV host, and founder of Ignite Ministries.
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