Make America Great?
Although Donald Trump is credited with the phrase Make America Great Again (MAGA), it didn’t originate with him. It was Ronald Reagan, another populist political outsider, who first coined the phrase in a slightly more inclusive form: Let's Make America Great Again!
Slogans like these naturally resonate, because we all have an inner craving for greatness. We want to feel that our lives matter and count for something. We see this desire in Jesus’ disciples, when they asked Him, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1)
In response Jesus explained that in God's eyes greatness is an attitude that manifests itself, not in winning, success or promotion; but in humility, serving, and self-sacrifice. (Matt. 18:4; 23:11; Luke 9:48; 22:26; Philippians 2:3) In fact, the only time Jesus ever called someone great, was when they showed great faith in Him, (Matthew 8:10; 15:28) In contrast, He frequently upbraided the 12 for their “little faith.”
Of course, this presents us with an important question: How do we define “great” when we speak about America and ourselves? Economic prosperity? Military power? Geo-political dominance? Cultural influence? America has achieved all of that and more. So, what is the secret of America’s greatness, past, present & future?
To begin with, if we are honest, we are not the smartest, best educated or most disciplined people on the planet. In fact, we somewhat “glory” in our ordinariness. So what does set the US and its citizens apart from every other nation? The answer is found in why half the worlds population what to move to the US? It's FREEDOM!
Yet what most don't understand is that the foundation of American freedom was not just the freedom to do whatever one wants. The Foundation of American freedom is religious freedom. When our Founding Fathers set out to enumerate our inalienable rights, freedom of religion was on the top of their list, making it central to the first and foremost Amendment of the Constitution: The 1st Amendment.
The US was the first, and still is among the few nations to codify religious freedom, and actively and intentionally support and promote it. Granted, the UN’s in its Universal Articles of Human Rights waxes long about freedom, equality, justice, liberty, etc., but it makes only a vague reference to religious freedom: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion…”
Sadly, this is the view of the current US regime. Rather than following the 1st Amendment protections of freedom to worship in the manner and place of our choosing, and to speak openly and publicly as a primary freedom; they embrace the UN’s vague view, that people may privately believe whatever they want, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the interests of the state. In short, the governments interests trump personal freedoms; especially when religious speech is euphemistically referred to as misinformation & hate speech.
In 1835, 186 years ago, two English ministers traveled to the newly founded United States of America. When they returned to England they wrote about their experience. The most memorable statement, in the long-ago forgotten book, was the following observation: “America will be great if America is good. If not, her greatness will vanish away like a morning cloud.” What made America? It’s faith in the God of the Bible, that teaches the primary responsibility of men is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourself. When government begins to regulate “how” we love God, it becomes the enemy of truth & freedom, and must be resisted.