As we celebrate the 240th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and as we consider from what beginnings we came, what aspirations as a nation we had and have, and as we wind down a bitter season of campaigning for our next leader, I was struck by the parallel our nation has to the main character in Jesus' parable of the rich fool.
So what were the roots of that man's misguided thinking that resulted in his untimely (from his perspective) death? Using a bit of historical literary license, not rewriting history but imagining how his history might have evolved, I will try to give you a synopsis of his life:
He was born into a family with some means--in the era in which Jesus lived, it is unlikely that he was from lowly beginnings if he became a wealthy land owner and producer of large crops. He was gifted with the intelligence to conduct life in a productive manner and the resources to make a temporal, cultural success out of his life. More than likely he had parents who gave him the education that was befitting of his social class and the practical training that allowed him to become an independent land owner and farmer. From the quality of the productivity that led to his illusion of success it is apparent that he was blessed with adequate rain to grow his crops and the resources to collect and store them.
So, where did he go wrong? He could not control the circumstances of his birth. If he was born into privilege, it was not of his doing. He apparently used the advantages of his life to good effect when viewed from the standpoint of productivity, probably laboring long hours in overseeing the production of his crops. There is no indication in the parable that he misused his position to harm others or to dishonor his parents or family. His is not a story of a prodigal unrepentant. His is more the story of the elder brother, the one who stayed home and worked for Dad, who built his own business empire and was reaping the rewards of it. Again, where did he go wrong in Jesus' eyes?
He looked upon himself as the source of his blessing, failing to acknowledge and be grateful for the blessings that were bestowed upon him in the form of family, intellectual ability, business acumen, and the natural blessings that God gave him in the form of seeds that grew, soil that was fertile, and rain caused the crops to grow. The implication in the parable is that the rich fool ignored the underpinnings of his history and gloried in the gifts he was given without acknowledging the Giver. His rejoicing was over temporal circumstances and self-centered. He took no delight in nor made any effort to honor the Source of all of his success. Had he done that would his efforts and success have been diminished? No, they would have been placed in the perspective that all meaningful temporal success is placed--an eternal one of gratitude to the Creator who made it all possible, from the raw resources to the labor involved to the finished product.
How does this have anything to do with our nation? We as a nation have lost sight of the historical perspective of how we became a great nation. We have allowed the Founding Fathers to be treated as short-sighted men who could not possibly have envisioned the circumstances of today, and we discount the profound wisdom they wrote into our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We have failed to emphasize learning factual history as one of the most important means of planning for the future. We have allowed popular, reactive opinion to create tidal waves of cultural change with no idea of what the consequences will be for the structure of our society.
As a nation we take credit for "greatness" without any thought of the guiding of divine providence that even our non-Christian Founding Fathers acknowledged. Like the rich fool, we are prosperous but blind, reveling in our wealth while ignoring its temporal nature, not willing to study the steps to our success in a manner that leads to humility, gratitude, surrender, seeking of divine guidance, obedience, and trust in God.
We are a foolish nation, powerful in resources as was the rich fool. We are an ungrateful nation, steeped in self-congratulatory praise as was the rich fool. We are a nation lacking in true humility, taking credit as a people for what God has provided, as did the rich fool.
Things did not turn out well for the rich fool. Things will not turn out well for us unless as a nation we:
Humble ourselves; ask for God's blessing and guidance; obey Him; trust Him above all else.
Educate our young and provide them with a deep appreciation for the history of our beginnings, the struggles of our growth, the mistakes that required national repentance, and a recognition for a long-term perspective on all decisions of significance.
Teach our children that purpose in life is more important that privilege; that serving should be the ultimate goal of every person; that possessions and wealth are instruments of the Creation given by God to serve and glorify Him and to help our fellow man.
Protect the rights of minorities to live under umbrella of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution; we never know when we will be the minority.
Return to a rule of law that governs with compassion but firmness; that recognizes that government exists to provide man with the freedom to succeed or fail, but does not exist to take from us the very purpose of living.
Lord Jesus, help us to not be, as a nation, as the rich fool. Help us to return to the humility that led to an ordered government that valued liberty over state but that led to heroic self-sacrifice for the good of others. Take not the life of our nation from us, but help us awaken to our folly and repent. Amen.
