I Stand!

I stand. And I will continue to stand. My nation is not perfect, but many have given their lives in order that we might continue…

To form a more perfect union…

That continuing struggle can and should be carried on in a civil and thoughtful manner. But much to our shame, our culture seems to have lost the ability for critical thinking and civil discourse. And that is especially true when that discourse is disagreement.

If you want the image, feel free to grab it here. I’ll add some more dimensions for other platforms if you care to use them. Just come back here to find the updated versions of this post.

I can’t change what someone else will do. I can say what I will do. And that brings me to some other thoughts in this somewhat unusual post.
Error succeeds when truth is silent. It doesn’t matter to me if you want to use these images or not. The point is, do something. Say something. I fear it’s more important than we may realize.
Our constitution gives us the right for discussion and dissent. We can address injustice and error. However, our method should not be those things which demean others or tears them apart. More importantly, we should not allow the nation to be torn apart in the process. And the more I read, listen, and observe, tearing the nation apart is the real agenda of some. So we need to speak up boldly, thoughtfully, and respectfully. There are more of us than there are of them. We need to make ourselves known.

I Stand At Church

There is actually a lesson for the body of faith in current events (a big one). We have no law that demands our national discourse be civil and respectful. But there is such a mandate for Christians. We are to conduct ourselves in the body of Christ (the Church) by:

• Preferring one another
• Praying for one another
• Serving one another
• Loving one another

And you can probably add to that list. But here’s the reality and the problem. When there have been disagreements in the Church, we have differed with one another in ways that make us look just like our society. Instead of being different from the world, we have acted just like them!

Maybe we should say I Stand not only for the flag and national civility but also for the principles Christians are given to live by. Adhering to these inside the Church would very likely help us be better citizens outside the Church!

Soli Deo Gloria!

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