By Lee Roy Anderson
If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do? Psalm 11:3. President Theodore Roosevelt warned, Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth and sincerity the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, safety-first instead of duty- first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life. Someone else has said “…like a rotten piece of cloth, America’s cultural fabric has quietly wasted away in the last half-century.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Whatever your response the fact remains there is a constant need for national watchfulness in the spheres of the law, the economy, industry, political leadership, public and private morality, education, religion and family life.
Civilization easily declines without unifying moral values. The Psalmist David asked this same question in Psalm 11:3. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Too often we miss this relevant point, societies disintegrate when the foundations of the culture upon which they were built crumble.
Talk without action can be destructive. If we make a promise we must be committed to following through with it. Actions speak louder than words. Human existence requires moral boundaries and foundational values. Here are three major factors for a healthy national life. First, God must be the reference point for human life. God as revealed within the Bible and the church’s historical purpose has been the core foundation of America’s history.
Second, human life is given as a stewardship gift from God to be invested by loving God, others and one’s self. It is sacred. We are to practice self- restraint in its care. It is to be respected as a part of nation’s history.
Third our national freedom is based upon family life. We are created to live within the social nature of family life. Self-discipline, corporation, self-respect and a since of belonging are developed within family relationships. Through worship and service in our churches there is a caring and community expression evidenced in our national family life. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Romans 14:34.
Christian family life and the church’s loving community with God as our reference point provide the nucleus for a lasting civilization. Let’s rebuild our crumbling foundations. Remember the promise of truth in our land has attracted many, many people. However, when we turn from the truth, the promise offered is just a lie. When we wrap ourselves in God’s truth we shine brightly a beacon for the world to see. There is much in our world that is not fair. However, we must be willing to pay the price for making our points. Many people will complain about injustice, but they won’t risk anything to see changes made. They are unwilling to sacrifice anything in order to take a stand.
