Saving America

America is like a chaotic high school with students, teachers, and administrators fighting from within. Destruction is inevitable if it can't be saved. How can it be saved?

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Welcome to Points to Ponder with Saint Pierre. I am Saint Pierre. And barely, verily, I say to you that America is like a chaotic high school with students and teachers and administrators all at war with each other. How can America be saved? Let us ponder this for a few. Today, America is like this elaborate high school with beautiful architecture planted in the middle of a picturesque landscape. Its sports teams are all-star winners. Its creative arts department is the most influential and award-winning ever. On the outside, all looks great, but internally chaos is boiling over. The walls are laced with offensive graffiti, the plumbing is all backed up, and the water is not safe to drink. Students are fighting each other over rights and privileges, who deserves the best seats, and who should even be allowed into the school. Most of them have no reading comprehension or critical thinking skills. Teachers are fighting each other over what should be taught and which students get the most attention, and the principal is an absent-minded, convicted felon and pedophile. The perceived luxury of the school eludes lunacy. But all is not lost. There is a way that this school, that America, can be saved. This salvation is found in the hearts of those who know better and do better. In 2 Chronicles 7 fourteen it reads, If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. The people referred to in this passage are people of faith, those who believe and trust in God. To see their land healed, they are encouraged to do three things humble themselves, seek and pray, and turn from their wicked ways. These are really instructions to get real change. Now, firstly, it says humble themselves. What does that even mean? When people think of humility, they think of lowliness of mind or dimming one's light. They think it means weakness or self-deprecation, but that's incorrect. True humility is about equality. It recognizes that every person on this planet is equally valuable, equally significant, and equally human. It means that there should be no need to puff or inflate their own statue, nor should they diminish or devalue the statue of someone else. A rich man is no better than a poor man. The billionaire sleeping soundly in his high-rise apartment is no more worthy of love and acceptance than the homeless addict sleeping under the bridge downtown. Humility understands that each person is literally one decision away from becoming the other. Furthermore, the responsibility to humble themselves is upon the individual. A personal shift in mindset can and often does lead to a change in the heart. If we all see our neighbor as our equal, if we all see the human in each other, then we are more compassionate and understanding in our hearts towards one another. Every American should do a heart check and humble themselves. Quit puffing up and putting down. Humility knows who you are without the labels. You were human before you were ever deemed American. Next, the scripture says to pray and seek God's face. There's so much to unpack with that line, but let's keep it on point. Prayer is simply a conversation with God. It is nothing mystical or stuffy or fluffy. Prayer is talking to God about what you're feeling, what's happening, and how to best play your part in affecting change. America would be a better place if Americans simply practiced prayer. Now many might advocate for forced prayer in schools and other public events, but what good is forced prayer when people are not even praying at home? If Americans prayed at home, there would be no need for school prayer. True conversations with God in prayer result in downloads that lead to fulfilled lives in peaceful communities. When was the last time you asked God to heal what hurts your neighbor down the street that you don't like? Have you ever prayed for those seeking asylum from violent countries to find rest and safety? Probably not. That's why America is lamenting. Now, if prayer is a conversation with God, then seeking is looking for him to show up. When we seek God's face, we look for evidence of him, where his heart is, what has his attention. And there's a scripture for this. Psalm 34, 18 states, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. God is more favorable and present to the brokenhearted child who has been abused than to the wealthy preacher who wants another jet plane. God is compassionate towards an immigrant fleeing persecution. His face is upon those rejected and marginalized. God faces the suffering so he can do something about it. Americans turn their backs to the suffering, ignoring it or casting blame until there is praying and seeking. The lament continues. Wickedness is an epidemic in America. People are allergic to goodness. Corruption, immorality, and habitual evil are prevalent. Intent is what makes wickedness wicked. It is done on purpose. In America, greed is on purpose. The racism is on purpose. Every negative post and comment and meme and reply, all intentional. Acts of hate, discrimination, police brutality, racial profiling, sexual assaults, so on and so forth. The perpetrators made a conscious choice to do such things. Now in our high school example, every action by the students, the teachers, and administration to be hateful and harmful to one another is wickedness on full display. Where wickedness goes unchecked, people suffer and die. So when the scripture says, turn from your wicked ways, it means people have a responsibility to do so. Turning from it means putting an end to it. You can't just turn from it. You must also turn to something else. In this case, if Americans turn from wickedness, they should turn to goodness and morality. Facts and truth would matter again. The value of life would be priceless again. Turning would be easy if you already humbled yourself, prayed, and sought the face of God. Turn, turn, I say. Everyone at United States of America High School has a responsibility to humble themselves, seek and pray, and turn from their wicked ways. Until then unrest, civil discord, and ultimate destruction will prevail. Let that not be us. We should grow up. The students should go back to learning, pursuing their dreams, and building for their future. Teachers should go back to honoring their positions by providing quality services and education for all. And the principal needs Jesus. We can do better. We can be better. Father, we humble ourselves and pray to you for your compassion and love to fill our hearts. We recognize our own wickedness and need for your forgiveness. Help us to see others as you see them. Help us to be attentive to their brokenness and suffering. May we never intentionally cause them harm again. Forgive our sin, heal our land. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. For music, encouragement, and more of the points to ponder podcast, visit www.pierrewilliams.com. Thanks for listening. Keep pondering. This is Saint Pierre.