My patriotism flows from the deep places where God’s
questions continue to challenge the actions and choices of all nations,
including ours; because even our own great nation is not free from greed,
deception, and selfishness. I know this
because I have seen the same demons rise from the depths of my own being. It is a patriotism that forces me to look
beyond campaign slogans and promises to ask if the “widow, the orphan, and the
sojourner” are being cared for, and if justice and mercy are becoming the
inseparable partners in God’s intended shalom; a patriotism that will not allow
me to shirk the same questions with regard to my own life’s practice.
My patriotism is not of the flag-waving variety, and yet the
sight of a color guard in parade dress brings tears to my eyes. I am constantly reminded of the price that
has been paid by former generations of soldiers, and the cost to the current
generation and its families. It demands
that I be able to distinguish between supporting soldiers and condoning
war. The former is a duty that must not
be abandoned, no matter how I feel about the latter. My prayers for soldiers do not neutralize my
prayers for peace or vice versa. My
patriotism cannot count human life as acceptable collateral damage. It grieves for every human life that is ground
into the grave by the cogs of war’s machinery.
My patriotism believes that true freedom will exist only
when questions can be asked without fear, and the conversation is open to all,
regardless of their opinions. It holds
that truth is best discerned when all the laundry is on the line, and all the
players are invited to the table. It
knows that there is a fine line between maintaining national security and
protecting vested interest, and those public officials who walk this tightrope
are in need of our prayers, as well as our calls for accountability.
My patriotism, like the faith from which it grows, will not
accept the words individual or private as modifiers. It is a communal creature which values the
thoughts, prayers, and conversation of others.
This is my patriotism. I would
love to hear about yours.
© 2012 Todd Jenkins
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