U.S. vs Them

I have had the privilege of being in our nation's capital this past week and it has been a true humbling experience to say the least. In town for a national recognition of one of our schools, there was some down time each day that provided us with opportunities to sightsee the monuments and legislative homes to our governmental leaders. I had visited Washington before as a school group chaperone and as a parent of small children, but honestly, this was the first trip in which I could stand at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial and really take in the magnitude of what stood before me. Walking the length of the Vietnam Memorial to see the countless names of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice brought a tear to my eye. To feel the magnitude of our country's role in preserving peace at the World War II Memorial lead me to walk a little taller and speak a little bit humbler. We walked the halls of the United States House of Representatives, the same halls that democrats and republicans alike have strolled together discussing and at times, I am sure, arguing topics of national security and plans on how to keep this great experiment thriving for all Americans. Young or old, man or woman, darker complexion or lighter hue, this country is known worldwide as the land of the free, and the home of the brave! Our differences make this country unique, but the common threads that bring us all together are the red, white, and blue threads that when sewn together create a symbol that represents all of the United States of America, or the acronym U.S.A, or even more commonly known as the U.S. My question today is when did our American flag become a symbol or US vs Them instead of it representing U.S. the United (all of US) States of America?

Before I go any further, I want to ensure our readers that this is not intended to be a political statement, but instead a plea for Americans, ALL Americans, to pause and reflect on what our country stands for and who it stands for each and every morning as Old Glory is hoisted to its deserved position on flag poles around our great nation. 

The United States of America is woven together through the diversity of a geographic quilt that provides purple mountain majesties to might oceans along our continental boundaries. Deserts and tropics, icebergs and grain fields, plus more climate regions than I can count on my ten fingers! The beauty of our country's landscape is its diversity and uniqueness. Some will claim that the plains of our Midwest are the best part of our country, while others are certain the mountains and valleys of East Tennessee are truly God's chosen country, (GO VOLS!). Regardless of my own personal bias, as my travels have taken me across this country's beautiful landscape, the pride and awe I experience, provide me with an ever growing respect for this land I love, and that same diversity unites US and has created a country that is the envy of the world. 

Just as this country is a portrait of geographic diversity, our subcultures within this great country harkens the U.S. to be a beacon of light that illuminates the dark shadows of hate, fear, and division. America the greatest nation in the history of this world is known as a vast sea of US's woven together in a bond of unity by the very differences that have somehow become a rallying cry for it is "US vs Them". But who is this enemy that soldiers up on either end of the spectrum of our ideological belief system? 

To me it feels as if our county, has fallen into a pit of quicksand, slowly encroaching, ever engulfing US into a spiteful sense of liberality versus a homage to conservatism. Or US vs Them. I don't have the answer to this dilemma, but I do know who holds the answer to all of life's situations and circumstances, his name is Jesus and He holds the answers on how we should move back to a country that stands as US. It would have been really easy for Jesus to have created a world where the lines were distinctly drawn between the US's and the Them's. The Roman Empire was very similar to the plight of our country today with a broad spectrum of beliefs and lifestyles that would have been hard for Jesus to accept let alone tolerate, but guess what He did? Jesus did not want us to be judges or juries, but instead He wanted US to be a light of love, compassion, mercy, and grace just as He and His Father had shown those same qualities to those who persecuted and eventually condemned Jesus to death on the cross. Jesus did not condemn those that were different, instead He encouraged and demonstrated love for all regardless of the color of their skin, the religion that they had followed, or even the lifestyle they had chosen. Did Jesus agree with all lifestyle choices? Absolutely not, but He did not create an US vs Them mentality either. What Jesus did demonstrate was compassion for those He saw that were hurting. Jesus shared empathy for those that He met who were living in sin or whose life had been impacted by choices or circumstances out of their control. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28.

So, what is our calling today? If our differences are what make us who we are, then what are we to do as a country that has such differing opinions on the spectrum of who is right and who is wrong? I believe we look to the words of Jesus, and from there we roll up our sleeves and get to work. "When he saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the His harvest field." Matthew 9:36-38. The United States of America has been referred to as the "Great Melting Pot" because of our unique make-up of this country's heritage. In such a conglomerate of peoples coming together it is certain that we will encounter differing viewpoints and beliefs from our own. I believe God is calling US to be His light and His laborers in the field. I pray that God will use me in whatever way I can to expand His kingdom, will you join me in becoming the true country of US? 

Coach Carter