We’ve all heard the phrase “American exceptionalism.” But what does it mean anymore?
Our nation feels a long way from exceptional in 2022. Once a bastion of liberty and virtue with a reverence for our Creator, we’ve drifted toward contradictory ideals of governmental overreach, wokeness, and acceptance of radical beliefs to the exclusion of our precious history as a Christian nation. Our children and grandchildren are growing up in a vastly different America than we grew up in.
A lot of damage has certainly been done, especially in the last two years under this administration. Our southern border is wide open for anyone to come in unvetted, our enemies are wreaking havoc all over the globe, and our own fragile economy is teetering on the brink. How did we get here? Slowly and insidiously. It didn’t start with Drag Queen story time for small children or Democrat-run cities being plagued with epidemic proportions of violence and drug abuse. It started with letting down our guards. It started when we, as a nation, moved away from the biblical principles that America was founded upon.
It is easy to feel disheartened when we see what has become of our country. Instead of a shining city on a hill, our infrastructure is aging, and our streets are filled with citizens who are homeless, struggling with drug addiction, and the mentally ill while illegal aliens enjoy food and shelter. Instead of globally competitive, functional schools, we have boys in the girls’ locker rooms and kindergartners exposed to inappropriate sexual discussions. Instead of celebrating life as our Lord instructed us, babies are destroyed in the womb.
Because of this, many have given up hope of ever returning to the foundational principles of faith, family and freedom that made our country so exceptional in the first place.
I disagree.
I still believe that exceptionalism lies between us when we come together.
But we must be willing to fight for it.
So what exactly is this exceptionalism we are fighting to restore?
I believe the key ingredient boils down to one thing, summed up perfectly by a quote attributed to renowned French philosopher and author, Alexis de Tocqueville:
“Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
It’s simple. America’s exceptionalism, its “goodness,” was only possible because it was founded upon the solid rock of God, and the values found in His Word. The first amendment freedom of religious liberty helps preserve America’s goodness — by proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ from the pulpit and through the freedom of religious expression in the public square. I still believe there are tens of millions of God-fearing patriots willing to stand up and fight for those values. I see it every day when young people stand up for life. I see it when churches perform community outreach. I see it when we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And I believe with God’s mercy, if we can mobilize God-fearing patriots to get out and vote this November, we can restore America’s exceptionalism.
And considering America’s incredible prosperity, it’s clear that this faith-based foundation benefitted all Americans — a fact even those with no faith once recognized.
But today’s cultural radicals do not believe in this America. Instead, they view our heritage — that exceptionalism — as an obstacle. It stands in the way of their vision to remake America as a woke, secular wasteland. But parents are seeing what is happening and are flipping school boards in many states. And this is where it begins. We must have faith that small changes can make monumental differences — that God desires to bless and restore us if we repent, live His Word, and don’t stand idly by while our Christian foundation is replaced with communism, globalism, and other agendas set forth by evil individuals.
“The Lord on my side; I will not fear; what can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6) While we await the day we are in our eternal home, we must be faithful to be salt and light in this ever-darkening world, remembering that we will give an account for our actions. We must pray and do everything we can to keep and multiply the candidates who believe only God can save us. He put each and every one of us on this Earth at this time for a reason.
That is why it is urgent to restore our commitment to America’s exceptionalism by voting on November 8 for candidates who will uphold the biblical values that once made our nation exceptional and can do so again.