I don’t know what goes through your mind when you consider Independence Day, but it means so much more than just our nation’s birthday. Can you close your eyes and imagine what it would be like to live under a repressive dictator like Saddam Hussein or a ruthless warrior like Sun Tsu? Would you ever experience real fulfillment if you knew you had no hope of ever being anything but what you were told you had to be?
Each of you grew up the same way I did — with parents who encouraged you to “reach for the stars,” to “be all you could be,” and were willing to push you toward the desires God placed in your heart. Our nation is not just a physical place to live; it is a mindset. Our Christian forefathers propagated the concept of the freedom to choose, in the same way God did when He created mankind. Those who followed our founders encouraged free enterprise helping to establish an infrastructure so each of you would have access to the tools and education necessary to realize our dreams. And, many gave their lives for your freedom to openly disagree with your leaders. Nowhere else can this happen the way it happens here. We as a nation are limited only by our attitudes. We may not be able to change our circumstances but we have the freedom to change our attitudes at any time, and according to virtually every survey I have been exposed to, that is 90% of success.
Some of you have been wise and grasped opportunities to travel to other nations. While you were there you saw what one rarely sees in America’s inner cities — starvation, poverty, and hopelessness and in some cases a total disregard for the value of a human life. Our incarcerated criminals live better than most of the world. Neither I, nor did any of you who traveled, came home the same. Regardless of whether it was Africa, Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, or Asia the capacity to experience the same freedom of choice or chance for success did not exist. My question to you today is this: How often have you or have you ever asked God why you were so blessed to be born in this country during such a time of abundance? I don’t know about you, but it is still a question worthy of being asked when you wake up in the mornings. If the question does not evoke a deep sense of gratitude, there is something wrong with your paradigm of thought.
You and I have never had to believe a verse like Philippians 4:12: Be content whether you have food or not. You and I have never had to worry about oppression like some of those listening the first time to Philippians 4:11: Be content regardless of the circumstances. Nor have we been told to claim 1 Timothy 6:8: If we have food and clothing we should be content. You haven’t gone without too many meals, have you? Millions cannot say that every day. But you and I struggle deep down in our hearts with verses like Luke 3:14: Be content with your pay; and Hebrews 13:5: [We are] to be free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ We worry when our bank accounts get low and rush to pray for God to help us pay bills we foolishly created. Most of all we struggle with verses like 1 Timothy 6:6: But godliness with contentment is great gain. Godliness is contentment because it keeps things in perspective. Regardless of your age or station in life, the peace, true peace, and contentment comes only with an “Attitude of Gratitude.”
Love, Dad