I wanted to share what my pastor wrote about it and I really like what he says and agree with it too. Here’s to sharing! 
On this 233rd anniversary of our nation, we want to give thanks to God for the privilege of living in this prosperous land, and to celebrate all that is right and good about our country. In addition to counting our blessings, we also want to take stock of our Christian witness, and examine the stewardship of our influence in public life. There is an increase in inflammatory rhetoric during this election season — on the airwaves, in cyber space, and even in everyday conversations.
If our society is going to flourish, we need to adhere to the principles of civility. By civility I don’t just mean polite behavior and refraining from calling people names. I mean that we should model for the nation how to debate our differences and solve our conflicts in a constructive way. The issue is not just about avoiding rudeness, but about respecting each person as someone created in the image of God. Christians need to model the values of Christ. Otherwise our political discourse will deteriorate into a cacophonic noise like that at Babel, and all our ability for mutual understanding and communication will be lost.
We need to model our conduct after Christ, who came to live among us “full of GRACE and TRUTH.” (John 1:14) That means we need to share our Lord’s compassion for all people, without forfeiting our passion for truth. Jesus wasn’t sometimes compassionate and sometimes truthful; he was always both compassionate and truthful. He was always principled, honest, and respectful of others. He didn’t shy away from the hard truth in order to get along, and he didn’t treat people less than graciously to make a point. Food for thought.
If our society is going to flourish, we need to adhere to the principles of civility. By civility I don’t just mean polite behavior and refraining from calling people names. I mean that we should model for the nation how to debate our differences and solve our conflicts in a constructive way. The issue is not just about avoiding rudeness, but about respecting each person as someone created in the image of God. Christians need to model the values of Christ. Otherwise our political discourse will deteriorate into a cacophonic noise like that at Babel, and all our ability for mutual understanding and communication will be lost.
We need to model our conduct after Christ, who came to live among us “full of GRACE and TRUTH.” (John 1:14) That means we need to share our Lord’s compassion for all people, without forfeiting our passion for truth. Jesus wasn’t sometimes compassionate and sometimes truthful; he was always both compassionate and truthful. He was always principled, honest, and respectful of others. He didn’t shy away from the hard truth in order to get along, and he didn’t treat people less than graciously to make a point. Food for thought.
Have a great 4th!!! and thank God for our troops and our forefathers that died before us for our freedoms that we enjoy today, what a privilege it is.
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