Reflections on the 4th of July From a Black Christian Conservative

“…and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.”
Acts 17:26 (NASB)

I distinctly remember celebrating Independence Day as a young boy growing up in the Dixie Hills housing projects on the west side of Atlanta. For black families in the 1970s, especially children, the 4th of July was, in many ways, a lot like Christmas Day.

It was a celebration, not only of the birth of America as a nation but also of family, friends, and God, whom we always credited with providing us the opportunity to live in a free nation as the United States.

Poor But Proud

Despite the material poverty experienced by the majority of black families in the Dixie Hills community, and in others like it, we never lost sight of the significance of having the God-ordained privilege of living in a nation where people are free.

That our financial station in life was not on par with other families we knew, never negatively influenced or affected the high view of America that had been imparted to us by our parents (both of whom had only a high school education).

The elation of celebrating Independence Day was a constant reality for myself and my two siblings as my mom, whose birthday was also on the 4th of July, would accompany us on the Number 3 bus (we didn’t own a car) to the West End Mall where she would let us shop for new red-white-and-blue “patriotic” clothes to wear.

Poor as we were, to us Independence Day wasn’t just another “holiday” that afforded us a day out of school or that our parents didn’t have to work (though oftentimes they did). It was an occasion that everyone celebrated because we were Americans who were proud of America. Whatever apparel her few spare dollars could afford – be it a new t-shirt, a pair of jeans, a new pair of Converse®  sneakers (which we called “tennis shoes”) – my mother would buy for us.

And then there were the picnics at Washington Park.

Ribs, chicken, potato salad, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and all the Big-K (Kroger grocery store brand) soda you could consume. Not to mention the requisite Soul Train line dance that would ultimately – and hilariously – break out after everyone had had their fill of food.

Indeed, the 4th of July truly was a celebration for most black families. The level of excitement my brother, sister, and I had at celebrating the 4th of July was as high as that of any child on Christmas Eve night.

But, as I said, that was then.

The Inevitable Assertion

These days it seems there is hardly anything of any redemptive value about America.

It is as if all anyone wants to do is complain about what it is like to live here. Depending on who you ask, everything about America wreaks of racism – and any other “ism” you might care to invent.

Think about it.

In 2016 America, it is now considered “racist” to:

• fly the American flag anywhere
• be supportive of the military
• cite or recite the United States Constitution
• quote any of the Founding Fathers (because “they were allslaveholders”)
• claim to be a Christian or even go to church
• pray at any public school event
• recite the Pledge of Allegiance

All of the above are things I was not only encouraged to do as a child, but was expected to do as a citizen of this country.

Undoubtedly, there will be those who will read this post who, as opposed to taking the time to digest my comments in context, will instead choose to resort to such knee-jerk responses as, “But racism still exists!” (as if I don’t already know that.)

Though this commentary is not about whether or not racism exists in America (or anywhere else), my response to that is, of course racism exists in America – Duh?! – and in every other nation on the face of the globe. During my lifetime, I probably have read more on the subject of slavery, particularly in America, than on any other subject with the exception of biblical theology.

Why?

Because there is a direct relationship between the enslavement of one person who is created in the image of God by another person who likewise is created in the image of God, and our innate condition as sinful human beings.

Racism exists because racism is sin; and since all people are sinners (Genesis 8:21; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23), it stands to reason that all racists are sinners (though not all sinners are racist).

It is time we realize that racism will continue to be a reality in America, and the world, as long as sin continues to be a reality in the hearts of people like you and me. In that regard, America is no different than any other nation on earth, because every nation is populated by sinners.

Why so many today want to isolate America as if it were an exclusively racist nation is beyond me. Take a census of anynation’s population and that is exactly the number of sinners it has.

The only remedy for racism in America – or in any nation for that matter – is the gospel of Jesus Christ. For only the gospel, working through the power of the Spirit of God, can transform the sinful hearts of those who inhabit it (Exodus 22:21; Ezekiel 36:26-27;Romans 1:16: 1 John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:7; 20).

Tell Them I’m Not Home

America has a tarnished history. Absolutely, it does. You will get no argument from me there.

Then, again, tarnishing things is what sinners do.

Because sinners are themselves tarnished (Ephesians 2:1-3).

As Christians who live in America, we must be ever-mindful that our identity is found only in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:27-28) and that America is not our home.

With this reality in mind, any displays of “patriotism”, for lack of a better word, must be offset by the understanding that our truehome is in heaven, the only place where perfect justice and righteousness dwells.

“And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of the Lord has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” – Revelation 21:23-27 (NASB)

That said, notwithstanding its history of slavery, and other abuses of humanity that have occurred and that continue to occur (e.g. abortion), I consider myself blessed by God to live in this nation.

As imperfect as America is, and imperfect as it undoubtedly will remain, to have been born and raised in this nation, despite the material possessions my family never had or the opportunities with which we were never presented, is nothing short of an act of grace on the part of a sovereign God who, in His wisdom and omniscience, could have chosen otherwise for me.

I am thankful He did not (Acts 17:26).

Examine Yourself

If I had to do it all over again, there is nothing about my experience as a black American that I would change.

Not one thing.

As a Christian, I realize that I am expected to live in this nation as an alien and a stranger. As such, I fully understand and accept that this country owes me nothing. Nothing at all. Likewise, I have no such expectations of it.

Contrary to what the media often depicts, I am not some angry black man looking for evidence of racism wherever I can find it, just so I can use it against this nation for my own personal benefit.

“Be glad that you are free. Free to change your mind. Free to go most anywhere, anytime. Be glad that your are free. There’s many a man who’s not. Be glad for what you have, baby, what you got.” – Prince, Free, from the album 1999.

It stands to reason that situations of injustice, unfairness, and inequality will occur in a world and nation that continues to experience the devastating effects of the fall of mankind into sin (Genesis 3). Even so, there are many more instances in this nation in which justice, fairness, and equality win out.

So, yes, I will continue to fly my American flag, support our nation’s military, study the Constitution, quote the Founding Fathers, boldly declare that I am Christian, attend church on a regular basis, pray openly and audibly at public school events, and proudly recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

All of this with the full understanding that I am looking forward to a far better country than this one (Hebrews 11:16), where I will be free to celebrate my “independence” from sin and enjoy forever the bountiful wonders of eternal life that have been graciously afforded me by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 5:6-8).

Heaven can be your home, too, if you know Christ as your Savior and Lord (1 John 5:11-12).

Do you?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Photo credit: liz west (Creative Commons) – Some rights reserved

Darrell B. Harrison is a Reformed Baptist, theologian, U.S. Army veteran, and blogger. He blogs at JustThinking.me.

The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.