Posted in Patriotism

Last Friday, my husband and son attended Maine’s TeenPact one-day class.  There, my son had an opportunity to learn a bit about how our government works.  One of the things my husband was tremendously impressed with was that the young people who lead the TeenPact class encouraged the students in attendance to regularly pray for government officials and others in positions of authority.  Although my son wasn’t looking forward to the class beforehand, after it was over he found that it was a wonderful experience.  In fact, he was so excited about his experience that he declared that he wanted to be in politics when he grew up.  To be honest, this completely thrilled his father, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed either.  Who knows what God has planned for our son’s life and how He will use him, but we will definitely not discourage him from any arena he feels he can best glorify God in.

Part of the battle we face as Christians in America today is a result of Christians of the past two or three generations having a hands-off attitude toward politics.  Sure, politics is a dirty business at times, but why?  It is because the influence of Godly people has been too long removed from the public square.  It is time for us to again be involved, to influence the world around us for Christ, to make a difference for Him in all areas of life.  If we do not teach our children of the Godly heritage our founding fathers left for us, if we do not instill in them the importance of preserving that heritage, soon there will be nothing left to preserve.

Couldn’t my son have more influence for the Lord if he went into “full-time Christian service”?  Not necessarily.  My children will have the most influence for God in whatever place God wants to use them the most.  After all, He can see the big picture.  He knows where and how He wants to work, and when He wants to do so.  My job is to glorify God with my life by persevering in the tasks He has given me to do, and to raise my children to know and love Him and be willing to follow His lead and glorify Him in everything they do.  That, after all, is the measure of true success.

I like what David Barton of Wallbuilders has to say about this subject:

“The founders used to teach their young people: ‘Young people, do you want to do something good for God?  Then be a senator, be a judge, be a congressman, a lawyer, a doctor, a missionary, a pastor; but get out there where you can affect people with God’s principles.’  But in the 1940s and 1950s we began to say in America: ‘Young people, do you want to do something for God?  Then be a missionary, be a pastor; but don’t get involved in politics.’

When we started getting out, we handed the system over to ungodly principles.  We’ve got to get involved again.”

--David Barton, America's Godly Heritage

True words indeed, and ones more of God's people should take to heart.