Our liberty was purchased at an extremely high price, paid for by patriots of the past. Ours is the relatively cheap and easy expense of maintaining and preserving what others have paid for and given to us, but it does require regular attention and maintenance.
Nothing we own can receive maintenance and care only once every four years and be expected to last or remain in good condition. Our government and our freedoms are no exception to this rule.
The simplest yet most profound thing that any of us can do to help preserve our freedom and our Republic is to be vigilant and active participants in its processes, and that must go well beyond merely casting a vote every two or four years.
We must get involved, stay involved, and encourage our friends and neighbors to do the same.
The local government is the cornerstone of the American political system. It is closest to the people and can most easily and directly be influenced by them. It is not an overstatement to say that “as go our counties, so goes our nation.”
Neil Postman wrote that “information derives its importance from the possibilities of action.” He observed that “most of our news is inert, consisting of information that gives us something to talk about but cannot lead to any meaningful action,” and the resulting disconnect between information and action has led us into an era of “diminished social and political potency.”
Such is the nature of national politics.
That is why it is critically important for Americans to understand how our government works — from the bottom all the way to the top – and then focus their attention where the “possibilities of action” actually exist — at the local/county level.
America’s restoration will not come through any national political figure. George Washington is revered as the hero of America’s first War for Independence (and rightly so). However, there were almost 250 battles fought during the war; General Washington fought in just 17 of them, and he won only six of those. Victory was won by local people defending their families, friends, neighbors, and homes (often under the direction and organization of their local pastor).
Scripture tells us that “righteousness exalts a nation,” but that truth can be realized only if good people actively insist upon righteousness.
The Call to Action: #
We cannot ignore national politics, but they should not be our focus. As Colonel (Retired) John Mills stated in his book by the same name, secure the county and “the nation will follow.”
As Christians, we must not ignore or abstain from political and civic duties. The price for doing so is simply too high.
“The price that good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
History has shown that when the wicked rule, those who seek only to do “kingdom work” and worship God “according to the dictates of their own conscience” eventually become outlaws. That is why our forefathers came to this country in the first place; and as President Reagan, if we lose those freedoms here, there is no place else to go.”
The liberties and religious freedoms we have enjoyed in America have afforded maneuver space to witness and spread the gospel all over the world. The price of maintaining that freedom is for good people to stay engaged in the politics of this government “of the people, by the people, and for the people. As Jesus’ parable of the talents teaches us, God expects us to be good stewards of what He has graciously entrusted to us (Luke 19:12-17)
Failure to use this liberty that God has so graciously provided places us in the camp of the faithless servant who buried the talent entrusted to him rather than put it to good use in the service of his lord.
The gospel message — not politics — is the answer to America’s problems. We must always strive to “keep the main thing the main thing,” but we want to be found as “good and faithful servants” in all that God has entrusted to us in the furtherance of His kingdom.