I hope that everyone will take just a few minutes this weekend to contemplate just how amazing the United States of America truly is! No other nation like ours has ever existed. Sure, we have a ton of problems. Sure, we are overloaded with debt. Sure, we have government leaders whose reputations are shrouded with immorality.
But we also have glorious freedom. Freedom to purchase land. Freedom to own a business. Freedom to raise our families. Freedom to go where we want.
We have our basic needs met. The need for shelter. The need for food. The need for clothing.
We not only have our needs met, but so many of our wants, as well. Most of us have multiple televisions, iPads, cell phones, and video game consoles. We own hundreds of books, DVDs, and more music than we will ever listen to. We have cars. We have enough money to go to a nice restaurant or to take the family for ice cream. We go the beach and fly in planes across the country. We can afford to educate ourselves.
Do you realize how many people outside of this country do not have these privileges? Do you realize that many of the world’s population only lives to survive? There is no entertainment. There are no cars. There is no shampoo, soap, or towels. There is hardly any food. No hope for a better life.
We still have the right to stand on a street corner and preach our faith. We can still worship in our churches. We are able to home school our children.
With all that is going on, we tend to focus on the negative. It’s an easy thing to do, as the winds of change seem to be scented with hard times and persecution.
But for today why don’t we celebrate the wonderful? The positive? The amazing privilege of being born in this free and prosperous land? A land in which many people from all parts of the world only dream of living.
Let’s remember that –right here and right now–we are blessed.