Our local newspaper ran a story this weekend of four different people’s views of our country. 

The first person was essentially happy with her life – life was good for her.  She didn’t concern herself with the world’s problems.  I suspect many people think in this rather care-free isolationist individualistic way. 

The second person bemoaned the gradual loss of freedoms and the corruption in government.  He sounded like many Christians (and others) I know that are constantly bemoaning how our country is getting worse.  The poor economy, big government seeking to micro-manage our lives, the disintegration of Christian morals, abortion, the list goes on.  I confess this is often where I find myself too.

The third person ranted about taxes and can best be summed up in his own words: “Who has the right to tell me to do anything?”  He is an angry version of the second person.  He is also similar to the first person with a strong individualistic bent, but unlike the first person, he isn’t happy.  He represents numerous people in our country (both conservative and liberal) who want to be able to do whatever they want and are vocally angry about it.

To this point, I was speed-reading the article.  If it had ended there I wouldn’t have even remembered it, let alone written a post about it.  But the fourth person slowed me down.  She had visited a formerly Communist country.  She had heard first-hand accounts of life under a Communist regime.  She expressed gratitude for our right as Americans to choose our religion and travel freely.  In her words, “It makes me appreciate being American.” 

I too have travelled outside the United States.  Two separate trips to two separate countries on two different continents.  And when I compare what I saw in those countries to what we have here, I too appreciate being an American.  We have the right to choose our religion and freely gather to worship.  We have the right to free speech.  We can travel freely from state to state.  Even the poorest among us are better off than countless millions around the world.  We are blessed in ways that many people around the world only dream of – if they can even imagine it.  God has truly blessed this country, and we ought to thank God for it.  Yes, we have numerous problems (as persons two and three recognize), and we must not deny or ignore them (like person one apparently wants to do).  But this is still a great place to live.  As we celebrate our country today, I want to join the fourth person and say: I am grateful to be an American!