…Like All The Other Nations

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” – 1Samuel 8:19-20

Israel wasn’t content to be called out by God as a holy (separate, distinct – exceptional) nation. On November 6, 2012 The United States of America officially confirmed its discontent with exceptionalism and decided to become “like all the other nations.” Whereas in 2008 the offer to be like all the other nations was stuffed into the skin of platitudes, this time it was served up on a platter and we took it with eyes wide open.

– We’ve decided to destroy the most exceptional healthcare system in the world in exchange for the government (our fellow citizens) paying for our healthcare …like all the other nations.

– Although we could be energy independent, we’ve decided to forego our own energy resources in favor of less viable alternatives so that we can pay high prices for gas …like all the other nations.

– We’ve decided to pay our citizens not to work …like all the other nations who are currently on fire due to the people suddenly finding out that, “if a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2Thes. 3:10)

– We’ve decided to destroy the definition of marriage in favor of unions that have proven to be destructive for the parties involved, and thus, to society …like all the other enlightened nations.

– And we’ve decided that we want to tax and spend ourselves into oblivion in order to ‘pay’ for all the above.

Becoming like all the other nations is not a very high aspiration is it? The road to get there, socialism, is an easy ride as all downhill trips are – it’s when you hit the bottom that it starts to sting. Let’s pray that we don’t have to get all the way to bottom before we realize that being exceptional is an earned privilege, not a sin.