A flawed foundation
By Rev. Al Williams II
Special to the Outlook
Tragedy has sadly become commonplace among the citizenry of the United States of America based on the recent events involving police officers and civilians. Families are grieving, neighborhoods are in an uproar, communities are tense and the nation is reeling with agony, anxiety, anger and hostility.
It is unfortunate but not too surprising that the discourse in the nation has been troubling at times, because both civilians and law enforcement officers have seen the worst possible events occur repeatedly. It is safe to say that the country has once again seen reaction fueled by deep-seated emotion and conviction because the country has failed to collectively resolve inconsistencies and inequities which have existed since the nation’s inception.
The United States is a superpower with a globally impactful economy and a military force unmatched anywhere in the world, yet none of this eliminates the glaring contradiction that has haunted the nation from its beginning which is that the nations’ practices have not always matched the nation’s founding principles. Life and liberty were realities which only some people fully experienced and enjoyed when the nation was founded. This inconsistency has continued to plague the nation simply because it existed but because it still exists and is often dismissed by those who refuse to acknowledge it.
This flaw in the nation’s foundation continues to evidence itself when national crises are not resolved in ways that uphold the humanity of everyone without partiality or pretense.
America, if it truly wants to practice righteousness and equity, would benefit from heeding the words of Jesus Christ in the seventh chapter of the gospel of Matthew,
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
The strength of the foundation determines how much adversity can be withstood and how long the nation will be able to stand. Believers in Jesus Christ can rest assured that life built on the firm foundation of faith in Christ will have purpose and fulfillment. The hope for the nation is centered on its willingness to acknowledge its flaws and then work collectively and cooperatively to build for future generations.
