Seize the Moment – Day 136
Love all the Peoples!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 31.
When does nationalism go too far?
According to the dictionary, nationalism is, “patriotic feelings, principles, and efforts; an extreme form of this, especially marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries.”
This extreme form of nationalism says, “we are better than you.” When this extreme form of nationalism is merged with religion you neither have a healthy form of patriotism nor a humble practice of religion; rather, you have an ideology propelled with rocket fuel.
It is this kind of ideology that caused the Jewish people in Acts 22:22 to cry out about Paul, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” That’s crazy talk!
They wanted to kill Paul because he was bringing the fulfilled hope of Judaism to non-Jewish people (the Gentiles). Even though their own Jewish Scriptures say that the Jews would be a blessing to all people on earth, a light to the Gentiles, their ideology caused them to violently oppose the work of God. They wanted God to raise up a nationalistic kingdom on earth, not a spiritual one that welcomes all nations, tribes, and people groups!
The same thing is happening today in American Christianity! The nation you are born into is where God birthed you in real time and in real history. Yes, we are to be good citizens and pray for our leaders (that is healthy patriotism). But, we must not allow our nationalism to become compromised as an extreme form of prejudice against those that God has called us to bring the love of Jesus Christ.
Are you willing to be used by God to reach all peoples; to the ends of the earth?
Seize the moment and invite God to search your heart for any feelings of prejudice or superiority that would limit who you are willing to love as your neighbor.