Mark 3:24
“A nation divided against itself cannot stand.”
Throughout the entirety of human history, nations have risen to great power…only in the end to fall by an instrument, which is self-destructive in nature. Great nations are not first conquered from without. They are first weakened from within, and then devoured by emboldened enemies from without. The most popular instruments of these sad events are always first formed from the bitter roots of contention and division from within the societies themselves.
From where do these contentions arise? They usually arise from some sort of injustice, or abuse, exacted upon the nation by its leadership, whether corporate or governmental. These abuses put people into situations that cause them to unite and defend themselves against any such tyranny, and or abuse. Furthermore, because of their opposing interests, the leadership of these two entities imminently and bitterly set themselves in direct opposition to one another…employees against employers…poor against the rich…one ethnicity against another…or any other disgruntled group which may have a complaint against the other. Consequentially, in their bitterness, hatred, pride and stubbornness they begin to devour one another….and in the end…also the strength, good will, hope, vision, and purpose of the nation along with them. Then tragically…together they fall!
Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth!
But if you ever lose your saltiness, you will fall under the feet of oppression and tyranny!
This particular word of wisdom speaks concerning our personal responsibility to healing in the midst of sickness, the sweet in the midst of bitterness, and calm in the midst of the storm. Whenever individual citizens of any society, no longer see themselves as the answer to their own problems…the result is always tyranny!
Listen to the story of the goose, the cow, and the cat. A certain goose was lazy, and he was late leaving Canada for warmer weather with the other geese. While flying south, he ran into a severe winter storm. As the ice began to accumulate upon his wings, little by little he began to lose altitude. Finally, no longer able to sustain his flight… he fell from the sky, through the roof of a barn, and into a pile of hay. Cold and confused he staggers out of the barn and under a cow. The cow drops a pile of manure directly upon him. Stunned and covered in manure, the goose continues to stagger out into the barnyard. There he encounters a cat. The cat says, “My friend, what has happened to you? You look terrible.” The goose replies, “I fell from the sky through the roof of a barn, and then this cow dumped manure upon me.” The cat responds, “What would you like me to do for you?” The goose thinks for a second and then says, “If you would please just clean me up, I will be on my way.” So, the cat did just that. He cleaned that goose up until he was a bright white! And then he ate him!
The moral of the story is this. In the time of your trial…Not everyone who dumps manure on you is your enemy…And not everyone who is willing to clean you up is your friend! The best way to protect the integrity, peace, and prosperity of your nation, is to always be willing to be the answer to the problem! Take personal responsibility to help fix your problems, and those of your nation! Be careful that you don’t jump out of the hot cooking pan and fall directly into the fire!
Proverbs 24:16
A just man falls down seven times, but every time he gets right back up again!
But he who refuses to admit his guilt will fall down and will not be able to get back up again.
The truth is that many nations have had great falls. But it doesn’t mean that these nations cannot recognize the error of their ways, be restored, get back upon their feet again, and become greater than they ever were before! Great nations learn from their past failures, and those of others. We learn how to forgive one another and reconcile our differences. We learn to be wise. We learn what is truth, and we cling to it. We learn where to put our trust and hide ourselves underneath the protection of its wings.
Whether rich or poor, employee or employer, black or white, Hispanic or Asian, we cleanse out the bitter and pour in the sweet…by simply learning how to forgive one another, learn how to better serve one another, and as much as is possible within us… we peacefully seek to resolve any differences we might have with one another!