Please don’t say “I’m Proud to be an American”

I like Lee Greenwood’s song, “God Bless the USA.” This July 4^th I hope many of you will enjoy that song along with other uplifting patriotic songs which celebrate the liberty and blessings God has given our nation and which ask for God’s continued blessing.

However, I like Greenwood’s song despite the repeated use of the word “proud” and “pride”, not because of it. This may sound picky, but I think it is more important than many realize. I would suggest that instead of saying “I’m proud to be an American,” we should say something like this:

“I thank God for the freedom and blessings He has given us in America.”

I think some people basically mean that they are thankful when they say they’re proud of America. But I also think that many people really are proud. We really have pride in our hearts. Greenwood says, “There is pride in every American heart.” Actually, there is pride in every human heart. And God hates it.

Let’s remember what the Bible says about pride. Here’s a small sample (all verses are from the CSB):

 Leviticus 26:19 I will break down your strong pride. I will make your sky like iron and your land like bronze,

 2 Samuel 22:28 You rescue an oppressed people, but your eyes are set against the proud-- you humble them.

 Proverbs 16:5 Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

 Proverbs 16:18 Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.

 Isaiah 2:11 The pride of mankind will be humbled, and human loftiness will be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.

 Jeremiah 13:9 "This is what the LORD says: Just like this I will ruin the great pride of both Judah and Jerusalem.

 Jeremiah 13:15 Listen and pay attention. Do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken.

 Jeremiah 13:17 But if you will not listen, my innermost being will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, for the LORD 's flock has been taken captive.

 Ezekiel 16:49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn't support the poor and needy.

 Ezekiel 28:5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has become proud because of your wealth.

 Ezekiel 28:17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings.

 Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

 Hosea 13:6 When they had pasture, they became satisfied; they were satisfied, and their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me.

 Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

 James 4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

By now you may be thinking that I must have quoted every verse in the Bible about pride. Actually, the above list is not even close to all the verses that condemn and warn against pride. The Bible warns against individual pride and against national pride. Pride is one of our most terrible enemies. It is one of the deepest roots of sin and evil in our hearts and in our world. So be thankful and celebrate God’s blessings. But don’t be proud!

Being Thankful, Humble, and Seeking Mercy

While being an American is an exceedingly tiny blessing compared to being a Christian, and being born in America is almost meaningless compared to being born again, there nevertheless are real and significant reasons to thank God for America. As we thank God for America we should do so with humility as we seek His mercy. Rather than try to explain this, I would like to close with a prayer which reflects these truths.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the many blessings You have poured out on America and for the many ways you have made us a blessing to the rest of the world.

I thank God that you have blessed us with wealth and prosperity. Lord, You have given America far more wealth than any other nation in the world, and we are among the most prosperous people who have ever lived in history. Please help us to use this blessing to help the world around us and to spread Your truth and love.

Lord, You have made our military the most powerful in the world. We thank You that in the last century You have used the sacrifices of many soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen to hold back evil forces in our world again and again. We thank you for all those to whom you gave courage and for the freedom we have because of the price they paid. Lord, please keep our military strong, and please help us to always use it only for good and only in good ways. Please protect the members of our military and be with their families.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the freedom we have. In general, Christians experience far less persecution here than most of our brothers and sisters do throughout the world today and less than most have experienced throughout history. Lord, may we never take this for granted. And may we use our freedom to serve Christ and His gospel, and never to serve the evil desires of our flesh.

God, we thank You for all the gospel light which has been in our land for so many generations. Help us to remember that it is our responsibility to spread this light to dark areas of the world.

Lord, we confess that we have received these blessings, and many more, not because we deserve them, but because of Your great mercy and grace.

Now, we are very aware of all our sins. We have often used Your blessings greedily for our own temporary comfort rather than to serve You. Our nation has stood for freedom, yet at the same time through our massive entertainment industry which influences the whole world we have spread, celebrated, and promoted immorality of every kind. While our courts often provide us with justice, they have also been used for evil: severely limiting prayer and Your Word in our schools, legalizing the killing of unborn babies, providing legal protection to an ocean of pornographic filth, and treating homosexual sin as a legal right. Lord, if You judged us according to our sins, surely we would be utterly destroyed. Please have mercy on us. And by Your grace, please send us revival instead of judgment.

Forgive us for our foolish pride. Thank You for Your abundant, merciful blessings. God, please, by your grace, continue to bless the USA. And make us a blessing to others.

In Jesus Name. Amen.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .