In today’s cries for social justice, we often hear strong criticism —at times, outright judgment — of the United States. America’s past and present — these voices for justice tell us — is fraught with corruption, injustice, and oppression. This shame-and-guilt narrative has driven patriotism into retreat and those who might still express some measure of gratitude or national pride are often themselves condemned as complicit with their nation’s sins.
Hating or condemning your own country does nothing to eradicate injustice.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
To be clear, the United States — like all other nations — carries its share of sins and shortcomings. Nevertheless, it’s delusional to think that the United States has a monopoly on sin.
The reality is that every single country, community, and tribe on planet earth has sin in both its past and present. There has never been a perfect country or a sinless community.
The reason is that the ultimate cause of injustice isn’t a race, people group, economic structure, or government system. The ultimate cause of human sin and suffering is the human heart.
In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul the Apostle wrote:
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 5:12, NKJV
Every single human being is a sinner. That includes you and me.
This is why the psalmist wrote over three thousand years ago:
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
Psalm 14:2-3, NKJV
Paul picks up this same theme when he declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Good works and virtue signaling can’t cancel out the fact that you have sin in you, and that you have at times sinned.
And while some people sin more than others, all of us have sinned and do sin. All of us.
And thus all of us fall short of the glory of God.
For this reason, every nation and people group is corrupt because every nation and people group consists of flawed, sinful people. You can’t judge a group without attention to the individual. And you can’t judge a group without attention to yourself if you yourself are a part of said group.
If you’re an American, then judging America ultimately leads back to judging yourself.
To do otherwise is not only dishonest but is itself an injustice.
We are ALL guilty of sin. And we all must stand before the Righteous Judge.
Thankfully, we are loved by a gracious and merciful God who sent Jesus into the world to give us life everlasting (see John 3:16).
Rather than vent your judgment toward others, why not humble yourself before God and others?
My encouragement is that we all reflect with humility and gratitude on God’s mercies and do our part to make the world, starting with ourselves, a better place.
