Throughout my speaking engagements at various churches and events across the country, I have connected with people from all walks of life, and it has been nothing short of inspiring to see that most Americans still cherish the values our country was founded on. We, the people, continue to hold dear the ideals of faith, education, liberty, and just governance that have guided us from the beginning.
Nevertheless, a concern for the future lingers as we see American values under attack. From coast to coast, many wonder what is happening to our great nation, how we arrived here, and, perhaps most significantly, what we can do to save our country.
To be honest, I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that where we focus matters. Some people set their eyes on the problems. They criticize and tear down, but they only leave ruin in their wake. Others focus only on the good—what we’ve learned, what we’ve gained.
David J. Harris Jr. speaking at the 2020 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
They refuse to acknowledge the pressing dangers surrounding us. Some set their faces to the future. They have a vision of what they want, and they bow blindly toward it. But while each of these approaches touches one piece of the puzzle, I’ve found them each to be lacking. Instead, the best way to move forward is to start by looking backward. The one who has studied history will find he also has answers to the most pressing questions of today. The past is a lens for the present and a key to the future.
Throughout our history, countless individuals have paid the ultimate price, laying down their lives for these beliefs. Others have stood arm-in-arm with their fellow citizens, advocating for the rights enshrined in our Constitution. Each was courageous, and each stood because they knew how special America was. It is out of this recognition and a heart of thankfulness that true patriotism is birthed. It extends far beyond waving a flag or attending parades; it involves a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by others and a profound need to pass on the same freedoms we enjoy to future generations.
John Trumbull’s painting “Declaration of Independence” depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress.
Yet some question if the same American spirit is still alive today. For too long, we have stood back when we should have stood up and were silent when we should have spoken up. We have allowed our government to impose a sexual ideology on the American public—an ideology that discriminates, divides, and demonizes those who hold fast to biblical values. President Biden himself has been instrumental in its advancement. With each step he takes to glorify this new ideology, we take another step away from the principles our nation was built upon.
Giving the pride flag greater prominence at the White House over the American flag, hosting trans activists, who flaunt their “frankenboobs” in public in order to express their “trans joy,” and calling America “a nation of pride” is all an affront to the fundamental ideals that have guided us and a dishonor to all those who have given their lives for this great nation.
Joe Biden poses with a transgender influencer Rose Montoya, who went topless in a viral video made on the White House lawn during the White House LGBT Pride event on June 10, 2023. (rosemontoya/TikTok)
While some can argue that we have grown complacent, I believe the very same flame that burned in our founding fathers’ hearts is still alive today. It flickers within us. It is in the heart of all those attending school board meetings, teaching their children about the Constitution, and raising their voices in the public arena. We must continue to do all of these things and more. We must raise our children to embody selflessness, diligence, humility, and bravery, for there are two roads ahead of us. Either we teach our children to uphold the American values of faith, education, liberty, and just governance or we allow them to believe that their self-defined happiness and comfort take precedence over personal responsibility. The latter will inevitably lead to the crumbling of America. Now is when we must decide to stand for our great nation or allow the freedoms we enjoyed to be swallowed up in history.
By all accounts, we could be the last true American generation, but our situation is not hopeless. As people of faith, we know we have a strength that the world does not have. We can look to the Bible and see examples of godly men and women standing strong against impossible odds.
That very same joy and strength that caused Paul to sing in prison is still available to us today. Our struggles are not a curse but a blessing! In them, we have the opportunity to stand with our Lord in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without them. In this, God makes beauty from ashes. Just like Esther, we are made for this time and place. God placed us here for a reason, and a central part of that is to protect and uphold the freedom of future generations of Americans.
So, this Fourth of July, let us gather our families and express gratitude for the privilege of living in this remarkable country, which God has gifted us. As you sit around the dinner table, remind your children of the time-honored values that have been passed down through generations: faith, education, liberty, and just governance. Remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and show—yes, I’ll say it—pride in the country that they died for.
But above all else, John Adams might have said it best when he remarked, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” In this, we are reminded that everything centers on our love of God and others. For in Him and Him alone is where our hope rests.
David J. Harris Jr. is a Christian, author, and entrepreneur married to his high school sweetheart for 29 years. He is the father of two daughters and has two grandchildren. He wants to let Breitbart readers know that if they’re interested in teaching their kids and grandkids what it means to be patriotic, excellent tools abound at www.BraveBooks.com, a company dedicated to God, America, and fun. Follow David on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
