Monday, July 04, 2005

Allegiance

Happy Independence Day! For love of and gratitude for our country-- or for a good excuse to make noise, throw parties, get drunk, and play with fire in the dark, we declare today a holiday. We'll sing America the Beautiful and pledge allegiance to the flag. Maybe. Or maybe we'll just make noise, get drunk, and watch the colored lights when the sun goes down. As for me, I'll probably do nothing. Other than watching the pyrotechnics tonight with some friends and family...maybe, I'll just be staying home today with my gratitude and allegiance. My brother doesn't agree with the pledge. He thinks it is an insidious implication of idolatry of one's country or flag above all other obligations--specifically, above God. I tend to agree with his fiancee, that it is merely a statement of loyalty to one's country as opposed to loyalty to other countries or to the enemies of one's country, or as opposed to professed hatred of one's country whilst living in it and enjoying its privileges. As far as allegiance goes, no one is assuming that it means to subject oneself to be obedient to one's country above all other things, mindlessly pledging oneself to follow come what may-- else who even among the patriots would whisper that pledge? We all have our allegiances. Some pledge allegiance to family, some to self and character, some to the service of suffering humanity, some to wealth and pleasure, some to God, some to something different every year. As for me, I don't think enough about where my loyalties lie...so I'll ask you. What's your allegiance?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm.
God First,
Wisdom Second,
Love Third.

Should Love come before wisdom?

Or if I have to pick groups of people:
Christ, Family, Church, then Country

P.S. Look: I got my initials right!

HSS said...

"nds",

That's better. Regarding your question, I would say that depends on what you mean by "Love". Define that, and I might tell you what I think about it. I wonder--if love is purely defined, is it separable from wisdom?

Perhaps we ought to define wisdom, as well.

:) Happy day to you.

Anonymous said...

Define love. Let me see, I think there are only a few million sources on the subject :) Well, I suppose both words can be defined any number of ways. So that we don't get lost in a meaningless doodling of words, I'll try to offer some simpler definitions (for the sake of the discussion).

Love: As in: "Love thy neighbor as thyself." It's not necessarily the greatest form of love, but it's what I had in mind. Basically: Caring for others when determining your actions.

Wisdom: Discerning truth from falsehood and making decision based on the future more than the moment. A somewhat circular definition: preventing foolishness in your own life.

Well, perhaps I should have just consulted the dictionary, but that's the best I can do without hurting my feeble little brain.

:) A jolly day to you as well.

Anonymous said...

Stumbled across this site – couldn't resist a comment…

4 Greek words for Love:
1) Sacrificial (Agape)
2) Emotional (Phileo)
3) Sensual (Eros)
4) Family/natural (Storge)

Only Agape and Phileo are used in God's Word. I've always found God's description of Agape Love(charity) to be the best, as you would expect.

From 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (KJV)
charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:

I really like NDS's take on wisdom… just wanted to add one more idea for thought from the Word…
From Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

And the anonymous poster flees into the night...

HSS said...

"anonymous,"

Thanks for the thoughts. I wonder how you stumbled across this? I thought I was just another obscure person floating around the "bloggiverse". Hope you'll come again.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing what you can stumble across using that Next Blog>> button.
More weirdness and darkness than enlightenment out there however.
I hope to stop by from time-to-time – maybe even say hi now and again.

It's not so bad that the world is a largely lonely and ugly place – serves as a reminder of the lonely and ugly state of humanity apart from Jesus Christ. A vivid reminder of our need for a Redeemer indeed.
At least as believers, we know the end…
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
From Revelation 21:4-5

Stay close to the One whose words are always true and faithful!

-anonymous (who is having a slow day at work)

HSS said...

Coming back to the original question, "nds," --the original question which I never quite got around to answering-- I would have to say, considering your definitions, that my suspicions were correct. As you have defined them, Love and Wisdom seem equally important. I think neither should come first, but both together.

HSS said...

Oh, and aside to anonymous: I'm glad you're here. Have you any published thoughts I can visit, or are you strictly "anonymous"?

It's good to be reminded of what I ought to daily know...thanks again.