Today, we need the Wisdom of George Washington. Be patient.

Beginning in 1775, George Washington won his first encounter against the British by patiently keeping Boston under siege, until the British sailed away.

In 1776, the United Colonies declared their independence from British kings. They became the United States in order to secure God-given rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Despite fighting for such inspiring ideals, George Washington endured a series of humiliating defeats during the War for American Independence.

In 1776, he was driven from New York City by the British.

In 1777, he was driven from Philadelphia (where the Declaration of Independence had been drafted and adopted).

That winter, George Washington and the American army endured suffering at Valley Forge about 20 miles outside Philadelphia.

The war dragged on for years with a number of botched battles. Nevertheless, George Washington fought on until decisive victory came at Yorktown in 1781.

The peace treaty ending the war was not reached until 1783—eight years after the start of the war in 1775!

Today, those who want to establish an ideal America need similar patience.

It’s been more than 3,000 years since the ideal America was first discovered by the hearts of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. In this ideal America,

—ALL people will be blessed (Abraham; Genesis 11:3);

—ALL pharaohs will be challenged to set ALL people free (Moses; Exodus 7:16); and

—ALL hurting people will be healed (Jesus; Luke 10:30-37).

This ideal America is the exact opposite of the Fake America advocated by MAGA. This Fake America wants to dominate others.

Specifically, MAGA’s goal is to dominate others by dominating “Seven Mountains”: government, education, media, arts and entertainment, religion, family, and business. In short, MAGA’s domination comes from uniting the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

For many years, I have warned against uniting the Powers of Money, Religion and the Kingdoms of the World. For example, on my website timharner.com please read my blogs “Beware the Union of the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World”; “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”; “Alcatraz: Imprisoned by the Powers of Kingdoms, Money and Religion; and “Alcatraz: Escaping by Using ‘Countervailing Powers’ Wisely”.

No wonder the Apostles Paul and Peter urged us to be patient.

The Apostle Paul urged us: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient; bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2). This is the opposite of MAGA urging Christians to dominate others.

Similarly, the Apostle Peter told us: “rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind” (1 Peter 2:1). It is hard to imagine a more clear command by Peter 2,000 years ago to rid ourselves of the ways of Trump and MAGA.

Peter reminded us that what seems slow to us does not seem slow to God because “[with] the [LORD] a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8).

And so, like the LORD, we should be patient with those who disagree with us “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

We should be patient, remembering that many people who we disagree with may eventually become like Paul—who persecuted the Way of Jesus but later became an ardent follower of the Way of Jesus. (See my blog “Hope after Navalny: Saul Becomes Paul!”).

As I wrote in Visions of America (first published in 2004 in the same volume as Visions of the Church), at pages 150-151:

[W]e have only just begun to raise our Star Spangled Banner. To establish the work of our hands, we must raise our Star Spangled Banner and lift our Torch of Liberty towards the heavens, despite the fact that our visions of America are not yet firmly planted in the earth.

Because even though the battle of the Cold War is won, the war against Sin is far from over:

—The War against all who are racists.
—The War against all who start wars.
—The War against all who persecute others.
—The War against all who love to hate.

America has come far. But America has much further to go.

We’ve only just begun to travel toward that Promised Land where all people will be blessed. We’ve only just begun to challenge the Pharaohs who refuse to let people be free. We’ve only just begun to sacrifice ourselves to help others.

Together with everyone who seeks to establish the ideal America first discovered by the hearts Abraham, Moses and Jesus (including people of goodwill in Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Israel, and Palestine) we must heed the call in Revelation “for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Are you patient? How? How not? Why? Why not?

Do you want to dominate other people? How? How not? Why? Why not?

Do you want to bless other people? How? How not? Why? Why not?

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For related ideas, please read my blogs “Nationalism Is Patriotism Gone Astray”, “Beware the Union of the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World”, “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”, “Alcatraz: Escaping by Using ‘Countervailing Powers’ Wisely”, and “Moving the Temple Mount”.