The eye that will not defend itself

As Americans return home from the long weekend and their festivities surrounding our nation’s 235th birthday, it is time to reflect on the age in which we live, from where we have come and to where we must go from here.

To the casual observer, such as myself, it appears this world is not the friendly place many would have us believe. Am I the only one, or does it seem to you that America finds as her enemies those whom she has enriched?

Glancing across the Pacific Ocean I spy China, which in the days of my childhood was visited by President Nixon, who began the process to restore trade relations that in our day can be widely seen in the marketplace. Yet, who among us is unaware of the Chinese desire for mastery over us?

And when we turn our gaze to the Middle East, who among us does not know that the United States is the greatest oil-consuming nation on this earth? This means that every Islamic country in the Middle East has been enriched to a large part because of our commerce with them, yet they call us the Great Satan.

No, our world is not so friendly as some would lead us to believe. In an unfriendly world, America must be willing to defend herself.

But in the book of Proverbs, I find a curious verse in chapter 30: “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth of obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.”

The interesting thing about the eye is its sensitivity. So sensitive, I am told, that ravens and eagles (both at home in our Valley) instinctively know the eye that will not defend itself is dead.

Let us think about this verse for a moment.

The immediate message seen here is a warning to children, for the role of parents is to replicate themselves in the lives of their offspring. While we look on the ravens and eagles and marvel how they teach their young to be, well, ravens and eagles, for some reason the temptation is for man to believe himself to be so above these creatures that he doesn’t need the help of his predecessors. Thus, in mocking and despising, he rejects his past so that he may embrace a future of change.

Now, for a moment let us just expand this verse to the size of America, for nations are made up of people and each generation looks forward to offspring, and backward to parentage.

Can it be said that modern-day America is rejecting of her past? Indeed it can — just look at the way she dresses.

Just the other day my son was commenting on the impression made by those who wear their pants so their underwear hangs out. While many young people will shrug and say “whatever,” this was not the fashion of the previous three generations.

And this same change can also be seen in the church.

While the spirit of casual dress was creeping into churches when I was growing up, it was still the general custom to put on your “Sunday best” to go to the house of God. Strange it is that people still care to dress up for proms, weddings, sweetheart banquets and other formal occasions, but you suggest they dress their best for God and suddenly you’ve become evil.

I say this because America finds herself in unfriendly times, and many of those who want to be part of the solution may just be part of the problem, but unwilling to admit it. Those who reject the past cannot lay claim to its glories. And those who would share in the glory must return to point of departure, or else death lies ahead.

Lastly, let us consider the ravens and the eagles for a moment. Who might these represent?

Truthfully, these are not so much enemies as they are scavengers. I have a compost pile at home that is regularly visited by ravens, and I’ve seen local eagles on a roadside gut pile. While life is in the body, man is superior to these fowl, but when death ensues, they will pick his carcass clean.

As God breathed life into Adam back in Genesis 2, even so did he breathe life into those 13 struggling colonies 235 years ago, and so long as America walks with God, those who seem to be her enemies can only hope but to feed on that which she throws away. But for America to turn her back in rejection of Christianity is to bite the hand that has fed her and beckon the scavengers with her own hands.

The time has come for introspection. If you truly love your country, the time is now to amend your ways and return to the God of our forefathers, who alone is America’s help. My friend, I fear the birds are very near.

Ron Hamman is pastor of Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla. Contact him at 357-4229 or ron.hamman@gci.net.

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