4th of July: The Stubborn Love For Freedom

Happy Birthday America!

On the surface, I get excited about the 4th of July for the same reasons everyone else does. Summer night, BBQ, red white and blue everything, fireworks, good friends and family. Of course the table needs to be festive and we have some good ideas below, but why do we even celebrate the 4th of July? Honestly, what's the big deal about America, and what does God have to do with it?

What does God have to do with my freedom?

At the heart of the Declaration of Independence, the day we celebrate on the 4th of July, there is a central idea. Our rights are not given to us by other men, like a king, but by God....

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

"Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights".... that means those rights just come with being a human. Hundreds of years ago, when this was written, people just didn't think that way. That thought was... well.... revolutionary. Most of the world still operated under monarchies, with rulers who had total authority and control over the people. And their laws dictated what they could and couldn't do. But...in a striking contrast... the Declaration of Independence was the people declaring what the government could and could not do. Can you imagine that audacity? This was crazy talk. As you know, the declaration wasn't received well in England and a war followed, but ultimately the Americans won and Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness still maintain as the opportunity for us today. The authors all believed back then in a God who wanted human dignity and freedom and the first Americans weren't just resisting unfair taxes or foreign control, they were declaring a basic truth about their worth and the worth of future Americans....us.

Don't All Countries Have America Type Freedom?

Uuuuhhhh, no. The central focus of the declaration was individual freedom. You get to live the life you want to live, and I get to live the life I want to live. You and I are used to this idea because we exist here, but this is a very different way of thinking than many other countries around the world, even today. This "individual freedom" is unique and it isn't going to just be handed to us by the government, that's not what governments do. Individual freedom can only be declared and maintained by....you guessed it..."individuals". Happily, Americans like to declare things. It's just kind of "in" us. We're a gritty and stubborn bunch and we have a stubborn love for our freedom and independence.

But with the freedom come responsibility. "Don't Tread On Me" may be alive and well, but it will die out quick if we don't pass it along. The good news is, Americans have been passing it along for almost 250 years now, mostly without text messages or social media, so we know it can be done. But right now, this is "our America" and our job to connect our past to our future. I like what Reagan said about it.

"Freedom is a fragile thing, and it's never more than one generation away from extinction."

So Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy this important birthday! Set the table, watch the fireworks, wear those annoying flag earrings! And in the middle of it all, maybe go around the table while you eat, and take turns talking about what freedoms you are grateful for, from a God who is interested in our human dignity to a history that fought and protected our freedom to this point. America is no where near perfect, but even with all of it's imperfections, it's still the greatest country on Earth!

Happy 4th of July!

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Here are some fun ideas for your table this year!

I love these centerpiece mason jar lights! (Amazon)

What a great American flag table runner! (Amazon)

Great paper plates from Steve's Pen and Ink American Eagle! (Zazzle)

Napkins from Steve's Pen and Ink American Eagle (Zazzle)

American Eagle Beer Glass...awesome! (Zazzle)

Popcorn holders....Love these for easy dessert! (Amazon)

Scottie Asay

Scottie is the Co-Owner of Steve Asay Creates, with her husband, artist, Steve Asay. She loves Jesus first, her husband and kids next and then traveling, cooking, decorating, a a good tea party.