Idol Nation

  Over the course of my life, I have learned more and more of the national history of my home country - the United States of America.  I am a history buff, and I love understanding what culture and society was like in previous eras. 
   I remember learning about battles during the revolutionary war, I remember learning the history of my home state (Minnesota) via field trips to the state capital and other notable landmarks.  I remember learning about the Civil War, and different Presidents.  I remember learning about notable figures in American history - inventors, scientists, athletes, leaders, etc.
   The more I have learned about my country's history, the more I have come to respect it and at the same time recognize that for all of our ideals as a nation we have fostered egregious injustices.  Slavery, internment of Japanese Americans, systematic oppression and removal of Native Americans from their lands, racism, segregation and much more.  We are a nation with ideals and with a sordid and dark history.
   I have found that knowing this history has humbled me and seasoned any patriotic illusions I may have.  I have found that to be a follower of Jesus in the United States of America, is to wrestle with this history and recognize that for many the flag, the national anthem, the military, all of the essence of American culture have become idols.  There are many who have so conflated these things that they have mangled the scriptures into telling them what they want to hear.  A rugged individualist, capitalist, gun toting, violent gospel of self-reliance.
   But, when we read Jesus in his context, with well attuned cultural lenses, we are humbled to find that a great deal of the things Americans prize, Jesus didn't.  And a great deal of things American's value, Jesus would call idols.
   The call to follow Jesus, includes understanding him in his own cultural context as a first century Jew living in an oppressed state under Roman rule, the son of a carpenter, and a marginalized teacher who didn't play the power politics of the other religious leaders of his day.  Jesus is quite unique when we understand him in his own context.  And if we claim to follow him, we will find that his context challenges our own.  It is actually really hard to follow Jesus, because he will call us to relinquish things we have idolized, and that may include our national pride.
   First, go to the text of Scripture and study Jesus in his own world.  Second, let him challenge you and call out your idols.  And lastly, have the courage to say out loud that as a follower of Jesus, the American flag, anthem and all of their accouterments are not one and the same with being a Christ follower.  They can and often do run counter to Jesus' identity, mission and calling for his church.  It's time to let the idols go, and follow Jesus.