It is Not to Make it Better

He [Rich Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs of the National
Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella organization for evangelical churches
and ministries] said he told Obama: "Religious Americans want to know why is it
you love this country and what it stands for and how we can make it better."

Full article found here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_el_pr/obama_religion

It sounds like Rich Cizik thinks that the goal of Christians in America is to make America better. While this might not sound terribly wrong and I am sure many people agree with the idea, I think Cizik and the Religious Americans he represents have misunderstood the message of Christ. The end goal of Christians is not to make America better. If that were the case, the church would merely be another civic organization. It would be no more than the boy scouts, Kiwanis, or any other social systems improving organization.

The goal of Christians in America should not be a better America. The goal should be that God’ kingdom would come and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Granted in the process of this happening, I believe that not only America but also all other nations will be better; however, the end goal is not one nation in itself, but rather the world. Moreover, the goal is not to make the world better but to be an agent of transformation in the world and to play a part in the reconciliation of the world back to God.

Asking the question how Religious Americans can make the country better is ridiculous. If you say you are a Christian, you should know how you could make this country better. That is by doing what the Lord requires of you: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Or you can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prison, love your enemy, love your neighbor, bless those who persecute you, take care of the widow and orphan, welcome the sojourner, live in harmony with one another, etc…