Being a Patriot

Here are a few thoughts that were triggered by all of you guys regarding to the previous blog. Josh made quite a commotion with his big "America" statements and it made me think about my own feelings towards my countries and their people. Growing up in Ukraine I never gave much thought to patriotism, the ruins of our former communist country were still very fresh and after the system collapsed everything my parents were proud of did not exist any more.

In schools we were taught how great our country used to be and how precious it's heritage is, but when I saw people struggling for mere survival that whole talk did not make much sense. Looking back now I can say that I'm proud of Ukraine: I'm proud of it's people and history, of the courage and perseverance, of it's land and cultural heritage. But what does it mean to be a real patriot?

Does it mean that I think of Ukraine as the best, smartest and coolest country in the world? Do I despise other nations? Do I not recognize or ignore the country's downfalls and flaws?
No, I don't. For it's obviously not right and so I learn to love it despite it's fail to be the richest and most prosperous land, and I learn to love it's people although they might not be the friendliest and smartest nation on the planet (although we are probably in the top ten of the latter). See, for me to be a patriot means to love your country and be proud of it and be ready to stand for it and at the same time to respect other people's right to love and respect their country, not bringing everyone else down but to lifting them up.

I live in America now, and it is prosperous and it is cool. I lived in Germany and it was even more prosperous. I want to live in Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Brazil and a dozen other countries. Don't ask me how I'm gonna do it since life expectancy for women is about 70 years. But I want to do it because I admire how different we all can be and how fun it is to learn the differences and start understanding each other.

Josh, no offence, but your comments about America seemed somewhat arrogant and pridefull. I respect and admire US in many things that it's people achieved, but I do not think that it's fitting to declare the States the greatest of all. Aren't we supposed to be the citizens of Heaven? Seeking heavenly things where Christ is seated at the right hand if God? Humbly loving the world and thereby showing that there's more to have in Jesus? I was really surprised...

And just to remind you of a couple of things: the great influence that America has in peacemaking is sometimes prompted by how convenient or profitable it is to be the peacemakers. Welcoming of newcomers, ha! Try and go thru the immigration process, you'll change your mind. Religious freedom: well that's what is going to hurt you most! A Christian can't even put his foot on Saudi Arabia's soil, but you welcome all the Muslim freaks that bomb your cities. Affluence... is a good thing, but not when kept to ourselves.

So, my point in all of this is that we should humbly love each other and seek to first serve others and not declare ourselves the greatest. For last will be first in the Kingdom of God. We should be united in spite of being different (not that we can't make fun of each other and pick on one another, but we should do it in love). We should desire broken countries to be healed and it's people to be saved. And... we should be HUMBLY proud of our own countries! That's what I have to say.