The American Dream/Nightmare?
The American Dream is defined:
“the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.”
—It’s the picture of a home with parents who have a boy and a girl and a nice white picket fence as the basic understanding we all likely visualize.
I see it as a curse, not a blessing. I see it not as a good dream at all, but a nightmare. Does that mean it’s not an incredible blessing to live in America? No, be thankful you do. Does that mean I shouldn’t accept the blessings that go with it? No, not at all. Take hold of the opportunity given to you.
What makes it a nightmare is when we no longer appreciate it, in fact, we begin to expect it. Revelation 3:16-17. More than that, we begin the Robin Hood mentality of stealing from the rich (those that worked hard for their money) to give to the poor (those that have not worked hard for their money).
Now it’s important to note: Not all rich got there with integrity or even hard work. Not all poor people failed in effort, but through unfortunate circumstances have had to suffer to make ends meet. Read more HERE soon.
Many Believers, especially older generations, have grown up within the church, conservative homes, and with a biblical worldview… but they live with the scarcity mentality. It’s taboo to let others know you have wealth, that you have an ugly past, or that you live in the Spirit. God clearly lays out, in Christ, a life to the full. John 10:10. I think that includes wealth. I think it means opening your sin closet and being real (not with everyone, but with someone). I think it means walking in the supernatural. There is nothing scarce about any of that. But it’s what my generation, Generation X and others, have grown up in.
I think we are seeing the effects of that in culture today! People have lived in their secret closet of sin for so long it has created a deceitful, hiding mentality. And when they do come out, all of culture has to accept their sin.
No, I’m not only condemning homosexuals. Closets have hidden all kinds of sin, but they are certainly just that, sin. Sin is by definition:
“…any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.”
The good news about sin is that we can all be free. The bad news is that we don’t want to be. So back to the American nightmare, I mean dream. We’ve actually lived in freedom for so long that we now take it for granted. We want to be free to do whatever we want, not realizing that freedom in Christ is not only our greatest purpose, it is most satisfying. Stay close to those that lead you in that freedom, not the people that will tell you what you want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “there is a thin line between love and hate.” So too, blessings and curses are married. Here we have freedom in America, thanks to so many that have sacrificed, but we’ve taken it selfishly. Throughout history, people did not sacrifice even to the point of death just so we could cut America’s throat by living in secular freedom.
We need freedom in Christ. “Ya’ll need Jesus” the t-shirt says. And that is correct.
Human nature has done the same thing to Christ. We crucify Him all over again by not appreciating what He has done for us, rather wanting to live our own way. Hebrews 6:6.
Why do we do this to our veterans? Why do we do this to Christ? Because we are a hurt people. We pursue sin because it’s our break from reality, and we do this because we can in our blessed freedom. However, sin then consumes us, pulling us further than we expected or wanted. Before we know it, we are so far in, we cannot escape.
Stop digging. Stop the bitter root. Hebrews 12:15.
It really is that simple.
