While diversity has always been a struggle in the United States, it has, and is our strength. People from different walks of life, from different regions of the globe coming together to live under one flag, to be one nation under God. In our history we have not lived up to the claim “one nation under God”. It is a lofty ascent, and possibly impossible to achieve.
I do not think those who formed our Constitution and created this union of United States sought a nation where everyone claimed to be a Christian or embraced a common faith. I believe their idea of “one nation under God” was much grander than everyone having a shared faith. They were confessing that God is the Sovereign reigning King and hoped to establish a nation of diverse people who would acknowledge that declaration of faith through whatever faith they possessed.
The idea of “one nation under God” isn’t a clarion of unified thinking and believing. This idea is a hope that civilized humans could live together with this one simple conviction that each of us are created equal by our creator endowed with certain rights, and have the freedom to pursue happiness. Our forefathers had the vision of a Country where diverse people of diverse religions could live together in peace and embrace as countrymen under a flag that said we will treat one another as God would treat us.
This idea of one nation under God is a call to see our diversity as a strength. Imagine if you went to purchase a box of 24 crayons and they were all green. 24 green crayons. Not only would that be boring, but your art work would lack creativity. The desire for a box of 24 crayons is to find 24 different colors. The beauty, creativity, and value of that box of 24 crayons is found in its diversity.
The value of our nation is different races within different cultures who think differently, who embrace different values uniting and sharing under this one idea that we are a nation under God.
America will always be diverse in culture and race, and if we embrace our diversity as God created, then united we can be a beacon of light on a hill for all. However, if we continue to use our diversity to demean and divide, then, divided we shall fall, first from our own conviction we are a nation under God, and then, fall as a people.
It takes more than one color to paint a beautiful world!
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