Still a Vital Question
A number of years ago, I had a conversation with a man I had a lot of respect for. He was a war vet. A committed member of the church I was pastoring. A man who had a servant heart. If something needed doing, he was the one to call on.
We were standing in front of the church discussing where to put a new flagpole the church had voted to install. This was something he had wanted for a long time.
On the spur of the moment I asked since this was a church, which flag would go on top, the American Flag or the Christian Flag? He looked at me with a very puzzled look and said, “why the American Flag of course”.
He wanted to know why I asked that.
I said that I was just curious. That usually a flag on top meant that it was the one that had our highest loyalty. Since Jesus was to have our highest loyalty shouldn’t the Christian flag representing faith in Jesus be on top. He emphatically reminded me that that wouldn’t happen.
I switched my approach and said “Which is most important, being a good Christian or being a good Citizen? His response was, “I thought they were about the same”.
I wonder how many Americans would agree with him?
PS. I served in the Marine Reserve 1961 – 63 and active duty in the US Army from 1963 – 67. Staff Sgt E-6. My dad retired from the Army following service in WW2 and Korea. I had a son who retired from the US Air Force after 20+ years of service with multiple deployments. Just saying!