The theme for the school's chapels this year is Christian character traits.  I had to cancel my scheduled chapel time last week because of my wife's jury duty, but I was able to fill in a blank spot they had for this week.  The character trait to be discussed?  Patriotism.  

I struggled with this at first.  Initially it seems somewhat counter-Biblical to emphasize allegiance to a temporal authority as a Christian character trait.  I debated a variety of directions I could go with it.  But these are young kids, and it certainly wouldn't be appropriate to try and drive a nuanced sermon on how to determine when you should or shouldn't obey the law.  Right now they participate in uncivil disobedience fairly regularly.  When they're older, I'm sure someone will explain civil disobedience to them.

Can a Christian be encouraged to be a patriot?  Is it right to emphasize our allegiance to our country when we know that we are ultimately (and firstly) citizens of the kingdom of heaven?  It was definitely a good exercise for me to think this through in very, very simple terms.  I came up with a simple three-fold lesson.

1.  We as Christians should be patriotic because countries and nations are something that God has given to the world.  I used as my basis for this Genesis 11 and the tower of Babel.  At the end, after the languages are confused, the people are dismissed across the earth.  I see this as the beginning of nations.  People gathered together culturally and linguistically, and separated geographically.  I believe that nations and the divisiveness that comes with them is a post-Fall issue.  I don't think God's original perfect design included this sort of arrangement because God was in direct relationship with his creation.  The intermediary entities of nations and governments probably weren't going to be necessary.  But after the Fall, we (as Lutherans) would say that God governs directly in the Church and his Kingdom, but indirectly in the 'secular' world through governments.  

2.  We are good Christian citizens of our country - patriotic - in two ways.  The first way is that we pray for our leaders.  All of our leaders.  All of the time.  We pray for their protection and for wisdom and strength to do their jobs well.  Base text for this is 1Timothy 2:1-2.  We don't just pray for the leaders we agree with or like, we pray for everyone in office and authority by virtue of the fact that they are in authority.  We don't have to agree with what they do, and we are duty-bound to keep them in line to the extent that we can or are allowed to.  In our country we are free to vote against them and even recall them.  But we are not given the option of not praying for them.

3.  We are also patriotic and good Christian citizens when we carry out our civic duties.  In our country, that means exercising the right to vote when we turn 18, serving on jury duty, and paying taxes.  Those are the essential requirements of all citizens, and we are patriotic and demonstrating love for our country when we fulfill these duties to the best of our ability.  

It was good for me to think through this issue more.  There are complex issues at play, to be sure.  But for young children, I think (hope?) that these are basic ways of thinking about our role as citizens.  It's good - to love your country.  Most people in most nations love their country, even if they hate their government.  As Christians we love our countries hopefully with eyes wide open - recognizing that regardless of how good or bad our leaders may be, they are to a greater or lesser degree fulfilling a role that God has carved out for them in this world.  

So, that was chapel for this morning.  Other ways you would have approached it?  Things you would have added?