“There, I guess King George will be able to read that!” — John Hancock, after signing the American Declaration of Independence.

 

“My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” — Thomas Jefferson

 

246 years ago this week, our nation declared its independence and thus became perhaps the only nation on this planet that has a concrete, absolute birthday.

As someone who appreciates the history of our incredible homeland, I want to offer some words of hope and encouragement for all Americans as our national birthday approaches.

Ours is a nation that was founded on the premise that the human mind and the spirit is the most powerful force in the known universe. The men who founded America felt that “liberty” was best described as humans choosing to do what was morally correct not because they had to but because they wanted to. Then combined, those humans would collectively move toward “a more perfect union,” improving, changing, and building a better America along the way.

For this to be the actual framework of a government is mind-blowing. It literally and figuratively is unique in all of human history — a government that is moved entirely based on the will of the regular citizens it governs.

For those of you who look around and feel anything but encouraged about what you see in your country, understand that ebb and flow within America is simply a natural part of what we are, and is an integral part of our design. We move in one direction, see how it fits, and if enough of us aren’t happy about the destination we as individuals determine to collectively change our course to a “better” heading.

In other words, if you don’t like where America is heading, work to change the GPS. If enough Americans agree with you, then guess what? We take the next off ramp from the road we are now on and move in a different direction together. And, if in time that different road reveals itself to be no better, then we change it again, and again, and again if necessary until we find a better path.

Part of the problem right now with our society is we have been conditioned to want and expect things to happen right now. If the answers we seek aren’t instantly provided then we think something is wrong.

But “instant gratification” is not how the incredible design of America was built to work. Why? Because most knee-jerk reactions eventually reveal themselves to be wrong. No, to be sure, the kinds of changes a nation as diverse as ours needs are those that prove themselves through time to be the most correct.

This is why we move in a more liberal direction for a while, and then back in a more conservative direction, and so on and so on. This is nothing more than a natural correction of we, the people, as diverse as we are, working to find the best landing place possible regarding whatever issue may be in question.

Step back and think about that for a second. Again, by virtue of the design put in place by those brilliant founders some 246 years ago, we, the people of America have the power to change this nation within each and every one of us.

But alongside that power comes responsibility. Too many of us simply hopping on and hanging on for whatever ride we happen to get creates a dangerous and unstable vehicle for everyone on board. Being a productive part of America requires physical, mental, and yes, even spiritual effort and investment from each of us.

And, at the end of the day, the government we have is little more than a reflection of all of those aspects of us individually and eventually collectively.

That, here on the cusp of our 246th birthday, is the challenge I issue today. Look at yourself  in the mirror and ask the face you see this simple yet essential question: “what am I doing to make things better?”

Are you brave enough to answer truthfully?

As you answer, humbly consider the over 1,000,000 Americans who have given their very lives to defend the opportunity you have right now to make that difference. If we, as Americans, can’t find the humility and responsibility needed to honor those American patriots throughout our history with our actions in their stead then perhaps we are in fact too far gone.

But I don’t believe that to be the case. There is still much good in this amazing nation, because there is still much good in the people who comprise it — and our nation is no better or worse than we, the people are.

Walking out of Independence Hall after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, someone shouted out to Benjamin Franklin, “Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?”To which Franklin wittily yet ominously replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

If our country is worth dying for in times of war, then let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in times of peace. Our founders created an unprecedented republic for us to keep, and it is entirely up to we, the people, to do just that.

Let this July 4th serve as a reminder of our individual role in that effort.