Leaves

Let us imagine for a minute that the founders of our nation determined that this was going to be not only a democratic and republican government but that it would be primarily Christian as well.
That’s not the way it is, of course, that was made up by men like Billy Sunday and his followers, Billy Graham and Pat Robertson early in the 20th century, but let’s imagine.
For all the immigrants coming in we would want to make sure that every one of them was a Christian or would become one shortly after arrival.
For that we would need to educate them liberally in our religious manners and behaviors.
It would not do to have them not participate fully in our Christian endeavors which means they would need to donate money every week on Sunday to a pastor to which they had been assigned for ‘spiritual guidance’.
If they chose not to participate in this our great land of freedom and liberty by joining one of the churches or – if one of the present church members decided to leave and cease to pay their weekly dues we would need to do something about it. They can’t just quit – can they?
So they would get kicked out of the country.
There would be only one color in all religious life.
There would be only one religion in our country and freedom of religion would mean that you were free to be a Christian…or else.
Picture in your mind an American forest. See it now in glorious green of spring and heavy leaf in summer. Then as autumn fills in we begin to see different colored leaves. But our Christian Evangelist God will not tolerate these different colors – He doesn’t care for them and so – off go the yellow leaves. Then the red leaves. Then the orange leaves and, of course, the pink leaves will be scattered to the four winds. No brown leaves either – they must be removed.
All that would be left would be good solid wood – something you could slap your hand on.
There – now the forest is all uniform.
There is nothing out of place.
The trees are all bare and the winter has set in.
But the winter will not lift.
It is the winter of hearts gone cold in their love of God and it has come because it shut out the warmth of God’s love.
The words ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ were not written for Christians alone but for Americans and all people everywhere.
So cut down your own trees, if you will, and blow the leaves off your sidewalk.
I’ll keep my yard filled up with all the colors of a mighty God’s promise of a fuller and more glorious year to come.
Come to think of it – that’s the Christian thing to do – isn’t it?