Responsibilities of Citizenship

There is a pervasive view in our country that is distinctly un-American.  Basically and generally, this view says, "Let someone else watch out for us and/or fight for our freedoms."  It's a type of "willful blindness", a hashtag I saw on Twitter this afternoon.

Yesterday morning, I was listening to an interview with an Israeli man.  I learned that all Israeli citizens are required to be in the Israeli military forces (except for the very physically or mentally disabled), and that all Israeli citizens are trained in self-defense, that is, how to use a firearm.
Needless to say, the nation of Israel remains in a constant state of defense, being constantly attacked from enemy forces.  However, their people are as prepared as it is reasonably possible to be!

In America, although attacks are escalating, we are increasingly taking our freedoms for granted and allowing the other distractions of life to prevent us from protecting them.  We are not, by and large, being vigilant.
However, the rights of citizenship are dependent upon the responsibilities of citizenship in order for those cherished rights to be preserved.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Edmund Burke

One American manifestation of this is voting.  In local elections, where elections have tremendous consequences, the voter turnout is shockingly low.  It is not much better in primaries/national elections.

Another example:  When our sons were involved in JROTC in high school, most of the parents of the cadets did not join the booster club.  It was fine with the majority of parents to let others make decisions for them and their children.

Still further: in community organizations, most of the members do not even know what the governing documents say, much less do they know when their rights as members have been infringed.  They view the foundational, guiding documents as mere paper.  As a result, the opposite can occur.  A small group of members can then flagrantly trample on the rights of the members, because the members are "blissfully unaware" of their rights.

In Philippians 3, where we have been studying the past several days, Paul speaks of the Christian's heavenly citizenship, the gift to every believer in Jesus Christ.  He also speaks of the responsibilities of citizenship - - -

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 (KJV)

That doesn't sound like "sitting back and doing nothing", does it?  Fulfilling the responsibilities of our heavenly citizenship sometimes requires tremendous, supernatural courage: courage to live for Christ, to fulfill our calling, to confront evil, to love the unlovely, to evidence Christ's beautiful holiness and grace.

May it be so, Lord Jesus!  In Your holy name, amen.