Truth My Kids Will Know - You Have A Place In History

Lie #9 - "What happened before me doesn't matter."

Everyone knows this saying, but it's worth repeating over and over again:
Those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it.

The world didn't start turning when you were born. There was a long chain of events that has led up to this point - some of them good, some bad. And if Jesus doesn't return for us, that chain of events will continue long into the future. 

Unfortunately, most American people today have largely forgotten that there was real life before they were here; with real people and real issues to face. The average person today has a hard enough time remembering their own life before a year ago...let alone learning about the earlier lives of their parents or their grandparents. Going back further than that - one century, four centuries, back to the first millennium after Christ - you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks of that time as real life. 

Looking through the internet, you can find videos where an interviewer would ask questions like this:

- What year was the United States founded?

- Which country did we fight to become independent?

- Which president recognized the freedom of American slaves?

- Was America the only nation that practiced slavery?

- Which American president had to face an attack on Pearl Harbor? Who attacked us?

- Which country tried to exterminate the Jewish people in the 1930's and 40's?

- Why did America go to war in Vietnam?

The funny thing is...very few average Americans know the answers to these. It's as if we've decided history should be left to professional historians - leaving us to live our current, momentary lives.

But even if we don't consider ourselves "experts" on history...everyone should have a general understanding of the events that led up to today. 

Deuteronomy 32:7 - "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders and they will tell you..."

Why should you learn more about your history?

I believe there are three answers to this:

One - Learn To Show Gratitude To Those Who Lived Before You

Did you know that you have freedom and privilege, just for being a citizen of the United States?

We are the most influential, most free, and most prosperous nation on earth. As Dinesh D'Souza once said, America is one of the only nations on earth "where even the poor people are fat." 

This is the only nation where you're not locked into a certain class of people, depending on your birth.

This is the only nation where you can freely prosper as you put effort into it.

This is the only nation where the system doesn't care what skin color you have.

All are free and equal to rise and fall based on their own decisions.

Those aren't ideological or partisan statements - they're objective facts.

This American success wasn't by accident. Entire generations have made sacrifices to hand you the country you're living in right now. 

When the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrote their names on that document, they were essentially signing their death warrants. King George considered them to be criminals, traitors to the crown, and worthy of execution. And yet all 56 of these men (13 of which were thirty-five or younger) pledged their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" to create a free nation.

Following them were a group of men and women more than 200,000 strong - all of them willing to lay down their lives...(remember this next phrase) for the freedom of people they were never going to meet. That's you, my friend.

87 years later, another generation fought to extend this freedom to its intended end, ensuring that ALL Americans could live in freedom - no matter their skin color. In spite of what's commonly being said today, America was always destined by its founders to abolish its own slavery.

- The so-called "three-fifths" clause in the constitution served to restrict the political power and influence of slave-holding states in the south.

- Almost immediately after winning our independence, eight of the thirteen original states abolished slavery inside their borders.

 -Twenty years after the constitution was signed, Thomas Jefferson banned the slave trade from bringing new slaves into the country.

Although some people tried to stop it - freedom for the slaves was inevitable, it was in the American nature. Many thousands of Americans, of all colors, laid down their lives to enforce this natural state of freedom...freedom that is still experienced by generations of Americans to this day.

Looking through the course of history, you can find men and women in every era who deserve your gratitude:

- Some of them fought and died for you in various battles.

- Some of them worked hard to provide for their own families.

- Some of them were mocked and ridiculed for doing what was right.

- Even the fact that you can read a Bible in your own home and in your own language is because brave people died centuries ago to hand it to you.

Did these people have flaws...of course. Every generation has its own cultural sins.

But does that remove the honor and courage of their sacrifices for you? Absolutely not.

Two - Learn To Keep From Making The Same Mistakes Of History

Like I said: Our story has flawed heroes in it...but it also has powerful villains that were far worse.

If we're going to succeed in the present, then we need to learn from the mistakes that were made in the past. Let me say this again: those who don't learn from history will inevitably repeat its mistakes.

How could people who called themselves "Christians" believe that it was right to own another person like property?

How could populations of entire countries eventually attack their own people and slaughter them?

How could a man who only spouted hatred and violence influence so many "normal" Germans and cause them to turn on their Jewish neighbors?

Who (or what) was responsible for the Great Depression in the 1920's?

What caused Americans to drop behind the Soviets during some Cold War years; and what allowed them to surge ahead in others?

If our nation doesn't know the answers to these questions, then how would we know whether or not we're walking down those same paths?

On the personal level:

Do you know of anyone in history that went through the same difficulties that you're facing today? Did they succeed or fail? Why?

Has anyone before you had to make the same kind of decisions? What were the consequences?

Do you think you're the first person to make the mistakes in your life that cost you dearly?

The truth is, there have already been people who faced and solved your problems...but you'll never know about them if you think everything started the day you were born.

Three - Learn To Keep Future Generations In Mind 

If we're talking about flawed heroes, you can't get a better example than King Hezekiah of Judah. He was a godly man, who brought change and reform in the small nation of Judah.

-It was King Hezekiah's prayer that protected Judah from the Assyrian empire - at a time when soldiers of that empire surrounded the capital city.

-He led a small revival, turning the people's hearts back to the Lord.

-When He was sick, Hezekiah prayed and received a miraculous healing.

This was a man that knew how to serve God.

That's what made his sin so sad. In a moment of pride, Hezekiah showed off all the wealth and power of his kingdom to Babylonian messengers - without once giving God the glory for it. In response to this sin, God announced that the same nation that saw his pride (Babylon) would carry away his descendants as prisoners. While King Hezekiah would continue to experience peace, generations after him were going to see the consequences of his decisions.

Twice Hezekiah had prayed to God and had seen miraculous results. I'm sure this could've been a third time. I'm sure he could've repented, prayed and spared his descendants from this fate. Instead, he did nothing to help them. Look at his mindset in Isaiah 39:8 (NLT) - "At least there will be peace and security in my lifetime."

Have we fallen into this same attitude? Do we realize that - if the Lord doesn't return - we'll have to hand this world, this nation, your family, to the next generation? What state will it be in when you do? What are you doing to take what you've been given and improve it for those following you?

While the world is saying "All that matters is now", my kids will know that, "I have a place in the timeline of history."