A Day in Our Nation's Capital

This week, I'm travelling with the youth from my church to camp in Virginia. Today, on the way to camp, we stopped for the day in Washington, D.C.(by the way, there is way too much to see in just one day). And now, as I'm finally ready for rest after a packed day in our nation's capital, I thought I might share a thought or two about what I experienced today.
I was reminded that the true greatness of our country is not found in arrogant attempts at proclaiming such greatness, but in the humble ways in which so many women and men in this great land have fought (not only themselves but for) their sisters and brothers.
They have not only fought on the battlefields of war. They have fought in the countless courtrooms of our nation seeking justice. They have fought in the state houses to pass laws to govern this great nation. They have fought from the Oval Office seeking to make the true and fair decisions that held the power to alter the course of human history. They have fought from lunch counters in North Carolina, buses in Alabama, and the steps of the great monuments of this land. They have fought from pulpits and pews, from street corners and factories floors.
The true greatness of our country is not only measured in the size of our armory or the numbers of notches on our battle belts. No, the true greatness of our country is measured by words of documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation. The true greatness of our country is measured not by the spilled blood of our enemies, but by the shed blood of those steadfast martyrs who gave the lives for the cause of justice. The true greatness of our country is not heard in the words of the talking heads on cable news, but in the words of Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech, in the words of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Our country is great because of those who loved freedom, justice, and equality so much that they fought so that every man, woman, and child may experience them. Our country is great because of passionate, creative, humble, peace-loving, injustice-loathing people who have made a difference and who are still striving to make a difference in the nation.
I pray to God that I may have their strength, their drive, their passion, and their spirit, not so that my name will mentioned in the same air as theirs, but so that others who do not have what I have today may have them tomorrow. May it be so.

CPT