Americans around the country this week will gratefully celebrate America’s 250th birthday. This is a monumental milestone as we celebrate two and half centuries as a nation built upon the laws of nature and nature’s God. But for many Americans there is a question in the back of their minds.
Can we last another 250 years? Some are wondering if we can last another 50 years.
What do all America’s accomplishments matter if it will not be here for our grandchildren?
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There’s no doubt that the United States has had a pretty amazing run. We fought our way to independence, forged a nation out of wilderness, established a robust system of liberty and justice, and triumphed in two world wars.
But despite all our great accomplishments, is America’s golden age a relic of the past? Are we now on the doomed and steady road of gradual decline? Or worse? Are we on the edge of a great precipice?
Of course, no one but God knows the answers to these questions for certain. But there’s at least one story that should give us hope for the future.
Many historians have noted the similarity between the American republic and the Roman Republic. This is not without good reason. Many of the ideals, principles, and systems of the Roman Republic have been preserved in the United States. This causes some to wonder if the United States will fall into the same manner as Rome. Will it cease to be a republic and become a tyrannical empire caught up in endless war, unchecked immigration, and unsustainable high inflation?
I don’t know if the Romans celebrated their 250th anniversary. But if they did, they could only have imagined that they were barely half way done. Rome lasted as a republic for nearly 500 years. Furthermore, the systems they created would still exist in a technical and formal sense for another thousand years. And the best parts of their legacy persevere to this very day.
I don’t know what the future holds for America, but I don’t think that persevering, even thriving, for another 250 years should be taken off the table as a real possibility. There’s a lot going for America – abundant natural resources, two oceans on either side, a rich and robust culture, strong founding principles, and a hearty people who continue to fight on.
But if America lasts 500 years or more, it won’t be by accident. It will be hard fought. We must work for it and work hard. This means voting in every election, even the local ones. It means fighting for truth and liberty.
But it also means doing the less obvious, more mundane, activities. For America to survive, you need to do little things. Treat your wife and kids correctly. Work hard at your job. Go to church on Sunday. Celebrate Independence Day like you mean it.
Cultures are created by millions of people doing little things every day. If we want American culture to thrive, we have to be willing to do little things.
So happy 250th birthday, America.
May God grant you 250 more.
Joshua Stilwell is the editor-in-chief of Warren’s Voice
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