Now, I love history-- so my wife just bought me a new book for my birthday; The American Spirit, by David McCullough.
By way of a number of speeches, the author brings us face to face with some of the more valuable narratives of our own American history. One particular chapter caught my eye; an address delivered to the students of Hillsdale College in 2005, in which McCullough challenged the student body to remember their history- specifically "
to know who you are."
"
We are raising a generation of young Americans," he said, "who are by and large historically illiterate."
In his travels, he has encountered a student in a Missouri college who didn't realize that [in her own words], the thirteen colonies were all on the east coast, and students from an Ivy League institution who had no clue of the impact of General George Marshall.
He writes,
" History isn't just something that ought to be taught, read, and encouraged only because it will make us better citizens. It will make us better citizens and it will make us more thoughtful and understanding human beings." ( pg. 113)
He's right, but let me take it one step further. As believers, we stand redeemed because of the God of gods, who stepped directly into the pages of history and proceeded to orchestrate the most comprehensive reclamation project in the history of the universe. We stand forgiven and part of the family of God, because of the provision of his Son as substitute and Savior, and because of his sacrifice, we look forward to the blessings of eternity. That one piece of history should drive us to our knees in gratitude and motivate us to discover all that can be known of God; his work to prepare a people in the Old Testament and the revelation of his Only Begotten Son in the New Testament as the most significant historical figure that the world would ever know.
Truth is, with all that has been given us in form of knowledge about our God, we have every incentive to school ourselves in the wisdom made known about him through the Scriptures. After, all, it was Abigail Adams, who upon learning that her son John Quincy was forgetting his own history, and losing himself, in himself, penned a letter to him, reminding him of his potential and ending her challenge by saying,
" How unpardonable would it have been in you to have turned out a blockhead."
Here's to good books, better memories, and the best wisdom available only in Jesus.
Walk wisely
