One day a historian from the United States asked a former president of Argentina why South America with all of its tremendous natural resources of iron, copper, silver and gold….its great rivers and forests is so far behind the United States in development? After a few moments of reflection, the President of Argentina said: “I’ve come to the conclusion that South America was settled by the Spanish, who came from Europe in search of gold. North America was settled by Pilgrims who came in search of God and human freedom.”
When I visited Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg I witnessed how our founding fathers and mothers put God first in their lives, building churches and setting aside Sundays as a strict day of prayer, worship and rest. To be founded on God and the bedrock of our faith makes all the difference in the world for our nation, our families and ourselves.
Today our nation struggles with democracy, our unique form of government, the laws of our land, Supreme Court decisions and the integrity of our elected officials.
But it all boils down to the words of the former president of Argentina: “Do those who shape and form our democracy today come in search of gold or in search of God and human freedom?”
Alexis de Tocqueville, the great early French commentator on America said:
“I sought to find the greatness and the genius of America in her harbors and rivers – and it was not there….in her fertile fields and boundless forests – and it was not there, in her rich mines and her vast world commerce – and it was not there….in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution – and it was not there.
“Not until I went into her churches and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.
“America is great because she is good. If America ever ceases to be good,
America will cease to be great.”
At the age of 81, I ask myself every day – “When I die, am I leaving my country a better place than when I was born? If not, what should I be doing about it?” Do YOU ask YOURSELF this question?
TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD!
My Commentary:
This reflection beautifully reminds us that the true strength of a nation lies not in its natural resources, wealth, or political systems, but in its moral and spiritual foundations. The comparison between the gold-seeking colonizers of South America and the God-seeking Pilgrims of North America underscores a profound truth: intentions shape destiny.
When America was born, it was not merely a new nation but a new idea—a society rooted in the pursuit of liberty, justice, and divine guidance. The early settlers’ focus on worship, community, and the sanctity of the Sabbath was not peripheral; it was foundational. These values shaped laws, families, education, and civic responsibility.
But today, as the commentary warns, we are in danger of forgetting the compass that once guided us. In a society preoccupied with material gain, the question lingers: Do our leaders, and do we as citizens, pursue gold or God and human freedom?
Alexis de Tocqueville’s reflection pierces this question with prophetic clarity. America’s greatness, he concluded, is a byproduct of its goodness. The genius of America was not in its natural bounty or democratic framework, but in its moral fire, kept alive in its churches, families, and hearts.
This is not a call to nostalgia or theocracy. It is a call to conscience. To the integrity of our values. If we forget the moral and spiritual commitments that made this country flourish, then greatness will become an illusion—loud on the outside, hollow on the inside. The greatness of America begins in the soul of its people.
My Prayer Reflection:
God of our fathers and mothers,
You led the Pilgrims across stormy seas not just to find a new land,
but to plant a vision—of faith, of freedom, and of justice for all.
We thank You for the foundations laid by those who sought You first.
Their footsteps echo in our prayers,
Their sacrifices breathe in our freedom.
But Lord, we confess: we are drifting.
In our pursuit of gold, we have too often forgotten grace.
In our hunger for power, we have too often silenced love.
Call us back, O God.
Call our leaders to integrity.
Call our communities to compassion.
Call our churches to be pulpits of righteousness once more.
Let our greatness not be measured in riches, but in mercy.
Not in might, but in moral clarity.
Not in success, but in service.
Make us again a people who seek You,
Who defend the dignity of every person,
Who hold freedom sacred, and see Your face
in the love we show to one another.
If we are to be great, let it be because we are good.
And if we are to be good, let it be because You dwell among us. Amen.
Please share my Message with a friend this 4th of July. This Message will get a lot of people thinking and hopefully talking to one another. Invite them to subscribe to: TreatsfortheSoul.org. Do listen to my Podcast by clicking the white arrow in the blue circle and invite others to listen as well.
