The Pledge of Allegiance

        "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic

        for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

      These words are forever engraved in the minds of all U.S. citizens. One of the first few things we learned in kindergarten was how to recite the pledge of allegiance. Ever since, we've been mindlessly reciting these words. In junior high and high school, we are required to say the Pledge every day. After so many days of thoughtless repetition--is anyone willing to count the total for me?--no one really knows what they're saying anymore.

      There is no meaning to our words. All we know is that we are told to stand--we do half-heartedly--and told to begin (ready or not). Of course, no one actually takes the Pledge seriously. Either we mumble it under our breath, rolling our eyes and groaning, or we race other students to see who can finish saying it first. There is no true respect for the flag in this. We feel no loyalty to America because we do this by rote every morning.

      Besides, what does it mean to pledge our allegiance to a flag? Is it not a mere piece of fabric? No--It is symbolic of the nation we live in, the nation we have come to love. By pledging our allegiance to the flag, we are stating we will be loyal to the United States of America. But how are we to do that? God says we are to serve him fully, so how do we serve both God and nation? We are not to put the nation in a higher place than God. If legislation was passed to outlaw our faith, we continue, first and foremost, to serve God.

      In serving our nation, serve God. When you vote, vote with your heart which should be reflecting the heart of God. Many people complain about the poor condition of the United States, yet do not vote because they feel their vote wouldn't count. The only way it doesn't count is if the vote was not made in the first place!

      Our pledge to the flag resembles our promise to God. We promise to be devoted followers of Christ. When we first accepted Him into our hearts, we are on fire for Him! We live like we mean it (Think about the kindergarteners who learned the Pledge for the first time--They are arguably some of the most patriotic people in the U.S.). Then, as the promise we made to God becomes more and more drilled into our minds, we lose track of its importance. It becomes a collection of empty, meaningless words. We find "better things to do" than serve God wholeheartedly.

      We stop fighting for what's right, we stop praying on behalf of the needy. We stop talking to God in a genuine way. Then we have the nerve to argue and complain about what is wrong with our lives, yet are still resistant to go to Him for the answers. How lackluster are your prayers? How devoted are you to God? Check your heart. Renew your devotion to God... He's waiting for you to realize you are dependent on Him, and that you need to pledge your allegiance to Him.