A sobering story from the AP proclaimed, “Pride in being American reaches new low ahead of 250th anniversary.” But how should followers of Jesus respond?

I hope you and your family have a wonderful and healthy celebration of our country’s 250th birthday. Here is part of the AP article:

About one-third of the country identifies as “extremely proud” to be an American … according to a new Gallup poll. Just 33% of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to live in the United States in 2026, compared to 52% who were “extremely proud” to be an American one decade ago and 59% who said the same two decades ago.

The overall pride numbers dipped by 8 percentage points in the past year, down from 41% who said they were “extremely proud” in 2025. 2026 marks the year with the lowest percentage of “extremely proud” Americans since Gallup began its patriotism poll in 2001. Likewise, fewer than half of polled U.S. adults choose to display the American flag outside their homes.

I found a response to this sad news from the “Daily Briefing” folks at Dallas Baptist University to be a blessing:

• I Stand Amazed… and I’m not alone. Over the past month, our international neighbors visiting for the World Cup have gone viral for their reactions to everything from our gas stations to fast food restaurants to ranch dressing.

• My favorite, thus far, has been a visitor from Japan writing about his experience at a Mexican restaurant and the bottomless chips and salsa. “In my land, hospitality is a debt. Every gift creates an obligation, weighed carefully, returned in the proper season with interest of feeling. Here, the gift arrives before you have even proven you can pay for dinner…. This is not an appetizer. This is a declaration: we trust you. Eat… They have wells of salsa. The supply lines of this nation are beyond anything my ancestors imagined.”

• Some want to make America great again, and others think America was never great, but could it be that we [ALL Americans] have much to be grateful for?

• As Christians, we should thank God for our country but refrain from turning our government into a god. This land of the free, because of the brave, allows us to live shamelessly for the God who sets us free. The country isn’t perfect, but it does allow us to share about Someone who is [and Whose we are].

• We can celebrate our country this weekend, counting our blessings and thanking God that we have the chance to be a blessing. (1 Thess. 5:16-18, 1 Pet. 2:12, Ps. 115:3).

Which reminds me of something G. K. Chesterton wrote long ago: People “did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.”

Perhaps that’s the posture Christians are called to this weekend—not to wait for a country worth loving, but to love the one we have, and let gratitude do its quiet work.

I really enjoy reading their “Daily Briefing.” They deliver “TODAY’S NEWS WITH BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE.” You can subscribe to it free here.

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