By Michael Quinn Sullivan | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice
A self-governing people must be eternally vigilant. The first three words of our Constitution make it clear who is supposed to be in charge: “We the people.” Without the citizens taking an active and engaged role in civic life, the notion of self-governance collapses.
In the Bible, we’re told the people of God went to the Prophet Samuel and begged for a king. Up until then, they had lived — for better and for worse — as a uniquely self-governing people under the rule of God. Things were better when they followed God’s rule and worse when they did not.
Just as they had been warned by God Himself when they rejected Him, the rule of man under a king didn’t work out so well, either. Within a couple of generations, Israel split apart and was then torn asunder.
After a period of exile, God called them back to Israel. Nehemiah was tasked with rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. (As a quick aside: yes, the building of walls to define and secure a nation-state from invaders and evil-doers was blessed and encouraged by God.)
There were any number of enemies who wanted to thwart the return of the Jews, and so in Nehemiah 4:9, we’re told that the people “prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.”
Everyone prayed, everyone worked, and everyone guarded the work. Everyone was responsible. And they succeeded.
Too many of us today have forgotten that simple lesson.
If this republic conceived in liberty will long endure, it will only be because we — the people — are wholly committed to being self-governing leaders actively engaged in the hard, exhausting work of practical governance. We must be praying for each other and our countrymen. And we must be actively prepared to defend our land.
It is our duty, not someone else’s.
We must, with joy, accept the awesome responsibility of self-governance so that we and our children can enjoy the fruits of Liberty. So, let’s pray, stay on guard, and get to work!
Michael Quinn Sullivan is the publisher of the Texas Scorecard.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.