“America is the most consequential nation on Earth, and in desperate need of God at the moment. If America falls, it will be a thousand years of darkness for the entire planet.”
Conservative political pundit Ann Coulter wrote the above words in a recent column entitled “Ebola Doc’s Condition Downgraded to ‘Idiotic.’” It was in response to Dr. Kent Brantly, the medical missionary, who contracted the deadly disease while serving in Liberia. He, along with co-worker, Nancy Writebol, have been transported to Emory Medical Center in Atlanta where they are receiving treatment for the virus that has a 90% mortality rate.
Intentional or not, Coulter’s column sounded caustic and mean-spirited. She accused Dr. Brantly, and other Christians who minister around the world with being narcissistic.
Coulter queried, “Can’t anyone serve Christ in America anymore?”
Then she sarcastically answered her own question. “No — because we’re doing just fine. America, the most powerful, influential nation on Earth, is merely in a pitched battle for its soul.”
Ms Coulter continued to suggest that Dr. Brantly would have accomplished more good by staying in America and treating the poor in Zavala County, Texas, his home, or “converting a Hollywood power-broker to Christ.”
While Ann Coulter raises some legitimate questions in her article, I would suggest that how and where I serve Christ is a matter of passion, priorities, and personal opinion. It also has to do with a person’s talents, skills and opportunities. Nothing that I have read or heard suggests that Dr. Kent Brantly is anything less than a compassionate, committed Christian seeking to use his special skills to serve where he able to do good.
However, the thesis of Ann Coulter’s column raises even a larger question. What is the last, best hope of the world? Googling this phrase will produce 231,000,000 results in .33 seconds! A quick pursual reveals articles, books, speeches and commentaries from both secular and religious writers. Opinions vary. But most suggest that America is the answer to the world’s problems.
I beg to differ. While I love my country, and consider myself a loyal, patriotic American, our land of the free is not the world’s best hope. America is not the answer!
Jesus Christ is the Answer! The Bible says, “the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope.” He is called “the hope of glory.” “The blessed hope.” And the “living hope.” (Titus 1:1; Col. 1:27; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:3). The Hebrew writer affirms that Jesus Christ is heaven’s greatest Messenger! His mission and ministry affords us “better things”–a “better sacrifice,” “better promises,” and a “better hope.”
Jesus ushered in the “gospel of hope.” He and His word provide the answers to the world’s ills–the sickness of soul, the scourge of Satan, and servitude of sin. Our real problems are not economic. Or social. Or political. They are spiritual.
Our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, was correct when he said, “We do not need more national development, we need more spiritual development. We do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. We do not need more law, we need more religion. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.”
My prayer for Dr. Brantly, those he compassionately served, our sinful world, and our readers is Paul’s petition for the Roman Christians: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
Well said. Amen
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