American Exceptionalism and This Messed Up World

Wow. The headlines this morning. “Jihadis generate $500 million from oil as US-led air strikes miss target,” “Man dresses as priest, performs sex act at church altar,” “China military ready for USA encounter–space-based weapons,” “Asylum seekers sue Germany for not paying them benefits fast enough,” “Parents outraged after schoolchildren asked to make beds, cook for migrants,” “Refugees taunt police by posting pictures of stolen goods,” “New California law helps illegals with drug convictions to stay,” “314 criminal aliens arrested in Florida for murder, child sex crimes,” “Iran broadcasts footage of underground missile base,” and there are many, many more. Wow, what a messed up world.

I was watching the Western Channel as I often do to escape from reality and as a reminder of what once was. An episode of Gunsmoke had Doc being called out to a farm to treat the sick cow of a farmer who hated doctors. While he was there, a woman in town bled to death after falling through the window. The farmer refused to pay Doc because the cow might die and because doctors “don’t know anything.” Doc punched the farmer. The farmer stabbed Doc. Matt Dillon had to sew Doc up before he bled to death. Later, as Doc recovered, the farmer became gravely ill and his young son came to get Doc. Doc, although not healthy enough to travel, went to save the farmer’s life even though the farmer had tried to kill him.

Why? “Because I’m a doctor and there is a life that needs to be saved. And I might be able to do it,” he replied. So Matt loaded Doc in the buckboard and they went out to the farm. Doc was successful. The farmer lived. But he still refused to pay Doc because the cow had died. The farmer’s wife, however, told Doc that she was forever grateful for his good will despite her husband’s refusal to thank him or pay him. Doc and Matt looked at each other and Matt said, “I think you just got paid.” Doc smiled and nodded his head in agreement and the two walked out. This is an example of American exceptionalism. It is an example of how we as a people once thought and acted in times of adversity and injustice.

We didn’t cry to the government that we were being treated unfairly. We didn’t run to the law every time something went wrong. We didn’t deny others decency even when they were ignorant or indecent to us. We knew what it was to be a Christian first, an American second, and to stand for what was just and right. We were taught to live by Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Translated: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The Golden Rule. It was the root of American society. We can see what happens to a world when that root bears fewer branches. The world becomes messed up.