Symbols and Substance - Citizenship and Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick has caused quite a stir. He made it from “Niner” news on the sports page to the front page, all because he sat during the playing of the National Anthem during pre-game ceremonies. He did so in protest of brutality and injustice by police towards people of color. He used the platform available to him to draw attention to justice issues that he feels strongly about and believes the nation needs to address. Judging by the massive reaction, what he did has been very effective. You have to go back a long way to find another professional athlete using his celebrity status and platform available to him this effectively to bring attention to justice issues and stand up for something vastly more important than wins, loses, and championships.On August 23rd, along with 679 other immigrants from 48 countries around the world, I took the US citizenship oath, "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."The ceremony began with “The Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” being sung by a black veteran in a wheel chair, decorated with two purple hearts and the Medal of Honor. He volunteers for this every month a swearing in ceremony is held. It is obviously important to him. Following the opening remarks and mentioning of all the countries we hailed from we stood and took the oath and listened to a speech by an immigrant from Iran, who nearly 30 years ago sat where we were sitting. Now newly minted US citizens we were welcomed by President Obama via a recorded message, and then were led in the “Pledge of Allegiance” by a member of the military and the wife of soldier serving overseas. Then we got to pick up our official citizenship certificate, citizenship package, and copy of the Constitution. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. Before I went to bed that night I thanked God and filled out my voter registration.Of course if you are born in this great country you don’t have do any of the above, you’re automatically a citizen. And what does all of this have to do with Colin Kaepernick? Well, he is proving himself to be a citizen, to be more than football player. In an utterly peaceful, legal, and non-threatening way he has stood up and reminded us that symbols only have meaning if they have substance. He is not comparing one injustice to another and thus diminishing them both. We should remember the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The pledge to the flag is to “the republic for which it stands,” and the substance of the republic is to be, “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”It was the great mistake of the ancient Israelites that they confused the symbols with the substance. Just carrying the tabernacle was not enough for God and for victory (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 4:1-11). It is possible to fly the flag, wear a badge, and don the uniform and be mean, bigoted, wicked and godless. Look no further than at those who instigated and carried out Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution. They thought having a temple and its ceremonies were sufficient to gloss over all kinds of injustices, but God did not agree. They made the symbols sacred even while they forgot what it means to be sacred people. God has never been interested in hoopla, but he has commanded holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16). The flag and the National Anthem are no more sacred than a copy of the Bible or a cross. If we elevate them to that status they will become idols of the worst kind, one patriotic the other religious. If we dare to honor God and Christ, who are sacred, and honor what is sacred to them, then our symbols will be proper reminders and not blinders.To God be all glory. One humble citizen, Pastor Hans“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:6-8 (ESV)