By Graham Glover –

Most say they would die for their family. Many say they would die for their faith. To sacrifice one’s life for their loved ones or their Lord is not too big of a stretch to make. Comments like these seem to be commonplace, regardless of whether or not such claims will ever truly be known.

But what about one’s country? Would you die for it? Would you sacrifice your life for your nation?

For those I serve the answer to this question is obvious. The men and women of our Armed Forces would not have joined the military in a time of war were they not willing to put their life on the line for their country. While some struggle with the reality of taking the life of someone else, the vast majority of the Soldiers I know wouldn’t think twice about giving their life for the nation they love.

Would you? Would you die for your country?

Would you give of yourself knowing the effects your loss of life would have on others, all for your native land? Would you sacrifice your life for the benefit of your fellow countrymen?

What I’m really trying to figure out is how important your country is to you. Again, I’m assuming that for most, family and faith are non-negotiables. These are the things for which one would (even if reluctantly) die. But is the same true about one’s nation? Is your country that important?

We talk a lot in this nation about how great America is – this despite her many problems. We use terms like freedom and liberty as though the United States is the last protector of them. America, it seems, has become the sole defender of democracy and the rights it preserves. Even when we travel abroad and see the ridiculousness of many American “isms”, we still put our nation on a pedestal. America is the greatest. At least that’s what we say.

But are we willing to put our words to the ultimate test? Is our nation, what it stands for, and its well-being so important that we would do anything and everything that within us lies to advance its cause? Would we stand tall for these United States as less than 0.5% of our population does today? If put in the situation where we were asked to sacrifice ourselves for our nation, would we do so? If so, why? Why would you be willing to give you life for your nation? If not, what is your reluctance? What could possibly be more important?

I ask this question not because I’m looking for patriotic martyrs or because I think only those who serve in the Armed Forces are capable of answering “yes”. Rather, I ask it to gage from you, the readers of The Jagged Word, how important your nation is to you. And there is no more profound way to understand its importance than asking if you would die for it. Is your nation that important?