To build up or tear down

To build up or tear down

By Clayton Adams To build a wall or not?

Our nation is wrestling with this very question.

This question influenced our last presidential election and no doubt it will have an impact on the 2020 and future presidential elections too.

Walls support roofs, keep out the weather, creates boundaries for property lines, keeps things safe, keeps things and people in or out. Walls are boundaries and depending on one’s view, boundaries are either good or bad. In the Bible there are many mentions of walls.

In the Bible, God tore down walls, such as in the city of Jericho, (Joshua chapter 6). On the other hand, God built and rebuilt walls, such as in Jerusalem, (Nehemiah chapter 2). In these two examples, walls served the same purpose — protection.

The wall around Jericho prevented the Israelites from taking possession of the Promised Land given to them by God many years prior. It was a miracle of God the wall was destroyed and allowed the Israelites to take possession of their land.

The wall around Jerusalem served the same reason, protection. Unfortunately, the people of Jerusalem became prideful, arrogant and turned away from God. God allowed the enemies of Jerusalem to grow to such strength they were able to breech the wall and conquer the city, this was their punishment for their pride and arrogancy.

There was one wall in the Bible that was invisible to the human eye. To Adam and Eve, living in the Garden of Eden, God said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

Well, you may know the rest of the story. Adam and Eve crossed the boundary and took what God said not to take. Their crossing the boundary brings us to today, for here we are trying to figure if a wall (boundary) is good or bad, is it wise or unwise?

I have always understood why people want to come to the United States. We have the greatest country that has ever existed on God’s planet. There is an unending amount of opportunities for people to better themselves in every area of life. What greater purpose can a nation give to its people than what is stated in the Preamble to its Constitution; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These United States is the product of immigration and according to The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation; “Most scientists believe that human beings first came to America over the Bering Straits about 20,000 years ago. These were the ancestors of the many Native American cultures, which would people the landscape for thousands of years.” (www.libertyellisfoundation. org/immigration- timeline – accessed 17 February 2019).

Who wouldn’t (if they knew what is available) want to come to this great country? People from around the world yearn, struggle and die in pursuit of happiness and freedom and our nation stands out as the shining example of opportunity and freedom.

There is not one people group, nationality, language group, color, religion or faith, that did not first come from another part of the world. We are a nation of immigrants. We are, as the motto states, “E Pluribus Unum” which means “Out of many, one”. However, no one can honestly deny that times have changed. In our world, if a nation does not control its borders and entry into their country it becomes a candidate for attacks by those who wish to do harm to their way of life and nation. We need no other reminder than September 11, 2001 otherwise known as 911 when 2,996 innocent men, women and children were killed by people who desired to steal, kill and destroy America’s way of life because they simply disagreed with our way of life.

These United States is the prize of the world.

Because of this we are also the target for terrorists, anarchists, (home grown and foreign) and those who wish to cause death and destruction and have America brought down to third-world status.

To travel to another country, I must have a passport, and declare what my purpose is in that country.

All the great attractions I have visited are protected by walls, security guards, and camera’s everywhere.

The Vatican in Rome has a thirty-nine-foot-tall wall surrounding it. The Queen of England has a wall and iron gates around her palace. The wall and gates around the White House are to keep those inside safe and to keep others out. Walls around prisons keep inmates in and others out.

Walls serve their purposes very well.

Any country that does not control their borders has not lasted very long.

Unprotected nations are invaded, conquered and falls into the pit of forgotten nations. Is this the future of America?

Like you, I have an opinion on the wall but what I have difficulty with are those who are professing themselves to be wise are proving themselves foolish (Romans 1:22).

We have enough fools on both sides of the wall.

Clayton Adams has a message of faith he would like to share with the community. He would also like to hear from you. E-mail him at claytonpadamslll@ gmail.com.

‘Time in the Word’