Years ago, when we were both young, I remember my brother quipping, “We are half from California and half from Japan. Can’t we just say we’re from Hawaii?”
Growing up in dual cultures gave me an interesting perspective on what it means to be a citizen. My passport-country has always been the U.S., but I spent almost 15 years in Japan before going to university. I stumbled over the question about my “home country” on legal documents, not knowing whether to write “USA” or “.”
Fast-forward to today. My wife and I have three kids, each with dual citizenship (Bulgarian and American) and two passports. My wife Debbie is also in the process of obtaining her U.S. citizenship. Our family is certainly an “international” family!
Our family ministers in Bulgaria with IM, Inc. The roots of communism are still heavily seen and felt throughout Bulgarian culture. Cement apartment buildings and statues of communist leaders all point back to a time of enforced nationalism under “the Iron Fist of the Soviet Union.”
Today, more than 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bulgarians still showcase great pride in their country and history, amid its shortcomings. Much of the country realizes the dire effects of being under the communist yoke. Yet, optimism is building about what it means to be Bulgarian.
Bulgarians are proud of their heritage and the renowned bread which plays a role in many cultural traditions. The Bulgarian people have a sense of duty when they go to the voting booth and when they participate in folk dances at traditional weddings. When prompted, most Bulgarians gladly share their country’s crucial role played out over the last two millennium of world history. As a citizen of Bulgaria, one gains a lot of good and benefit.
Along with that comes some bad, too. Bulgarians do not deny the stagnant nature of the Bulgarian mindset in their youth. Many people talk about the atrocities Bulgaria committed under communism: putting Christians in concentration camps and government oppression of its own people. No country is perfect.
This is true for America. We have a powerful history of religious freedom and democracy, of empowering “the huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.” The United States has turned the tides of war, beaten the odds, and been used by God to give people freedom from slavery and oppression. But other parts of our history are not so stellar: taking land from Native Americans, corrupt politicians, slavery. While I know this country has done many things to make the Father smile, it is also comprised of sinful people who I’m sure have brought tears to His eyes.
The last few general and primary elections have been divisive. Understandably so. As citizens of the United States, we have the privilege of certain civic duties. God has used and continues to use people like you and me to fulfill His will. That is why we exercise our rights as citizens. We gather freely as believers or go to the voting booth. Yet, amid fulfilling our civic duties as citizens of the United States, we have a greater responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ. Our constitution affirms we hold some truths as self-evident, but the truths found in God’s Word hold an even greater weight.
In the third chapter of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul reminded the congregation their citizenship is in Heaven. Paul charged the Philippian church to keep their eyes on Christ. As we participate as citizens of the U.S. today, it is no different for us. We must keep our eyes on Christ.
I am thankful for the myriad of benefits our children and I have — just because we are American citizens. We look forward to the day Debbie gains her citizenship, too. But that is not the end goal. The end goal is living a life that honors and glorifies the Lord. Why? Because He has given us citizenship on high!
Many people throughout history have been lured into thinking certain earthly citizenships are the chief goal of life. Consider Babylon, for instance. Babylon has a long history. We can read the account of the Tower of Babel, Babylon during the days of Isaiah, and Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon was an impressive sight to the people of its day. I am sure many people had their eyes on becoming citizens of Babylon and the benefits it would bring. No doubt, Babylon, in all its glory, seemed it would stand the test of time.
Today, 2,500 years later, Babylon lies in ruins. Archeologists dig deep to try and learn more about this city, which, at multiple times in history, was home to the greatest empire in the world.
Countries like Bulgaria, Chile, and Australia potentially face the same fate. The United States is not exempt from this list. Our citizenship and allegiance to the United States of America is a temporary entity. This great nation we live in is preishable and will only last so long. Whether the Lord comes back in two years or in 2,000 years, the United States’ future has an expiration date.
Compare this to the thought of our citizenship in Heaven, with God Most High as the Everlasting Ruler. What a stark contrast! We have the hope of a promised new heaven and new earth, no matter what happens in our country or around the world.
I find I often need the reminder of Babylon’s history in Scripture. I think of the account in Daniel 4, when King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled before the Lord. At the end of his seven-year humiliation, Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity returned to him, and he had an amazing realization of who is on the throne: the One “whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing” (Daniel 4:34b-35a).
Wow! How different my life would be if I woke up with these words on the forefront of my mind and heart! Whether my passport says US” or _____________ the King is on the throne. Whether a Republican or a Democrat sits in the White House, the Lord is Lord over all. Our citizenship in Heaven is anchored in One whose Kingdom is from generation to generation. It has no expiration date. Nothing puts that in jeopardy. The word eternal is a comforting concept when we know who holds our future.
My favorite airport in the world is the international airport in Istanbul. The shine and glamor of massive screens and the comfortable shops and restaurants make traveling through IST a little more bearable. But at the end of the day, the screens in this airport have a shelf-life. Eventually, the billboards will go to the dumpster. Thankfully, the “bling” of the airport in Istanbul is not why it is my favorite layover.
Every time I pass through the Istanbul airport, I stand in the busiest part of the terminal and watch people rushing to their respective gates. In my opinion, it is one of the best glimpses of Heaven I will experience on earth. I am not exaggerating when I say every tribe, every tongue, and every nation travels through that airport on the way to their next destination.
Please understand, I am not saying all the people I see are going to end up in Heaven. What I am saying is they represent every tribe, tongue, and nation! I know, one day, we will get to praise our Father with brothers from Egypt, sisters from Nicaragua, and fellow believers from Taiwan, all sharing the same citizenship. Our earthly citizenship could not look more different today. But one day, all of that will fade away. And forever, we will stand side-by-side as heirs to the inheritance Christ has waiting for us on high.
No matter which state or country you are from, as your brother in Christ, I urge you to praise God for our heavenly citizenship.
About the Writer: Brenton and Debbie Driscoll returned to their work in Varna, Bulgaria, in June. They are parents to son Jamie and daughters Ruby and Hallie. Learn more at IMinc.org.
