“There are seasons in every country where noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism.”—Alexander Hamilton
Last night, we witnessed Lin Manuel’s masterpiece, Hamilton. In 2016, the musical received a record-breaking 16 Tony nominations and won 11 awards, including Best Musical. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Hamilton recounts the story of a brilliant West-Indian orphan immigrant whose intellect, written and spoken eloquence, politicking, and bravery caused him to rise to become one of the founding fathers of this Nation.
Alexander Hamilton was an interpreter of the U.S. Constitution. He founded the nation’s financial system—serving as our first Secretary of the Treasury. He also founded the United States Coast Guard, and the New York Post newspaper. The musical’s backdrops are the Revolutionary war and the Nation’s founding. They reveal a factious, conflicting, political people who were not only trying to free themselves from the rule of the British, but were attempting to define true patriotism (sounds familiar). Hamilton breaks down race barriers by featuring people of color…but many founding fathers held slaves and were mainly interested in their own freedom. Cognitive dissonance is when your words and actions are contradictory, but you’re not aware of it.
IMPUDENCE means not showing due respect for another person; marked by contemptuous or cocky boldness or disregard of others. Sadly, this word has described the reputation of US citizens across the world. But our countrymen are not the only impudent people in history. Scripture describes Israel this way as God talks to His prophet Ezekiel. “So I am sending you to those who are impudent and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says:’ As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.‘ (Eze. 2:4-5, NASB)
We’re heading to Midterm elections and there will likely be impudence in the name of patriotism from both sides the aisle. I’m praying that prophetic Kingdom citizens will lift up their voices and speak the whole counsel of God…which is not entirely found in either party. To attempt to explore the nuances of complicated situations is more difficult than painting broad brushes, but we have been given God’s grace to do so. It will be well worth it for us not to be impudent, but to listen first, discern, and if necessary lovingly disagree.
