Sacrifice Deserves Stewardship

In September of 1776, a young schoolteacher named Nathan Hale stood on the edge of eternity. Captured by the British as a spy during the early days of the Revolutionary War, he knew his fate was sealed. At just twenty-one years old, he was about to give his life for a country that was even younger than he was.

His final words have echoed through American history: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Those words reflect a kind of patriotism that is both rare and noble. Nathan Hale believed preserving liberty for others was worth his own life. 

And Hale was not alone. America has a long heritage of men and women who have been willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to preserve the freedoms we hold dear.

From the earliest days of our nation, liberty has been purchased at great cost. There were those who left everything behind in search of religious liberty. There were those who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish a new nation. And there have been countless men and women since who have given what Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion” to preserve our freedom. 

These were real people with real families, real hopes, and real futures. They did not sacrifice in the abstract. They laid down their lives so others might live in freedom.

That sacrifice demands our gratitude. And it demands our stewardship. 

We have inherited freedoms that were purchased at great cost. But freedom is not sustained by indifference, nor is it preserved by convenience. The liberties we enjoy today were entrusted to us by those who valued them enough to suffer and sacrifice for them.

As Christians, we should recognize that the freedoms we enjoy are trusts to steward for the glory of God. 

We steward our freedom when we remember its cost.

Memorial Day is more than a holiday weekend. It is a summons to gratitude. We should teach our children that freedom was not created in comfort and is not preserved by ease. A people who forget sacrifice will eventually take liberty for granted.

A people who forget sacrifice will eventually take liberty for granted. Share on X

We steward our freedom when we pray for our nation.

America’s deepest needs are not merely political or economic; they are spiritual. We should pray for revival, for wisdom for our leaders, for courage among believers, and for a renewed national turning to God. God promises, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

We steward our freedom when we proclaim the gospel.

The freedom to preach Christ is one of the greatest liberties we possess. We should not waste it. 

Jesus came to give a freedom greater than political liberty—freedom from sin, guilt, and eternal separation from God. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). The best use of our national freedom is to proclaim eternal freedom in Christ.

The best use of our national freedom is to proclaim eternal freedom in Christ. Share on X

We steward our freedom when we live as faithful witnesses.

Christians should be known for integrity, compassion, moral courage, strong families, faithful churches, and love for their neighbors. Our lives should demonstrate that the gospel we proclaim is true and transforming. We should live as people who are “without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

We steward our freedom when we train the next generation.

Ronald Reagan famously warned, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” 

Nothing precious is automatic. Truth is not passed on by accident. Neither is gratitude. If we do not teach our children the cost of liberty, the historical foundations of our nation, and the truth of God’s Word, someone else will teach them a different story. We must intentionally pass on both biblical conviction and a grateful understanding of the heritage we have received.

If we do not teach our children the cost of liberty, the historical foundations of our nation, and the truth of God’s Word, someone else will teach them a different story. Share on X

We steward our freedom when we stand without compromise.

There will always be pressure to soften truth, remain silent, or conform to the spirit of the age. But freedom must be used with courage. When culture or government conflicts with God’s Word, our answer must be the answer of the apostles: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Freedom Isn’t Free

We may never be called to give our lives as Nathan Hale did. But we are called to recognize the cost of what we have received and to live in a way that honors it.

As American citizens, we are called to value freedom, protect it, and use it for what is right.

And above all, we are called to steward the freedoms God has allowed us to enjoy for the advancement of the gospel.

Additional Note: The story of Nathan Hale is included in my new book, Founded on Faith. In a time when many are rewriting the past and questioning the principles that made our nation strong, this short, inspiring read tells the true story of America’s founding, highlights the biblical foundations that shaped this country, and encourages us to stand for freedom in our day. I hope you’ll read it and share it throughout this summer, as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday.