Rutgers, Foam Fingers and the USA

One of my favorite ways that fans respond in sports is the frantic waving of the index figure into the camera. We all know what it means: "We're Number One!" The funny thing though is that in most collegeiate sports where there is a rigid ranking system their is only one team who can technically claim to be number one at a time, thus really only they have the right to frantically wave that index finger. However, this hasn't stopped other teams from doing it and continuing to do it forevermore. The other night I was watching Middle Tennessee State play and after scoring a touchdown every person on their sideline who the camera did a close-up on was jumping up and down, yelling and frantically waving that figure into the camera: In their mind MTS was Number One...In reality most people don't even realize MTS is a school, let alone a school with a football team.

I think all too often we bring this type of thinking into our politics. We as Americans are so eager to raise that index finger, wave it around and loudly proclaim: "We're Number One!" We are so used to having that powerhouse, undefeated, championship type attitude that we are the best and most untouchable nation on earth. And quite honestly we have been the most powerful and dominant nation on earth for the majority of our history and still could probably claim to be "Number One!" But we must remember two things. First, we flat out have not really stood the test of time yet. We are a young nation when compared to the scope of history and so far no nation has ever been able to claim the title of invincibility. It's like when Rutgers upset Louisville last week in football - sure Rutgers proved to be talented, pulled off a huge win, but there are still a lot of games left, you haven't been in the spotlight all that long - be careful how brazenly you wave that finger in the air.

Secondly, while America may be the last remaining "superpower" on earth, the gap may not be what it once was. Once again lets look to the sports world (hey, I'm a guy - I fish, hunt and drink beer from a dixie cup - actually none of that is true except the first part). The gap between the bigtime universities with bigtime sports programs and smaller "mid-major" universities has steadily closed each year. Gonzaga U (a Jesuit school in Washington with less than 5,000 students) is a perennial basketball powerhouse; George Mason university went to the Final Four last year; just this week in college football Wake Forest blew out Florida State at home; teams like Rutgers, Louisville and Boise State are some of the nations best teams - the point is made: the talent pool in sports has begun to level off, the term powerhouse may soon become obsolete.

Can the same soon be said of world politics?

I have no doubt America is still the "powerhouse" in the arena but could we maybe admit the gap is closing? It was just reported that our naval technology isn't what it once was - at the end of October a Chinese submarine had tracked one of our aircraft carriers in open water for days, being dangerously close before our ship even picked it up. The submarine had no ill intentions but the point was made - even our military may not carry the invincible tag any more - the technologies we once boasted above everyone else may soon be commonplace.

It is trendy in evanglicalism right now to put a liberal slant on things and to criticize the conservative right so don't misunderstand me. I am proud to be an American. I have no desire to live anywhere else on earth. I love this country and want to see it defended and to succeed. Furthermore, I believe as Christians here in America we have privelege and freedom not to be taken for granted. A democracy truly is the most condusive form of government in allowing the spread of the gospel. But as the war on terror continues to rage, as political power swings back and forth between parties, as leaders come and go let us always remember our hope, security and faith ultimately do not lie in a country or in a political party but rather in a heavenly city and in a king, who has indeed prepared a house with many rooms for us, but such a house is not found on Capitol Hill.