Make America Good Again
I’m not a big fan of greatness. I know millions of Americans—including roughly eight in ten of my fellow white Evangelicals—have enthusiastically rallied around the call to "Make America Great Again." There’s only one problem: I don’t think the phrase aligns with the message of the Bible.
Greatness in the Bible
In the Bible, "great nations" usually offer a cautionary example. From Babel to Babylon, Egypt to Assyria, Greece to Rome, empires driven by their own greatness, might, and dominance routinely fell into pride, idolatry, wickedness, and ultimately judgment (see Psalm 2:1-4; Psalm 33:10-12).
In the Gospels, the pursuit of "individual greatness" was one of the disciples' biggest blind spots. When they argued about who among them was the greatest, Jesus flipped the script by pointing to a child (Mark 9:33-37). Later, he made it even plainer: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:43).
The only true exception in Scripture is God himself. Throughout the Bible, greatness belongs properly to the Lord alone—great in power, great in faithfulness, great in love, and great in mercy. As the psalmist declares, "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise" (Psalm 145:3). When we shift the pursuit of greatness from God onto ourselves or our nation, we step onto dangerous ground.
Goodness in the Bible
Goodness, on the other hand, is central to God’s character and his expectations for human society. Throughout the Old Testament prophets and the teachings of Jesus, a healthy, faithful community isn't measured by its military strength, economic dominance, or global prestige. It is measured by righteousness, justice, and compassion.
In Scripture, goodness looks like:
Defending the vulnerable: Caring for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner—those who have no power to repay or advance our status. As Isaiah urges God's people, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17).
Practicing justice and mercy: As the prophet Micah famously summarized, God doesn't ask us to be impressive; he asks us "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Bearing spiritual fruit: When Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, greatness isn't on the list. Goodness, kindness, gentleness, and faithfulness are.
Great to Good
Idolizing greatness is how every empire falls. That's why Christians are called to be countercultural in this power-craving world—we seek goodness, not greatness. That’s the leaven of the kingdom of God. Living that out is a tough, even prophetic, challenge for the church. But as J.B. Phillips' famous translation of Romans 12:2 warns us: "Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould."
My prayer is that in the years ahead, Evangelicals will make America good again. Just imagine what that could look like!
