In 50 years of marriage, we’ve owned three homes in three different states. I love a beautiful lawn. The hard clay of Georgia and Tennessee makes that difficult. The most beautiful lawn I ever had was in Omaha, Nebraska. The rich black soil made having a green yard easy. I admit, I’m a little OCD when it comes to my lawn and cars. I have my wife’s voice in my head: “A little OCD?” Whatever!

One summer I noticed brown spots in my yard, so I watered them more. The spots kept growing; I kept watering. Nothing changed. Finally, I reached down and pulled up a patch of dead grass to see grub worms eating the roots. I had been treating the symptoms (dead grass) while the problem was in the roots.

America has been treating the symptoms of our social, moral, and political problems, but continually ignoring the root causes. The progressive Left is focused on completely destroying the nuclear family. Think of President Johnson when he created his “Great Society” program. Johnson was known as a segregationist, but the civil rights and voting rights movements were growing.

The Left created a program providing support for single mothers to raise children (if they did not abort them first). Not having a father in the home occurs across the board but impacts the black community the greatest. The result has been several generations of angry, lonely, and alienated young people. The government created the problem but gives just enough to keep minorities on the government plantation — enough to survive but not to thrive.

What has the breakdown of the family done to our nation? It has resulted in divorce, single-parent homes, drugs, gangs, violence, poverty, and hopelessness. Gangs provide an alternative to family. Why are the majority of failing schools located in inner-city communities? Why are Planned Parenthood clinics located there too? This is not by accident; it’s planned.

These problems are across the board, but they’re worse in Democrat-controlled cities. I don’t have to tell Patriot Post readers what crime, drugs, and gang violence, let alone the flood of illegal immigration bringing more drugs and violence, have done to these cities. What’s sad to me is how many black politicians in these communities go along with these policies, knowing they’re not helping. They do it for their political gain.

Government is great at creating problems and throwing money at the problems progressive politics created. They are only slightly treating the symptoms of our nation’s problems. Remember President Reagan’s famous words: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

Government cannot solve the deep moral and cultural problems of our nation. But there is hope! During the hectic days of the ‘70s, young people were dropping out, turning to “sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” They were looking for peace and love. Then the Jesus Revolution came and these hippies met Peace and Love in the person of Jesus Christ, and it changed an entire generation. Only Jesus can transform a broken, wounded heart from the inside out. I’m living proof!

There’s a movement occurring across the nation. Young people without hope are finding new hope and new faith. Let’s get behind it and keep it going!

Something to pray about.