THE STILL, SMALL VOICE July 10, 2026

This past Fourth in Washington, wishing America “Happy birthday” was a sad affair.

Love and respect for the nation and our Declaration of Independence are always called for. But the celebration was manhandled with overkill. The traditional fireworks staged in the nation’s capital fizzled in a misguided effort to make the Guinness Book of World Records with the largest, longest display ever.

The problem with D.C.’s fireworks show? “Yuge” is a synonym for bluster and folly. The fireworks started off late? No problem. The weather was dangerous. But quantity trumped quality.

Watching on TV, I saw a sky so filled with explosives that none stood out. Turning to another sense to make the point, imagine if the band at the show was composed of a thousand musicians playing a dozen different melodies at the same time. Call Washington’s fireworks what it was—a visual cacophony.

Less really is more. The Bible offers a great example.

In 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah—zealous for the God of Israel—flees the wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel after killing 450 prophets of the god Baal. Following a 40-day journey, Elijah retreats to a cave at Mount Horeb/Sinai. 

God tells Elijah to come out. Then He passes by. Elijah encounters a mighty wind, an earthquake and a great fire. But God is not in them. Rather, God is discerned in a still, small voice.

Elijah doesn’t get it. We should.

Washington’s fireworks would have been far more impressive with fewer explosives. Viewers could have paid proper attention to each glowing flower rather than being overwhelmed.

But then, what else were Americans to expect when the President of the United States considers success and wellbeing to be how much money he and his family can make? How tall an arch he can celebrate himself with. And how loudly he can threaten not only enemy nations but countries who once had been trustworthy allies and now doubt their relationships with us.

As summer rolls on and the midterm elections approach, more Americans are going to have to make some noise of their own. But I fear that more of the same White House bullying and boasting will blind and deafen too many people to the damage being done to our history, our families and the legacy of freedom and decency we offer the world.

So here’s to raising our voices while we focus on the “little” things: Be honest. Show courtesy and respect. Listen to the other guy. Say hello to someone on the street. Yield that parking spot to someone who got their first. Pick up that piece of trash in front of your neighbor’s house.

For 250 years, Americans have demonstrated great kindness and courage. Not always and not everywhere. But our goodness should not be discounted. Looking heavenward for inspiration, we need to ground ourselves. Open our eyes to what really threatens us and cock our ears to hear what our fellow citizens have to say.

Overkill by the cruel forces that would drag us back to the darker days of our past will put this nation in an early grave. It’s past time to let that still, small voice move us forward. If we do, next July Fourth might be a little saner and a lot more hopeful.

Enjoy a great read about America’s 20th-century flirtation with authoritarianism in my novel RIDE THE TYGER. Order from Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, iuniverse.com, or your favorite bookstore.