Refugee Navy Secretary Calls for Gratitude and Law

A Vietnamese refugee who became Secretary of the Navy is making waves again for words that cut straight through the political noise. Hung Cao, recently elevated to lead the U.S. Navy under President Trump, first delivered these words in a now-famous speech at the Republican National Convention. “Don’t come to this country and ask for the American DREAM if you’re not willing to obey the American LAWS and embrace the American CULTURE.” Cao, who escaped Vietnam with his family just days before Saigon fell to the communists, opened that speech by knocking on the podium, telling the audience that knocking is the scariest sound you can hear when you live under communist rule. He went on to share that America saved his life, that he graduated from the United States Naval Academy, and that he repaid the gift of freedom with 25 years of service in Navy special operations. His words land differently coming from someone who has lived under tyranny. He is not speaking against immigrants. He is speaking as one. And his message is the oldest American truth there is. Freedom is a gift, and gifts demand gratitude. Scripture says the same thing about every blessing God hands His people. Gratitude is the proper response to grace, and grace always carries a calling to honor the giver. “Whoever loves a pure heart and is gracious in speech will have the king as a friend.” — Proverbs 22:11 Loving a nation that welcomed you is not nationalism. It is honor. It is the same posture Christians are called to bring to every gift God has placed in their hands. How can the American Church model the kind of gratitude and honor Cao describes this week? #truth #america #accountability