In verse three of “America the Beautiful,” Katherine Lee Bates writes, “America! America! May God thy gold refine, till all success is nobleness, and every gain divine.” The process of refining gold is the same now as it was when this song was written. In order to refine gold, it must be boiled. The boiling process causes impurities to rise to the top. Once the impurities rise, the goldsmith skims the top to remove the impurities. The gold is then boiled again, and once again the goldsmith skims the top to remove the impurities. And then…the gold is boiled again, and once again the goldsmith skims the top to remove the impurities. This process is repeated as many times as is needed until the craftsman can see his reflection in the gold. In this way, the goldsmith is much like God the Father, refining us to make us like Him so that others will see Christ reflected in us. In order for our success as a nation to be noble, we must understand what “nobleness” means. There are more than 400 synonyms for the word “nobleness,” which include: decency, grace, honor, and virtue. This character trait is seen throughout the Bible as taking care of others, protecting the innocent, and managing our resources well. In order for this nation to have noble success, we must pray for our leaders, pray for those whom God has placed in authority, and in our everyday lives be a Christ-like example to our family and co-workers. The greatness of America lives in local communities by caring for each other. And ultimately, “every gain divine” is found in leading those in our community to salvation. Are you ready to let God refine you, live a noble life, and strive for divine gain by leading those around you to the foot of the Cross? What a different world we’d live in if we all lived this way!

How is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart right now? Evaluate your life and ask the Holy Spirit if it is noble? Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to share with those in your family and community to receive God’s salvation. If we all lived like this, think about what America could then be like.