I am proud of my country today. I’m even proud of Hollywood. I’m definitely proud of the Church of America, and pastors like Mark Driscoll and John Bevere who took the risk and flew to Haiti to do what they could to help. I’m proud because this is who America is: a compassionate nation with ample resources and unlimited desire to help the helpless.

Often our Christian roots are “pooh-poohed” in the media and our society as a whole.  However, events like this prove they are still there and strongly ingrained in who we are as Americans; beliefs deep in our core about the sanctity of life and the importance of helping others. In times of crisis, we draw on core beliefs we may not have owned, or even admitted we possessed. These stood out to me as I was absorbing the horror from Haiti, and the impact Americans are having as they respond. As we re-learn these things, we not only give Haiti—and other nations in need—hope; we give ourselves hope.

Hugh Hewitt comments on a similar note on Townhall.com:

“The surge of American troops, supplies and relief…tens of millions of dollars…ships carry comfort and saving medicines…doctors, nurses, medics rushing to the country have been trained in an American health care system…And all of it is flowing out of a generous national spirit that reflects the country’s deeply compassionate religious roots, which while primarily Christian are also fed by other religious traditions that emphasize selfless service in the same manner that the teachings of Christ do.”

If America will continue to be the compassionate, generous nation we are showing ourselves to be, we can activate the age-old principle of sowing and reaping. We sow hope, help, love, compassion; inevitably we will reap those things in our own nation. Our selflessness in this time can turn our nation’s inward focus off ourselves and our challenges onto the power we have to help those who cannot help themselves.

The cause of Haiti has given America the chance to look beyond our borders and the challenges at home, and realize how much we have to give, how much we still have access to even in tough economic times. Our distress cannot even be mentioned in the same breath as the plight of the Haitian people; and America needed to remember this. Our generosity in this moment may be a key that unlocks the future of our own country. It brings to the surface our deeply rooted belief that it is better to give then to receive. It feels good to help the helpless, and it feels like the right thing to do. It feels that way because it is!

We respond to Haiti, and other tragedies, because deep down we believe human life is precious and worth saving. Hearts burn with concern as we watch the pictures of children in rubble, dead bodies everywhere, the elderly lying in the road unable to care for themselves. We grow angry and indignant as we hear stories of children and young women being sold and exploited in the middle of such a tragedy. Our hearts tell us this is wrong, and we want to see justice done to those who would profit from such a tragedy and the resulting suffering. We look for causes to advance, and people to defend; the defenseless, the helpless, the forgotten. Some may perceive this as arrogance, but we honestly believe we can save lives and make a difference, even when others can’t.

In the same vein, we Americans are fierce individualists. We want to choose how to respond, who to help, how much to give. We also want to give because we choose to, not because someone is making us. This independent spirit is still the core of our country, even though the political leaders may have forgotten this very important point. In this time of crisis, we did not look to our government to respond. We hoped they would, and supported their response. But we would not have given up the right to respond individually. This is a subtle shift in thinking that we need to consider. One of the things that make us great as a people and a nation is our willingness to help others. When we forget this and assume people left on their own can’t or won’t make the right decisions, we are on dangerous ground.

As a result, the world will always look to America to do the right thing; to defend the widows and the orphans, to help the helpless, to feed the hungry, and to right injustice. Like it or not, history supports this fact. Who we are at our very core shines brightly in dark times. Our response of love and compassion tells a bigger and better story of who we are and what we value. All the rhetoric and politics may try to convince the world we are not who we are; we may even try to convince ourselves at times. Is America perfect? Absolutely not. Americans exploit need, act selfishly, prize wealth. We forget how blessed we are; and neglect the responsibility that comes with our prosperity.

Prosperous we are. When Haiti was devastated by the earthquake on January 12, 2010, we jumped into action. We found resources to send. News coverage poured in through the TV and Internet. Photos, causes and stories are everywhere. Why? Because deep down we care about people. We recognize that no other nation in the world is positioned to give the sort of aid and support America can. We want to feel good as we help others. We believe our lives are better when we give what we have to save or improve the life of someone else.

These are spiritual values, America. Just as much as sowing and reaping, or whatever you choose to call it, is. As we bless Haiti, we cannot help but be blessed in return. As we give to save lives and rebuild this destitute nation, I believe we can gain a new vision for our future.  A future that is much brighter than we realize, based on the core values that unite us, engage us, and make us great.