Sermon Illustrations

THAT'S MY COUNTRY

George Shultz, when Secretary of State during the Reagan administration, kept a large globe in his office. When newly appointed ambassadors had an interview with him and when ambassadors returning from their posts for their first visit with him were leaving his office, Shultz would test them. He would say, "You have to go over the globe and prove to me that you can identify your country." They would always go over, spin the globe, and put their finger on the country to which sent.

BUT when former Senate majority leader Mike Mansfield was appointed ambassador to Japan and was put to the test, Mansfield spun the globe and put his hand on the United States. He said: "That's my country."

Shultz says: "I've told that story to all the ambassadors going out. 'Never forget you're over there in that country, but your country is the United States. You're there to represent us. Take care of our interests and never forget it, and you're representing the best country in the world.'"

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons