Secretary of State Marco Rubio used a speech in Athens on Wednesday to argue that the West is at a turning point. He framed it as a choice between rebuilding national strength and drifting into decline. Whatever your view of the policy details, the speech raises a question that matters to people of faith: what holds a civilization together, and what happens when it loses confidence in itself?

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From the Daily Wire:

Speaking in Athens, Greece, with the Acropolis behind him, Rubio argued that Western civilization owes its strength not only to democracy and political institutions, but to a deeper set of qualities inherited from ancient Greece: “fierce individuality and relentless ambition,” “daring exploration and invention,” and “a yearning for discovery, for adventure, risk and glory.”

“Over time, we in the West came to feel ashamed of the very things that made us exceptional,” Rubio said. “We felt embarrassed that our achievements set us apart from the rest of the world.”

“The next decade and the decisions we make will write the story of the next century,” Rubio said. “The course we take will determine whether the West maintains its place at the head of the world or resigns itself to a future of atrophy and servitude and decline.”

Rubio said the ancient Greeks organized their society around the pursuit of excellence, with competition in philosophy, art, athletics, war and statecraft. He pointed to the Greek idea of thumos, which he described as the fire of passion, strength, courage and pride. He said a nation without it loses the will to fight, strive and survive.

In his telling, the West lost that confidence and paid for it. He linked the change to open borders, outsourced industry, weakened militaries and decisions handed to international institutions. He also said rivals have moved into the space that Western weakness left open.

Rubio said the Trump administration has chosen a different path. He cited efforts to secure critical supply chains, rebuild American manufacturing and the military, and compete in emerging technologies. He urged Europe to do the same, saying rising defense spending, new partnerships and expanded manufacturing suggest the continent is beginning to turn around. He also argued that diplomacy has to be backed by the credible ability to use force when it fails.

Scripture does not ask believers to be ashamed of the good a nation has built, and it does not ask them to worship national power either. Proverbs 14:34 says righteousness exalts a nation, while sin is a reproach to any people. Romans 13:4 says the governing authority does not bear the sword in vain, which makes legitimate defense a God-ordained responsibility. Ecclesiastes 9:10 urges us to do whatever our hands find to do with all our might, which supports the pursuit of excellence. Proverbs 21:31 adds a needed caution: the horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord. Strength matters, but it is a means of stewardship, not an end. Christians can value courage and competence while remembering that a nation’s lasting character comes from its moral foundation, not its military or economy alone.

Let’s pray for Secretary Rubio and for President Donald Trump’s administration, that they would pursue strength with wisdom, humility and a commitment to justice. Let’s pray for European leaders, that they would take seriously their responsibility to protect their own people and defend freedom. Let’s pray for the men and women of the military and their families, who carry the cost of any nation’s decisions. And let’s pray for the church in the West, that it would be confident in the truth it has been given and would renew a nation’s moral foundation, remembering Proverbs 14:34.

How are you praying about this issue? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments below.

(Excerpt from the Daily Wire. Photo Credit: Spencer Davis from Pexels via Canva Teams).