As we end the current year, I thought I would take a moment to grade the U.S. on our performance. To do so, I want to use a simple rating system, not based on politics, gender, race, social status, or geography, but using straightforward Christian metrics. To do so, I employ the two following biblical passages: Matthew 25:32-36 and Micah 6:8:

³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (Matthew 25:32-36)

⁸He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

This provides a list of performance objectives for grading: feeding the hungry, providing drink to the thirsty, treating immigrants and refugees, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting and rehabilitating the prisoners, doing justice, acting kindly, and in all ways living humbly. Note that in both cases, the judgment is of the nations and of the people, collective assessments of the whole people rather than individuals.

Feeding the Hungry – D- Talk to the recipients of SNAP, those dependent on USAID, federal grants, and school lunch programs. The poorer among us have been severely punished this year for our poverty, and in the coming year, those dependent on federal help will be told what they can and cannot use their financial support to purchase (sorry kids, no soda, cookies, or candies for you – those are treats for the wealthy deserving, not you!)

Giving Drink to the Thirsty – F – USAID funded global clean water, safe sewage, and community well projects to dozens of countries. This year, the United States discontinued 94% of such projects, creating health and environmental crises around the world. As a nation, we chose no longer to lead in humanitarian projects to give life to millions of people.

Welcoming the Immigrant and the Refugee – F – In the Christian and Jewish faiths, this is non-negotiable. Our so-called “Christian nation” decided to defy God, country, and common decency to criminalize immigration, asylum seeking, and refugee protection. Once again, one of the core tenets of American exceptionalism – a country built on immigrants – was destroyed by petty nationalism. Jesus wept.

Clothing the Naked – C- Our highest grade of the year! Federal programs to assist with clothing were cut the least, though they were cut by over 50%. However, arrests for indecent exposure rose this year, because so many lack for basic clothing and common necessities.

Caring for the Sick – F – Universal healthcare? Shouldn’t be a political issue. Shouldn’t be an economic issue. Shouldn’t be dictated by insurance and pharmaceutical concerns. Modelled successfully by nations with much less GDP/GNP than the U.S. Only one excuse/explanation for our “F”: as a nation, we do not want everyone to be healthy, safe, and secure.

Visiting (Rehabilitating) the Prisoner – D- It is important to understand this in context. In Jesus’ day, imprisonment was both a punishment and a redemption. The poor, the sick, the disabled, as well as the criminal ended up “in prison.” To visit the prisoner was to care for, to support, and to get incarcerated individuals back on their feet. Interestingly, as the U.S. sent more people to prison, created more centers for imprisonment, and defined more and more people as criminal, we forgot to cut the funding for rehabilitation programs and projects. Silly us.

Doing Justice – F – Never in U.S. history have more people been denied due process under the law, have more convicted felons been pardoned, have more pardoned felons committed violent crimes, have more convicted criminals been allowed government leadership positions, and have more criminal acts of U.S. citizens been ignored or excused.

Acting Kindly, Compassionately, Mercifully – F – During 2025, certain leaders determined that kindness, compassion, and mercy along with empathy were weaknesses rather than strengths, and common decency, respect, and the acknowledgment of human dignity were irrelevant. Christians stood by mute.

Living Humbly – F – Just F. We do not understand, value, or practice humility.

Certainly, individuals within our country, as well as many churches and organizations within our great nation, are doing great things deserving of As, Bs, and other passing grades. But the judgment offered in our Hebrew and Christian scriptures are for God’s people as nations, cultures, and societies. It is not enough to act individually; as Christians we must unite as Christ’s body to be God’s incarnation (incar-NATION) in our world. Before we are American, before we are Republican or Democrat, before we are Capitalist or Socialist, before we are Liberal or Conservative, we are followers of Jesus Christ, and by Christ’s standards 2025 was anything but a success.

If we want to call ourselves a Christian nation, we had better get our act together and start living the teachings and values of God in Christ. If there is any silver lining, it is simply this: we have GREAT potential for improvement in 2026.