Amidst the chaos the Trump administration continues to generate, the increased polarization among us, the further marginalization of those already hurting, and the deepening sludge of the newly stocked swamp, one very important thing may come from Donald Trump’s brief tenure as our 45th president.

We, the American people, will be forced to clarify who we want to be. No, Donald J. will not be the clarifier. He is the catalyst. He is creating the situations that will force us to clarify. Perhaps this is what we need.

We will be forced to clarify if we really want our country to work for all Americans. Trump’s election was assisted by many who were angry and felt left behind economically. Now we must clarify if we as a nation will continue to be driven by anger about our personal situations or will we make choices and set directions out of concern for our larger community, even those we do not understand or agree with.

We will be forced to clarify whether we want to continue to live by the words engraved on the Statue of Liberty. If not, we will have to admit to ourselves and say to the rest of the world that we no longer welcome the refugee trying to escape war and famine. We prefer fearful exclusion and low-tech wall-building to vigilance and intelligence.

We will be forced to admit that we are not a Christian nation. Trump’s “America First” should be a flashing red warning signal. Though Trump sees this statement as a political slogan only, every serious Christian should pause at such a statement. Evangelicals jumped on Trump’s bandwagon in order to get a Supreme Court justice. Will they, realize that they sold out the very basis of their religious faith to get a few political victories?

Of course, we have never been a Christian nation. We have been a nation made up predominantly of people who identify as Christian, and we do a lot of things based on our Christian values. That’s not the same thing as “Christian nation.” But the adoption of an “America first” approach or turning away those who are most needy will make it clear. We can no longer pretend.

We will be forced to clarify what we want our role to be in the world. We have long held the position as the strongest military and the strongest economy in the world, but diplomacy and generosity have generally been our weapons of choice. Humanitarianism has usually balanced safety and self-interest in choosing how to use our military and economic might. We must now clarify if we still want to be seen as a humanitarian nation, or do we want to become a superpower guided only by self-interest.

We will be forced to clarify if we want to be guided by science, facts, and concern for the planet. Will we limit vital research and gag findings that do not fit with our immediate plans? Will we stifle the media for reporting inconvenient facts? If so, we must willfully choose to move further to the back of the line in education and scientific leadership in the world. Will we have to admit we prefer our own comfort provided by fossil fuels rather than a sustainable future for our children.

We will be forced to decide how we want to treat each other. Do we want to be able to teach our children and grandchildren to tell the truth, to show respect, to not be mean, to not make fun of people, to not call people names? They see things. They hear everything. It will be up to us to give them someone to see and hear that we can be proud of, that we can emulate. Character matters. Maybe more than policy in the long run.

Moral history moves in the direction of inclusion, compassion, and equality. We will be forced to clarify if we want to continue to move in that direction or not.