Rooted in Culture

Different areas of the country have different kinds of soil. Some have sandy soil, others have rich black dirt. And the composition and texture of the soil impacts what plants will grow, as well as the quality of the fruit produced.

The soil in our area of Texas is hard clay. It must be worked extensively before anything will grow. First we must break up the ground and then add compost, fertilizer, and sometimes sand or potting soil in order for anything to take root.

Each of our individual lives and perspectives have different kinds of soil also. We are rooted in the soil of culture.

Culture, as defined by Webster (Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, 1967, G. & C. Merriam Co, pg. 202), is: the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education; a particular state of advancement in civilization; the characteristic features of such a state or stage; behavior typical of a group or class.

Many people influence our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual education and training, and thus play a major part in the building of our personal culture which includes our morals, concepts and perspectives, our character, and our behavior.

Culture reflects the traditions and priorities of those who taught and trained us. Our character is either a reflection of those teachings and influences, or rebellion against those who tried to mold our ideas and behavior, or a combination of the two. As we grow up, we decide what values we will retain and what we will reject.

We most often associate "culture" with race or nations. But culture can be much broader. Within America, the north and the south have different cultural values. Even political parties have their own culture. Each family has its own culture which includes family traditions, values, and rules considered to be acceptable and proper conduct. The familiar family atmosphere is often our accepted “norm.”

When we experience situations that contrast or divert from our own cultural ideas and perspectives, we can either become defensive, wanting to justify why our values are right and acceptable, or we can open our minds to the fact that not everyone is just like us, and not every person believes what we believe or acts as we act.

There are unlimited kinds and numbers of categories of cultures: racial culture, national culture, gender culture, class culture, drug culture, professional culture, gang culture, church culture, sports culture, generational culture. Each culture has its own system of operation, language, set of rules and expectations, dress code, standards, prejudices, along with many other aspects, often unspoken but that are more obvious with close observation and participation.

Each culture has its boundaries, and sometimes it barriers. If you don’t know the language, the obvious spoken statements as well as the underlying and hidden meanings, you experience alienation from the cultural group. Cultures develop their own methods of communication, such as sign languages, facial and body expressions, acronyms. And each culture has a list of things, whether acknowledged or not, that are acceptable or unacceptable ways of operation.

I am learning many lessons from the study of culture. Most of all, I do not want to be blinded by my own concepts and ideas. Secondly, I desire that the ideas of each person I meet become tools that lead to relationship and deeper understanding rather than those differences being barriers or divisions.

I am a Christian. And recently I have become keenly aware of religious culture. Most religions, including Christianity, have sets of rules and expectations. Many of those traditions and expectations are not God’s making, but man’s ideas and traditions.

Our cultural perspective and ideas can become barriers to understanding other people, other generations, other nations and races. Rigid thinking and belief that our way is the best or the only way, excludes most of the world. We can easily be blinded to our own narrow-mindedness, which results in comparrison and becomes judgment or criticism. Comparison brings further alienation and division. That is the root of denominations.

These barriers rob us of unity and understanding of the truth that there is ONE BODY of Christ. We are not a pile of body parts, but are linked together. Yet, we often detach ourselves from others with whom God has called us to be unified. This is addressed extensively in 1 Corinthians 12, as we are told that not all parts of the Body are the same. No one part can determine that the other parts are not valuable or necessary. It is God, our Creator, who designed each of us and calls us to a working unity as ONE body.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philisophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

When Charlie and I travel to other countries, we pray that we will not teach anything cultural, but that God will give us His truth that is for ALL people. His truths and principles apply to every person that He has created, no matter where they live or what their cultural perspectives.

I am not advocating "universalism." I am not saying that any idea is valid if the person is sincere. God makes it very clear that He alone is the standard of truth, because He IS The Way, The Truth and The Life.

What I AM saying is that man's ideas are not the standard; God's are. If WE try to determine how people should believe, think, act or respond, we will never agree. The key to life is seeing from God’s perspective rather than our individual, earthly and limited perspective.

God tells us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2), and reminds us that it is in knowing that truth that we are set free (John 8:32.) This is His instruction which enables us to see people with His heart.

Only as our minds yield to God’s ways, His Word, His truth, and His perspective can we begin to see beyond ourselves. As we come close to Him and experience the truth of His Word, we are humbled, and the pride of clinging to our own views is laid down at His feet. He fills us with His Spirit, His understanding, His love for others, and His wisdom. With His enablement, our hearts become unified with other believers around the world, believers from every tribe, every nation and every language. We become vessels of hope and of shared passion.

As we become deeply rooted in His Kingdom culture and perspective, we begin to bear good fruit. His Kingdom is the only culture that allows us to grow in Godliness.

Be alert and watch. Understand that Kingdom culture rooted in love is different from religious culture that is rooted in legalism and law.

I encourage you to look closely at the soil of your life. Ask the Father to show you any ideas or perspectives that you think are normal, but that are not in alignment with His Word of Truth. He will be faithful. When He shows you, as you submit those those thoughts and ideas to Him, He will transform your mind. He instructs us to bring…”every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5). He wants to be soil of our lives. He desires to be intimately involved in our thought life, our attitudes and our actions. He wants to purify our character and all that flows from our heart and mind. He has the power to mold us to be more like Him and make us to be a partaker of His nature and character.

As our roots grow deep in the soil of His presence, He will break up the hard, prideful ground of our minds and hearts. He will nourish us with His Holy Spirit and Truth. We will produce Godly fruit in multiplied measure and abundance. His presence is the soil that produces spiritual life, not only in the future and in heaven, but now and on this earth.