Culture is such a powerful motivator in everyone's life. As a matter of fact, it's so powerful that one often acts under its influence without even knowing it! For instance, do you like mashed potatoes topped with noodles and gravy? It's cultural. I would never have thought to do such a thing.
When I lived in South Carolina, I often ate chicken and dumplings - something we even eat in NW Ohio. But did you know that dumplings in the South are not made of biscuit dough! They are more like egg noodles! Yeah, I know, I was shocked, too, the first time I was served dumplings!
I say all of this to remind myself as much as you, that often what we pass off to others as "christian ways" or "the way things are done" our ways may be nothing more than cultural manifestations of beliefs. Is Jesus a tall white guy with a beard or did he look more like Arabs or Palestinians today? Why is it so important for us to believe the former while dismissing the latter? Is it because we want God in our own image?
The first book of the bible makes it clear for us: God was not created in our image, but we in the image of God were created. What difference does that make, you ask? Well, a big difference, thank you! The image of God must transcend gender or ethnicity. It goes beyond my personal or cultural beliefs, so that everyone can be included in God's "plan" (whatever that means). You see, I get nervous when someone claims to know some plan that God is supposed to have. Usually that person's knowledge of such a plan is based on nothing more than that person's small world. If I do not somehow fit into that world, I am outside of God. It seems to me that scripture - especially the Gospels - proclaim a God who is not bound by cultures or personal beliefs. Thanks be to God, because Jesus' message would just have been for the people of his time and place. Indeed, his message goes beyond all boundaries.
I guess the big question now is, "Would Jesus eat mashed potatoes and noodles?"
Peace,
Pr Tim
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