DAY 14 - CULTURE

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

From the beginning of the church till now, the church has always struggled with the cultural shifts with each generation. The questions of should we adapt to the culture, how do we act in this culture, what does the church need to do, how do individual Christians live a Christian life in a mostly secular world? Many questions arise when we think of culture and the church. But take heart, this has been an ongoing challenge since the 1^st Century church began.

If we think about the life of Jesus and his ministry on earth, we see Jesus always at conflict with the “church” culture that had been created. Who was Jesus most at conflict with his time on earth? The religious leaders. They saw church culture as something that had been created by the Old Testament law, and they did not see the need to change. Jesus did not change the meaning, but I believe adapting to the culture, and, therefore, brought about the transformation of many lives. He did not conform to the religious world ways or even the pagan world ways, he adapted the church culture to be able to reach the entire world. We are the result of Jesus adapting to the culture, not being conformed by the culture, but art adapting.

Sometimes, adapting can be hindered by our conforming to the world. So today, I encourage you, in a world and culture that is consistently changing, to be careful not to conform to the ways of the world, yet learn to adapt to the culture around you, like Jesus, and show love. For Jesus says that the world will know that we are his disciple by the way we love. That love will never adapt but is for all.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Take a moment to look at your life and how you got to where you are today. Have you allowed your values of being a follower of Jesus to be conformed to the world and how the world says followers of Jesus are to be like? Write down just one way in which the culture around you is challenging your life as a follower of Jesus.

Prayer:  Jesus, thank you for your life and ministry in the world. May we be able to love as you loved, serve as you served, and forgive and you forgave, so that in a culture that is always changing, our love will stay the same. Amen.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree