Yesterday I received an e-mail with a signature that caught my attention. Since November I’ve been on this thing of engaging culture. The signature on the email said “Engaging His Culture”. At first I thought it was coincidental. Then today I started thinking and asking myself questions.
Engage
- To win over or attract.
- To attract and hold the attention.
- To enter or bring into conflict.
Culture
- The attitude and behavior that characterize the function of a group or organization.
- The patterns, traits, and products considered as expression.
Does this give me a clear meaning of culture? Does God have a culture? Putting a culture on God might put limitations. Will I ever figure out His traits, patterns, or attitude? I don’t think so. I think He tells me that his ways are higher than mine. His thoughts are even above my thoughts. I just need to keep engaging. So engage what?
I should engage culture. Who’s culture? Who am I trying to attract? Can I attract God? Of course I can. I will be the first to claim that I’m not a biblical scholar or theologian. I just can’t recall anywhere where God tells anyone to forget about everyone else and chase after Him. Now I know what I’m thinking here may stir things up! Especially in this age of the God Chaser. Still I ask who I am trying to attract.
Who am I?
So this is me. I think I used to be a person that was consumed with going after God so that I can achieve a sense of euphoria or satisfaction. I think I used God as a make me feel good and I’m not going to stop until you do. Many times I left frustrated and confused. Maybe if jumped higher, cried harder or shouted louder then I could get His attention. Hey, wait a minute, didn’t someone tell a group of people to do these very things when trying to attract a false god.
I’m now thinking I should engage my own culture. I should win or attract the people around me. I should engage the music, art and beliefs of everything around me so I can attract people to God. Didn’t Jesus do this? He was with drinkers, party goers, money hungry people, whores, whoremongers, people who cursed and liars. He attracted every one of these. In fact the last person He attracted before He died was a thief! Jesus engaged the culture!
Engaging What?
So should I think of God as someone that makes me feel good about myself? Yes he can be many things to me. I think he becomes more to me when I become more to Him. That is engaging the culture around me. This means all types of people, music, art and traditions. Jesus tells me to follow Him. Follow the example of love and acceptance. Not self consumption. Engaging the culture may be tough but with God nothing is impossible! -chuck
2 comments:
Well spoken Chuck. I consider myself blessed to be around people who not only ask the tough questions, but willing to find the answers too. Well done!
I like to think of "engaging culture" in the same sense that I think of being "engaged" to a future spouse. I am commited to putting my everything into the relationship even though the rewards of such engagement are as of yet uncertain. Either fiance can do any number of things to upset the relationship, but if fulfilment is to be attained, they work through it. The goal is marriage. We should engage culture with the idea of putting our best foot forward to show them that we ernestly love them and want them married to Christ. There's a lot more I could say along that vein, but it's too long for a comment. Enjoyed the post. Keep 'em comin'.
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