With the growth of technology and Social Media, we are bombarded with people’s opinions and the idea of social acceptance. The current Culture changes and flows as ideas of what’s popular change with the ease of a social media post by a celebrity. As Christians we are faced with the difficult task of swimming against the tide of this world. We are called to things that are greater than this earth in its fallen condition. God’s will was established when He created the heavens and the earth and have remained unchanged since. Human history shows people turning back to His way in desperation as they struggle in the emptiness of human wisdom. It’s amusing to see how people even take the ideas of God and ‘re-package’ them into ideas that are supposedly human wisdom. The attempt to walk around God leaves people lost and short of His desired completeness.
Jesus ‘had to’ to travel through Samaria in His journey to Jerusalem.(John 4:4) And he had to pass through Samaria. His journey was supposed to go around Samaria because the Jewish culture looked down on the Samaritans. They were ostracized by the Jewish. Jesus decided to bypass that cultural standard and reduce the 6 day journey to 3 days by following the will of the Father into Samaria. (John 4:1-42)
What must you do that goes against culture to walk in the presence of God? It is impossible to hold the right hand of God and still be ok with inclusion into such a debased culture. (James 4:4) You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. We live in a society that glamorizes excess of all types, promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, selfishness, racism, greed, laziness and false idols. They are even offended when God is mentioned. People walk around neglecting the needy and being too busy to be a part of anything bigger than their self-servitude. Kids are looking up to half-naked singers and people who are famous because of a sex tape.
What must we do to be a light in this dark culture? Imagine the difference when good is returned for evil. Allow the Spirit of God to set you apart in sanctification as His image bearer. Be the difference and not just another person lost in the plans of the deceiver. Make boundaries and respect yourself as a child of God. Turn to God and rely on a power much greater and fulfilling than anything found outside of Christ.
(John 17:14-16) I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
