Thursday, December 2, 2010
What should we do when we are confronted with other cultures?
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." This was my initial response. But when doing so, our motivation should be out of love. When we are confronted with other cultures, the key to keeping a good relationship is to think, say, and do everything through love. And when we do so, we will learn to respect and furthermore learn about the people and their culture. Leo Tolstoy once said, "All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love." Through love, we can open ourselves up to different cultures, even though certain aspects of the cultures may seem extremely bizarre or even "uncivilized." According to 1 Corinthians 13, when confronted with other cultures, even if we learn to speak without flaw to the people in their language, but do not speak to them in love, then we are nothing. If we know everything there is to know about other cultures, but do not have love, we are nothing. If we have a faith that can move mountains, but are without love, we are nothing. And even if we give everything we have to the poor and surrender our bodies to the flames, but have not love, we gain nothing. Ephesians 3:19 claims that the love of God surpasses all knowledge. Understanding even just an infinitesimal measure of the love of God can enable us to accomplish the impossible by loving people from other cultures, ultimately drawing us closer to them through a bond that is stronger than anything. Don Richardson portrays this remarkable concept in the "Peace Child." Just before Don Richardson starts building his home in page 102, he asks himself, "would Sawi culture and the Scriptures prove so opposite in their basic premises as to render this two-way loyalty impossible?" The answer to this question is clearly revealed at the end of the book, but it is the process that makes this possible. His faith in God and love for the Sawi people was what compelled him to persevere even when situations were not held in his favor.
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Hey Caroline :) Great post! I definitely agree that "love" is the key. Love is a universal language and so as you said, it doesn't matter whether we donate money to charity or go on mission trips if there is no love based on our actions. And Don Richardson shows this too because he didn't go to Papua New Guinea to just convert the Sawi overnight, but he did it out of love for the Sawi. Great post! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's great to be reminded of the vital place love has in our interactions with others, including those in other cultures. I appreciate your post. I just would like to mention (at the risk of sounding like a opposer) that sometimes, loving someone demands that we don't do what they wish and reveal to them (and this too, of course, should be done with love) what might be wrong in their way in order that they get on the right way. That doesn't mean we become imposing, coercive people who force our culture on theirs; but it could very well mean we tell them of crucial truths they need to know but they initially think is "inconvenient" and lead a correct way of living they don't prefer for us. Please note that when we speak at the risk of their initial displeasure we should do so because they need the truth; being lovingly truthful might sometimes come with "offending" others, but being offensive and abrasive does not necessarily equal to loving truthfulness. Also(and this relates to doing as the Romans do when in Rome), our practices might need to change on the basis of love -- but sometimes they might need to stay the same in order that we can love properly. For example, if a culture finds paying money with the left hand as offensive, then trying to be courteous and loving in that culture may come with doing as they do -- not using the left hand to pay money. However, if a culture mocks true virtue, then we have to risk mockery by maintaining virtue in our own lives. I guess the question, "would Sawi culture and the Scriptures prove so opposite in their basic premises as to render this two-way loyalty impossible", in the book addresses the fact that sometimes principles that can not be compromised might be in conflict with the other cultures, and thus the other culture's practice that's problematic can not be conformed to. As a Christian, I might add to the phrase, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", and say "When in Rome, do as the Romans do as much as the Bible allows, and wherever I am, do as a Christian should."
ReplyDeleteI first want to say that this quote "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is a little dangerous because if people apply this quote to their life, then they may lose their identity. They may do actions that go against their belief and morals. I think that you were wise to say that this quote must be done out of love. If we apply this quote and love at the same time, we will not do immoral things that the other cultures do and will learn their culture, like you said.
ReplyDeleteI really love how you focused on "love." Your blog post reminded me how powerful love is. Love enables us to live. I strongly believe that love is what enables us to learn other cultures because love conquers all fear, as stated in the Bible verse 1 John 4:18a: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment." If we don't have fear and love others, we want to get to know other cultures.
Wonderful job Caroline!