What In The World Is My Problem – pt 7 – I Don’t Belong Anywhere

Ask me where I am from and the sarcastic side of me wants to answer, “How much time do you have?” As an Army brat I moved probably over a dozen times before I graduated from high school. In fact, I went to three different high schools. The longest I lived in any one place till college was Germany. At the very least, I need some qualifying questions to help me figure out what exactly it is you want to know. Are you asking where I was born, or where I live presently? Do you want to know where I lived the longest, where I feel at home or where I call home?  Heck, I might even need you to define for me what you mean by the word “home”.

I am a classic TCK or third culture kid, which means where I am from is very complicated.

The definition of a TCK along with some background information (from Wikipedia) is:

A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of [their] developmental years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background.

TCKs tend to have more in common with one another, regardless of nationality, than they do with non-TCKs from their passport country. TCKs are often multilingual and highly accepting of other cultures. Although moving between countries may become an easy thing for some TCKs, after a childhood spent in other cultures, adjusting to their passport country often takes years.

Before World War II, 66% of TCKs came from missionary families, and 16% came from business families. After World War II, with the increase of international business and the rise of two international superpowers, the composition of international families changed. Sponsors are generally broken down into five categories: missionary (17%), business (16%), government (23%), military (30%), and “other” (14%).

I’ve got the double whammy too- I am a military dependent who lived significant years overseas. This means that home for me is found with people who have similar backgrounds, regardless of nationality – and not in a place. In essence, my passport country and the city I’m from, the place where I must live, doesn’t feel like home to me. And it will most likely never feel like home. In fact no place feels like home to me – certain people feel like home to me. While I would not trade my TCK status for anything, some days this makes me a little sad.

This also explains why I’ve always had international friends, why I’ve always been very observant and able to “fit in” wherever I’ve traveled, why my best friends now are scattered across the globe, why I love airports and maps, why I so loved my time living in Europe, why I like language and culture study and talk about it often and why some of my best experiences are when I find people who “speak my language”  and belong to “my tribe” of fellow nomads.

And now I live in a city where many of the people do not have anywhere near this sort of background. Well, at least those I’ve met – I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I’m going all Freudian here and asking myself, how can I learn to belong here if I don’t really belong anywhere? Or maybe because of my background I am actually capable of belonging just about everywhere if I put my TCK flexible adaptability to work.

As you can see, I’m spending a lot of time thinking about some of the shaping forces in my life and what they mean for me in the present. Should make for some interesting and introspective blogs in the future.  

Things Every American Christian Should Do

(Part 12 of the Culture series)

(Written on a previous blog from July 2007 )

I’ve been thinking about some of the things I’ve gotten to do, see and experience over the past decade of traveling the world. I’ve hit 5 continents, dozens of cultures, been lost, found, hungry, eaten dried octopus in a movie, had kimchi and tentacles for breakfast, heard a few wild stories, thought I was going to die, slept in yak dung, gone weeks without a proper bath, been proposed to several times, laughed with reckless abandon, cried the same way, suffered from altitude sickness and various intestinal ailments, spent days in 110+ degree temperatures with no a/c, gone weeks without seeing the sun shine, seen and smelled material poverty beyond anything most Americans can imagine, been shamed by the spiritual wealth in the poorest of places, danced in the Caribbean, swam in the Pacific, froze my feet in a Himalayan stream, been caught in an Anti-American demonstration, face painted in the Andes mountains, been woken up by an earthquake, taken a photo with a North Korean border guard, met Christians who’ve truly suffered for their faith, been overwhelmed by natural beauty and the capacity of human nature to survive and thrive against all odds, seen God’s hand in the unlikeliest of situations and heard His voice in a language other than English. I’ve been blessed beyond measure with some amazing memories and lessons. As such, I’ve been thinking of some of the things I wish every American Christian could or should do to broaden their horizons, chuckle a little at themselves and to gain an appreciation for the ways we’ve been both blessed and cursed at the same time. So here’s my list of things I wish every American Christian could experience.

1. Visit some place where freedom isn’t free and talk to people who have actually suffered for being a Christian.

2. Listen to someone totally slam on America for over 30 minutes and don’t interrupt or correct them. Sometimes it is maddening, sometimes it’s comical and sometimes you just want to smack someone in the back of the head because of their ignorance. But sometimes you hear a truth that you would never hear by hanging out with people who are just like you and always agree with you. And sometimes you get a glimpse of the fact that Jesus isn’t American and that there are a lot more opinions out there than you ever imagined.

3. Go to a hair cutter, dentist and doctor while communicating in a foreign language. Use sign language and grunting to describe your symptoms or wishes. Oink like a pig at a restaurant to ask for a pork dish.

4. Drive in a country that uses the left side of the road. Or in any country for that matter where lanes, traffic signs, brakes. blinkers and a concern for safety are totally optional.  Driving with various farm and circus animals in the road is fun too. Or in a country where ‘road’ has a totally different definition than back home. Or in a culture with over 600 traffic signs, all of which they expect you to obey.(Germany, I’m talking to you.)

5. Allow yourself to get so hot, thirsty, hungry and tired that you are thankful for any drink (even if it doesn’t have ice and isn’t carbonated), any food (even if it’s goat, invertebrate, raw, possibly dangerous, so spicy it makes you cry, a smaller portion than you’ve ever eaten before, cold or moving), and any place to rest (even if the bed is hard or non-existent, crawling with bugs, no hot or even running water, no tv or internet connection and is unclean). And you enjoy the whole experience while realizing just how little you actually need to be comfortable.

6. Don’t just see poverty while driving by in your car – get out and smell it.

7. Sing worship songs or pray with someone in another language. Go to a very low-tech worship service that has no electric guitars, microphones, padded seats, a/c or heat, no big screens, no video projectors, no stage, no paid professional clergy, no parking lot because everyone walked, doesn’t start or end on time because the folks either have no watches or don’t care how much time it takes, has no childcare and utterly revolves around prayer, worship, fellowship and the celebration of the power of God in normal people’s lives. See what an experience of meeting God in such a context does to your soul.

8. Be in a minority for an extended period of time and see what it feels like to have other people look at you like a foreigner, think you are stupid because you can’t speak their language and be continually misunderstood. It’s quite a frustrating experience to have so much to say and no language skills to do so. Everyone should share in that kind of fun. (It could also show you why God has such a heart for the foreign and alien among us.)

9. Practice your “I’m not shocked” face when you see or hear something that really does shock you. Every Christian needs this face, along with a face that says, “Really, it’s delicious”, “I’m actually quite comfortable” and “Of course I understand everything you are saying to me.”

Cultural Lies – An Awkward Moment

(Part 11 of the Culture series)

I remember sitting in my church with a European friend when my pastor said, “I believe America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth.” Wow. What an awkward moment for me. What to do with that? Not just the cultural insensitivity that was behind such a bold statement, made before an internationally diverse congregation, but that a majority of Americans who heard him say it were nodding their heads in agreement. Granted, there was context to what he was trying to say that doesn’t communicate well in this blog, but it was quite a Freudian slip, revealing a common cultural lie we Americans often fall under. “We are God’s favorites.”

There are a lot of places this lie comes from…the tremendous blessings we’ve been given monetarily, materially, historically, geographically, politically, etc. We were founded by people seeking religious freedoms that couldn’t be found in Europe, so a natural default of the founding fathers was to link our blessings to God’s favor.

Why is this so dangerous?

It’s not Biblical. God doesn’t play favorites. If He did, I guess His favorite would be the nation of Israel. But even a cursory reading of the Bible tells me that God spanks His kids,  (Heb. 12:7) so I’d be really careful about claiming that title.

It hampers us spiritually, like how an injury hampers a runner. How can we grow spiritually when our hearts are broken by a lie that distorts God’s character and our identity in Christ?  A house built on a shaky foundation will soon lean over and eventually crash.

It’s insulting. I don’t even have to elaborate.

It’s not that we shouldn’t be grateful. Oh my goodness, Americans have so much to be grateful for!!! (Just in case you are in doubt, I’m proud to be an American. My father was career military – I know just how blessed we are and just how much our freedom has cost.) But when we move beyond gratitude for His grace to the belief that we’ve somehow earned it, that God loves us and tolerates others until they become more like us, we move into dangerous territory indeed.

Cultural Lies – American Version

(Part 9 of the Culture series)

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Following up on the National Soul series (here) and (here)- the idea that every culture has particular characteristics that by themselves are neutral – neither good nor bad, just distinguishing – I’m exploring the idea that each culture also operates under certain lies. From a Christian perspective (and that is the context I’m writing from…) these are the things that make it more difficult for insiders in a particular culture to see God, come to know Him or come to know Him better. It is an interesting exercise to look around and figure out what some of these embedded lies are.

 The people who live in a particular culture hardly notice them either. Ask a fish to describe what it’s like to live in water and they’ll say, “How else should a fish live?” But a watery environment would kill a bird. Without intentional effort on our part, it is almost impossible to view our cultural distinctives through someone else’s eyes. The highly social nature of

A humorous glimpse of the British national soul, as seen going through customs. Evidently, there are the British and the rest of the world... By the way, can you find me in this photo?

African culture can be a great strength to a society living in such harsh climates. It is suffocating to a Westerner who values individuality. The directness of the Germans, seen by them as honesty, can be interpreted as rudeness to a southerner. And the over the top politeness of the same southerner, seen by them as having good manners, can be viewed by the German as shallowness. These distinctions can be strengths under the right circumstances and devastating weaknesses under others.

For Americans, I think one of our lies is “It’s all about me!” Because ours is a service related culture, we are used to being catered to and taken care of. Waiters bring us what we want, when we want it. Stores with terrible customer service go out of business. We grumble when we can’t find a good parking place. We look for churches that “meet our needs” and leave those that don’t offer the right kids programming, type of worship music or nice facilities. When we bring this attitude to God, we fit Him into our mold and expect Him to center Himself around us and our needs. We don’t adapt ourselves to Him. We adapt Him to ourselves. This attitude is incredibly inhibiting if one is pursuing true spiritual depth.

Another American lie is that “I can do it myself.” We are not only individualistic, we are ruggedly individualistic. We have an ethic that tells us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, work harder and accomplish more. We idealize the self-made men and women who work themselves to the top. It is not a far stretch to see how we translate this to our relationship with God. We love to work for Him, think He owes us something because of our efforts and have no real concept of being saved by grace. There’s this lie in the back of our minds that we earned it. And if we earned it, we nullify the cross. No cross, no Christianity. Red flags should be flying up all over the place.

Both of these lies are so inherent in our culture that we can barely see it – till we take a step back and look at ourselves with fresh eyes. For instance, last year I went to the Catalyst Conference here in Atlanta with a group of Norwegian church planters. Their perspective on American Christianity was priceless. One comment? There were so many Mac giveaways to hawk various Christian services and ministries that one said, “It appears to me that ministry here has something to do with Apple.” Not Jesus. Not the Bible. But a commercial product. Hmmmm….

Any thoughts out there on this idea?

The National Soul – European Version

(Part 8 of the Culture series)

If you’ve ever read the Elizabeth Gilbert book Eat Pray Love, she describes an interesting idea in the Eat/Italy section. What if every city has a word? And what if every person also has a word.  It is whatever word that is humming and dancing around in your soul, that summarizes something very deep and true about yourself. If your word matches the word of the city you live in, then you feel at home.

For instance, New York’s word might be “Achievement”. If that is also your word, then you will love living in New York. Washington D.C.? Probably, “Power.” Amsterdam? “Tolerance.” Los Angeles? “Fame.” Hogwarts? “Magic.” What’s your word? Does it match the city where you live?

I think that whatever your word is provides a window to whatever is pressed on your national soul.

It is such an interesting conversation starter to ask people what they think their word is, or what they think the word of their home town is. I have learned so much from people over the years by asking this very question.

In last week’s post I theorized that individual responsibility is one of the things pressed on the American soul.

What is pressed on the European soul? Before wading into these waters, I admit I’m not a European. If I offend or am wrong, it is not intentional. If some of the readers from there want to venture their own opinions, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

I think the European word is something in the family of security, safety and/or tradition. And why not? Europe has an incredibly long tradition of how things have always been done and they have a long and vivid memory of pain when things go wrong. It’s why, when reading the story from last weeks blog of the servant who ended up with no minas, Europeans respond by saying, “No one should be allowed to fall very far. Even if they did it to themselves.” And why Americans are usually ok with someone reaping whatever it is they have sown. It reveals a bit more of a collective mindset than individually-minded Americans have.

You can see a conflict brewing between the American and European soul then, can’t you? One values risk and reward, the other safety and security. One is willing to lose something old in order to gain something new. The other is risk-averse. One sees the world as a place of opportunity, where things can be won, changed or gained, so “full-speed ahead”. The other sees the world as a place of potential danger where things can be lost or destroyed, so “proceed with caution”. One says, “I need to take care of myself.” The other says, “We take care of each other.”

Neither side is right or wrong – just different perspectives based on historical and cultural events.

In this discussion, I am not taking sides and hopefully you can’t discern my personal opinion from this entry. (I suspect it would surprise both sides.) Instead, I am interested in what this subtle cultural divide means for communicating the gospel across this cultural barrier.

I’m not sure what all the implications are, but I do know that awareness is an important thing for anyone who wants to jump cultural barriers. If the gospel penetrates our lives at the heart/soul level, then what is already there is an important component to how we receive it. Our national soul is a part of who we are and can be either a bridge or barrier to the gospel. It is why an American can read the story of the servants (see previous blog) and how they managed what they were given and get one point from it, but a European can read the same story and see something very different.

The message of the gospel never changes between culture, language, time period, etc. But the subtleties of how we communicate it must take on appropriate shades of gray, or the message will get lost in the blunt force trauma of cultural mis-steps.

The National Soul – American version

(Pt 7 in the Culture series)

During my first week of living in Germany, I was in a Bible discussion group, where we opened up the word and kicked around ideas about a particular text.  This week our passage was Luke 19:11-27  which starts this way:

” ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ “

What follows is an account of how the different servants managed differently what God had given them. Some were given more and some were given less. Some did well and some did poorly. One servant came and said that he was afraid, so he hid the money, refusing to invest it. The master was furious and ordered the servants to take away his money and give it to the one who had managed it well.

The master concluded the story by saying, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.”

The discussion among the German students was fascinating and I heard a perspective I’ve NEVER heard from an American. They wanted to know why the man who was given much didn’t share what he had with those who didn’t.

That question had never, ever occurred to me, yet it was the first thought of several Europeans. Why?

Because individual responsibility has been pressed on the American soul. America was founded by people who wanted to get away from “how it has always been done”, and strike out on their own. They were looking for freedom to live and believe how they chose, to create the lives they wanted, not the one they were handed by a government, culture, family, society, church or economics.

But with freedom comes responsibility. If you are going to strike out on your own into the wilderness, you had better understand that while you can reap tremendous blessings, things can also go horribly wrong in a heartbeat. If you are going to play the game, you had better understand that you just might lose. It’s a historically American idea that you should be prepared to lie down in whatever bed you make.

So when Americans read a story like the one found in Luke, we read it through a lens of individual responsibility. From this perspective, it’s easy to see that you reap what you sow. Good choices = reward. Bad choices = punishment. And you don’t punish the successful person by making them carry the bad choices of the unsuccessful one.

And apparently when a European reads this story, they see it through different lenses.

What is it that’s pressed on the soul of a European? Stay tuned for an American’s opinion on it in the next blog.

The National Soul – What is it?

(Part 6 of the Culture Series)

(Just an idea I’m kicking around.)

It is impossible to generalize and stereotype when describing Americans. Not that people haven’t tried (Europeans, I’m good-naturedly talking to you.) But how can you? There are 300 million of us from all corners of the globe, with countless people groups, languages and subcultures spread across a geographic region of 8 time zones and over 3000 miles, not including Hawaii? “It’s impossible to say “All Americans are… anything.” We are a people known for our individuality, non-conformity and diversity. And there are just so dang many of us.

BUT…each nationality has some things imprinted on their souls. These are the characteristics that make each culture unique, that are a default position we slide to. They are one of the things that unite a culture and separate it from others. You see it when someone is confronted with something different, a value judgement, a political conversation, etc. You feel it when traveling overseas and meet another person from the same area as you and you can say, “You know what I mean?”. And you know they actually do.  Or when you meet someone from another culture and just cannot understand how they can be that way. Most things pressed on the national soul involve something that ultimately is a matter of preference, but is often confused with an absolute right and wrong. Until you travel that is, and realize that millions of people live everyday with a different opinion and somehow manage to make their society work just fine.

Examples to flesh this idea out:

Some people, when confronted with pineapple on their pizza say, “That’s just wrong on so many levels.” Some people can’t conceive of soft drinks with no ice, eating with no utensils or in the car while driving. Some people think no coffee in the morning or afternoon is wrong, wrong, wrong. (Again, Europeans, I’m good-naturedly talking to you:) Some people think big government is wrong, or that small government is wrong. Some people think too much wealth is wrong, while others reject being forced to share what they’ve earned. Some react with heartfelt emotion to different music styles in worship or on the radio, different food or traffic rules because they are just so sure it is wrong. What is it that makes you say, “That’s just wrong.”? (Das geht gar nicht.) That question can give you an idea of what is pressed on your national soul.

It’s an idea I’d like to explore in a blog or two.

“It Is Enough.”

(Part 5 of the Culture series)

Phil. 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

In the last few years in conversation with Europeans, I repeatedly heard an interesting phrase. They usually used it when we were either eating or shopping. When different people from another heart language use the same words in English exactly, it usually means they are translating verbatim a turn of phrase or an idea they use in their own language. It always catches my attention.  At some point, they stopped, looked at me and said very clearly, “It is enough.” They were telling me that they were satisfied and it was time to move on. Evidently, Europeans say that. And evidently, they feel that too.

And it dawned on me, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that from an American.” It’s not that we don’t get full, but reaching a place of satisfaction, where we really want no more, or where we tell ourselves “I’m done” – that doesn’t seem to be a core American heart cry. We are an achievement oriented people. It’s why we are builders, innovators, businessmen and influential in the world. We are always looking for the next mountain to climb, the next experience to have, the next challenge to overcome. There is always something more to be acquired, owned, eaten or achieved. For us, it’s never enough.

It’s not that it is always wrong either. God wires cultures differently that they might bring glory to Him from all along the spectrum; from deep-seated discontent to deep-seated contentment. All have their place and both produce great things in people’s lives. But sometimes those things that are strengths can, unchecked and for believers, not under the control of the Holy Spirit, become dangerous weaknesses.

For Americans, the emptiness in our hearts could drive us towards God. It could speak to us of the inability of things of the world to satisfy in our deepest places. It could awaken a spiritual hunger inside of us and lead us to channel our great energy towards eternal things. Instead it often drives us to consumption. Black Friday? Free refills? Sam’s Club? All-U-Can-Eat buffets?

Jesus is enough. And when my heart is full of Him, it shouldn’t be quite as hungry for all this other stuff.

I must confess, as an American, parts of this truth hurt my heart. Maybe that’s why 2 Cor. 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…

Beyond The Water’s Edge

(Part 4 of the Culture series)

(I wrote this for my previous blog in July of 2006. Seemed like it fit within this series of posts, so I thought I would include it here.)

I’m an American. What does that mean? Well… I basically think the world is a good place and that it is full of opportunity. If one works hard enough, anything is possible. I think the things I want to buy should be inexpensive and of good quality. It think the stores I buy from should prioritize my business, staying open late with convenient parking and offering good customer service. I think patriotism is healthy and governments should exist to serve the people who elect them. I’ve cried during the playing of my national anthem. I expect the government to stay out of my business if I keep my head down and contribute to society. I think neighbors should help each other but not get too involved in each others affairs. I teach my kids that if they need help they should look for someone in a uniform. I don’t doubt that they will have more and better opportunities in life than I do. I think all people should have the freedom to speak, think and choose whatever kind of life they want. I also think they should accept responsibility for their choices. I have a great deal of respect for those who voluntarily choose to serve their country through military service because I know their sacrifice makes the life I live possible. I expect to see churches playing a vibrant role in their communities, with their voices being respected by most. I value innovation and creativity. I’m usually looking not to the past but to the future. I don’t understand all the rules to soccer and in all honesty, I prefer sports with more scoring. I think diversity is a good thing. I think people of different ethnic, religious and national heritage should be able to live side by side in peace and prosperity. I have a short memory and don’t hold a grudge for too long (i.e. I’ve forgiven the British for burning Washington D.C in 1814). I like small talk and think it’s ok to have a conversation with someone on the street that I don’t know and will probably never see again. I realize that it’s money, not love that makes the world go round. When watching a scary movie I’m usually sure that, no matter how bad the situation, small children and dogs will be safe. I sing showtunes. I’ve given to charity and I think generosity and compassion are high values, not weaknesses. I think I’m entitled to my opinion and expressing it when and where I want.

Now, what if everything in the previous paragraph is wrong? Or at least not true everywhere in the world? What if my experience, my expectations and my opinions are just that: mine, and not universally true? After living for a year outside of my home country I’m realizing that a lot of what I’ve grown up believing is true is actually preference. Not everyone agrees with me and I’m not always right. While I still stand by what I’ve written above, my eyes have been opened to the fact that the American point of view is not the only point of view. And to be the best Christian I can be I may have to be a little less American. Cross-cultural experiences, especially prolonged ones, have a way of shining light to the underbellies of our worldviews, exposing misunderstanding, error and arrogance.

So I understand that for many, the world is a scary place with much to fear. Customer service is optional, especially if I have few options. Historically, excessive patriotism has sometimes led to war. In many places, people exist to serve their governments they had no opportunity to choose. The sun doesn’t always come out tomorrow and many children in the world face a painful future. In most places, the military is a tool of oppression, not liberation. In Europe, most churches have lost their moral authority and are languishing in irrelevant silence. Sometimes tradition trumps innovation. I actually enjoyed the World Cup this last month, even though the championship was technically a tie. Other cultures, especially those that have suffered greatly, tend to focus on the past and have a justified deep distrust of their historical enemies. Small talk can be misconstrued as shallowness. Some people live in an idealistic rather than realistic world. This may come as a shock to most Americans, but, (with India being the major exception), most people think musicals are silly. And not everyone, in fact, most people, couldn’t care less what I think.

Reality is much harsher beyond the waters’ edge.

What I Love About Being American

(Part 3 of the Culture series)

(This is a two-part blog entry with its partner below. Please read them in context and hear the message behind the words. This isn’t about patriotism or politics. It is about a spiritual issue: that our nationality can be a spiritual trigger. )

I was asked a good question by a European recently: What do you love about being American? I really appreciated this question because no European had ever asked me that before, not in my 6 years of living overseas, not even when I had asked them what they loved about being German/European, etc.

The American culture is a patriotic one. We do love our country! There are many reasons why, but it could be because we are one of the few nations in the world that was founded almost completely by choice. People want to come here. In the past they took great risks, left all that was familiar, all for a new start in the new world. This wasn’t just where they were born and stuck. They were leaving something else that wasn’t working for them and beginning from scratch. America gave them that chance.

We don’t have a long legacy of the “That’s how it’s always been done,” mentality, so we tend to be inventors, entrepreneurs and innovators.

We don’t see barriers, we see opportunities.

We are a uniquely optimistic people who think any problem can be solved. We live pluralism, tolerance and freedom, where many regions of the world only talk and dream about it. Many Americans recognize the uniqueness of being American and rather than talk down about our nation, we love who we are.

I love that my daughter’s best friend is half-Venezuelan, half Persian and speaks 3 languages. I love that my son’s best school buddy is an African-American boy who was adopted by white parents. I love that my niece was born China and in my neighborhood there are Koreans, Russians, Hispanics, Egyptians, South Asians, Taiwanese, African-Americans and Caucasians. And all our kids play together really, really well. America is a place where all cultures come into contact and manage to live peaceably together.

I love that for the most part the only limits on achievement and accomplishment are how hard you want to work and the choices that you make for yourself.

I love that my people are among the most generous and friendly in the world. One of the recurring stories I have heard from Europeans is that they were taking a road trip in America and when their car broke down on the highway, someone stopped and helped them out. (They told me that would never happen in Europe.) I’ve heard that story a lot! This is so common here I don’t even think of it as being special or unusual.

For the Gospel, this means that Americans have a unique role in the world. We can be a haven for the oppressed and broken. We can be effective missionaries because we know how to jump cultural barriers, make friends easily and believe anything is possible, even when reality should tell us otherwise. We can see the future and innovate different church forms, worship music, business models to fund ministry, etc. We speak the English, the language of the world.

As an American, there is much to leverage for the advancement of the kingdom.

Challenges Of Being American

(Part 2 of the Culture series)

(This blog post is one side of a coin, the other side being the entry that follows. Both entries are meant to be read together. Please read it in context. This is not a political or patriotic statement, but a spiritual one.)

All cultures have things in them that, when channeled properly, are intended to be a blessing to others.  For Americans, this includes tremendous material blessings. Even our poor people have televisions, toilets and shoes. All peoples and all nations are supposed to be uniquely designed funnels that God can pour things through, so that they are a multiplied to others, not a bottleneck that blocks the flow.

And all cultures have things in them that make it harder to love God and others. Since I’m American, I can only write from my perspective, so here are some of the things that make it harder for Americans to fully embrace Christianity.

I’m writing this at Christmas time and I’m  seeing the worst of American culture. We love stuff. We define success by it. We fill our homes with it and in so doing, fill our hearts with it. We equate God’s approval with material blessing. We are immersed in commercialism and overwhelmed with advertisements that twist and shrivel our desires.

We begin to think the Gospel isn’t THE WAY God blesses us,  just another way. Our stomachs, hearts and hands are so full of trinkets and junk that we are not hungry in our spirits for the things of God. To see us on Black Friday must break the heart of God. There was no room for baby Jesus in the inn on Christmas Eve because it was full of people and there is no room for Jesus in our hearts today because we are full of lesser things.

Stuff can strangle us and keep us from finding His will for our lives. We can become so fearful of losing our stuff and comfort that we make decisions based on staying safe rather than on pursuing God first.

I had some friends (American) once tell me that there was no way a European could argue that their (European) lifestyle was superior to theirs (American). According to them, our homes were bigger, our bank accounts larger, etc. Another American ministry colleague told me once that a friend of his told him how he would choose to live in Europe over America any day. His friend loved the slower lifestyle. My collegue was shocked and thought his friend was absolutely crazy and foolish. He couldn’t comprehend that any one would ever voluntarily choose to live anywhere else besides America. I think his answer was significantly weighted by his love of college football. My heart was heavy after both conversations.

This part of my culture weighs on me heavily and I long to see Christ redeem it.

Why Nationality Is Important

(Part one of the Culture series)

Genesis 11:8-9 So the Lord scattered them from there over the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel – because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

(About heaven) Revelation 21:24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

Revelation 21:26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

God loves the nations. He created them (Gen. 10:32) and sent them into the world. He called Abraham and used him to found the nation of Israel, through which He would bless all nations. (Gen. 12:1-3) Jesus will not return to judge the world till all nations have had a chance to hear the Gospel. (Matt. 24:14) He sent his disciples out to tell the world about the forgiveness of sins and how to be reconciled to God. (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) Heaven is the ultimate multicultural celebration (Rev. 7:9) with all nations represented. And there is something so special to God about our nationality that we bring something of it into heaven with us. (Rev. 21:24, 26)

No doubt, we must lose something of our nationality as we grow in Christ. The scripture is clear that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and that He has our highest loyalty. Each culture also has inherent weaknesses within it that make it more difficult for its people to relate to God. But there is something about the cultures we’ve created that brings glory to Him. That somehow, He transcends language, culture, history, socio-economic status, education levels and geographical location. The things that divide humans in this world will help unite us in the next as they bring praise to God. Only He could do something so beautiful.

With that knowledge, it seems to me that it’s important for believers now to learn languages, to travel and to know people of different nationalities. God isn’t white, suburban or American. English isn’t His first language. It’s an amazing experience the first time you hear another believer praying in their heart language and you realize that the same God you know and love, is the same God they know and love.

Our nationality is an important spiritual trigger for us. Some things about where we were born draw us nearer to the heart of God. They are meant to be a blessing to the other nations. They bring glory to God. At the same time, some things about where we were born are like millstones hung around our neck. Worse than that, they are like millstones hung around our necks that most people aren’t even aware of. In the next series of posts, I’d like to explore some of these ideas about culture and how it affects how we relate to God a bit further.

Why I Love Art- it connects

(The Why I Love Art series, pt. 6)

Have you ever watched an episode of Behind The Actor’s Studio? It’s an interview where artists talk about their art and how they got to where they are today. If you’ve seen the show at all, you know there are three recurring themes among most of the actors who appear on the show – they come from a broken home, they have at least one tattoo and they’ve struggled with an addictive/destructive behavior. Interesting that, like Munch whom I wrote about earlier, for some reason creatives tend to be pain-filled and self-destructive.

I find this video fascinating  and illustrates what I love about artists. Artists identify their pain and articulate it for the rest of us. One reason I enjoy the show is that actors, of all people, are in touch with the condition of their heart. It’s part of their job to know what’s going on in there and to be able to channel it to touch the rest of us. They want to move us emotionally, connecting us with a character or a theme, so that we engage with their message. At their core, actors, like other artists are just communicators. They are dying to tell us something. Sometimes literally.

This video is the first of 5 parts and is about 10 minutes long. It really gets going at about the 2 minute mark and if you have time, I recommend watching it in its entirety.  In it Angelina Jolie describes her early years and how she became, not just an actress or celebrity, but an artist. Um, not surprisingly, it’s a shocking and tumultuous path.

As a Christ-follower, I’m interested in the condition of the human heart and soul and how we carry truth to those places. And is she ever in touch with those places. While AJ may say things that are quite mind-blowing for those of us out in the ‘burbs’, her brutal honesty and utter comfort with her pain and past is amazing to see. She is clearly a talented and charismatic communicator. By the way, this is just before the Brangelina hullaballo and just before she seemingly took on über-celebrity, not-quite-human status. Here she is just an Academy award-winning actress with a fascinating past. Interestingly enough, later in the interview she describes how she found her first son (who is all that she has at this point) in Cambodia.

I watch this and realize that so many people live in such a different world from me. Yet I want to connect with them right where they are. Not being stunningly beautiful or a famous movie star, I walked away from this video wondering how can I communicate the truth from inside my soul in a way that others understand and find compelling?

Artists have a clue about the answer to this question, and it’s one of the reasons I love art.

Why I Love Art – it unsettles

(The Why I Love Art series, pt. 2)

Job 16:16 ”My face is flushed from weeping, And deep darkness is on my eyelids..

Pr. 15:13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

Self-portrait with cigarette by Edvard Munch

Some art should make you think, wince even. An artist has something to say and he’s trying to get his point across in a way that grabs your attention and emotions. Sometimes the strategy is to make you feel a bit unsettled.

Edvard Munch, painter of The Scream and perhaps Norway’s most famous artist, unsettles me at times. This is a self-portrait that I saw in person a few months ago. I admit it has haunted me. Here is a man, looking out at us from a deep personal darkness. He’s not happy. I tried to walk away a few times, but my eyes were drawn back to it. Back to him. What is he feeling? Thinking? What are the universal experiences and emotions he is trying to share?

Self-portraits are supposed to do more than just share an image – they are supposed to tell us something about the person. Look at the profile pictures on Facebook. They are often more than just a photo but an impression of the person’s personality. Munch suffered various bouts with mental illness, depression and addiction. Could he be telling something of what it feels like to be trapped inside himself? The surrounding darkness?

Munch did several self-portraits, revealing a common weakness of artists – self-centeredness. But he also did what all great artists do. He channeled his pain, expressing it through his medium, so that we feel it with him. In doing so, he turns his pain into a gift, helping us realize that we aren’t alone. Everyone has probably felt something like this: lonely, haunted and almost begging for someone on the outside to notice and sit with us for a while.

Sometimes it’s good to be unsettled in that it prompts our thoughts and conversations to go places we never would have considered otherwise.

For instance…Am I really looking at the faces of those in my relational circles? Am I really seeing what is underneath the surface and behind the eyes? Am I observant enough to catch the subtle signals that everyone gives off, revealing something of the condition of their heart? And, am I brave enough to enter into it with them by asking how they are doing?

Why I Love Art – it unites

(The Why I Love Art series, pt. 1)

Bridal Voyage in Hardanger by Tiedeman/Gude

Recently I traveled to Oslo and got to visit the amazing National Gallery there. The collection they have is breathtaking, and this painting is one of its prized pieces. Never seen it? It’s called The Bridal Voyage In Hardanger.

This painting affects Norwegians the way a Norman Rockwell affects Americans.  For a Norwegian, it’s more than just a pretty painting, but an embodiment of what it means to be Norwegian and the pride their nationality evokes. They are a rugged outdoorsy kind of people and the visual of that has a uniting effect. I’ve read that some people even re-enact the scene for their weddings!

How does an artist create a picture that becomes more than just something one looks at, but touches the soul?

Here’s one of Rockwell’s Freedom series entitled Freedom From Fear. I look at this and have a similar reaction. It’s obviously from a different time than what I live in, painted during WWII. I’m sure it spoke particularly to the generation in which it was created, but what parent doesn’t want to tuck their kids in at night, knowing they are happy, healthy and all is safe? I can totally relate. This visual unites me in a special way with other Americans and other parents.

Freedom From Fear by Norman Rockwell

This painting is one in a series of four that all capture something of the American spirit. Freedom From Want, Freedom Of Speech and Freedom To Worship are the other three and if you are interested, you should google them.

Americans are wired for freedom. I think Norwegians are wired for nature. Those are big truths with big implications if I want to communicate with people from those places. Knowing what people are wired for and united by is something artists seem to have a knack for, and I admit, I’m fascinated.