"From before he
is born until after he is dead man is a prisoner of his culture"
- Horton and Hunt,
sociologists
Nope. I won't do it.
I refuse to be a prisoner of my culture just because a couple of really
intelligent guys say I have to.
My culture tells me
that success is a large bank account, a big house, and the best car. My culture tells me that I should be wealthy,
good-looking, athletic, intelligent, articulate, suave, and confident. My
culture tells me that I must never claim to have the truth, but rather I must
accept all religious beliefs as equally valid (excpt, of course, the ideas of
sin or punishment).
My culture is
seriously confused. And I will not be in bondage to it.
The reality is that,
like everyone else, I am immersed in my culture. It leaves its permanent
imprint on me. But that does not mean that I am its prisoner. Refusing to be a
prisoner of culture means that I am free to base my life on something greater
than my culture, greater than all of history, greater than time itself. I am
free to base life, my goals, my choices on the Word of God. In fact, the way
not to be a prisoner of my culture is to purposely dedicate myself to living
out the timeless principles and commands in Scripture.
Freedom from culture
doesn't mean that I ignore cultural norms and expectations. It means that I
take the principles of God's word and live them out within my culture. For
example, I choose wholesome entertainment (which puts me way out of step
with most of the film and music industries). I choose modest clothing, and I
respect others by looking another direction when those around me are immodest.
Most important, I boldly proclaim Christ as the only way to God.
Does this sound like
bondage? I assure you, it's not. It's freedom. I live just as I choose--and I
choose to live as God directs. It would certainly be easier to allow the
surrounding culture to dictate my personal standards, but that would not be
freedom. Freedom is rarely the easy path: it requires dedication, perseverence,
and the courage to be different. But be certain of this: freedom is worth it.
Freedom to be all that I can be, not just what the culture tells me I should
be. Freedom to live up to the mind-boggling potential that God has given all of us in
Christ.
