Acts 17:28 "As some of your own poets have said . . .. "
The other day I was sitting in our living room, (reading the Bible, of course!) and I heard my 7-year old son Josh, who was watching a cartoon on the computer. I thought I heard a mild swear (from the cartoon, not Josh) and decided to listen a little closer. Then I heard a less-mild swear and I jumped up and said, "What are you watching? They're swearing on that show!" (It was one of those new Batman cartoons). He kept saying "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Dad"
I wasn't quite sure what he was saying he was sorry for, so I asked him.
His response: "I'm sorry that I don't know all the swears yet!"
I know what he meant, but it just sounded funny when he said it. But it started me thinking about our knowledge of the world and how deep we should go. The other day I was talking to a man from India who now ministers to the Muslims. I asked him what should be the first thing I should do if I wanted to witness to a Muslim, and he said, "Read the Koran." He told me that he gets resistance from other Christians when he tells them that, but he knows of no other way to truly dialogue with them.
I guess my question is: Do I want Josh to know all the swears? Do I want to know the lies of the Koran? And if neither of these occur, will either one of us be effective witnesses in this world?
It's not an easy question, because immersion is clearly not the answer, and neither is ignorance. As Acts 17 tells us, Paul quotes the poets of the Athenians when witnessing to them. He knows their culture, and uses it to lead them to an understanding of God.
I'm not making any bold statements here - I'm just asking out loud. How deep into the culture do I need to be to be an effective witness? Josh's point was right on: if he knew the swears, he'd have known he was in hostile territory. And hostile territory is where we are to be advancing the kingdom. And I really, really want to advance the kingdom of God. But I don't want my kids covered in filth.
Seriously - no answers here - I'm just asking for other's thoughts on this.
5 comments:
hey man,
really great thought. without giving a complete answer, my thoughts lead me to this response: you should never have to prove what's right by doing something wrong. also, its far more important to practice and to learn what is right then to learn what is wrong. maybe Romans 14:23 helps. "Whatever is not from faith is sin." The two ways to live: By faith in Jesus Christ or in the sin of the world. maybe its that the deeper your faith grows, the things of God become more clear and a stronger, more definitive distinction can be made between that and the ways of the world. i would say in order to be the best witness, one would study the Word, not the world. truth is in the Word and it is undeniable. And there is only one truth, the truth of God. i would rather study the one truth of God, allow that to change me to allow others to see that truth within me, instead of studying the many lies of the world. maybe its good enough to to know that anything outside of faith in Jesus Christ is sin, maybe we dont need to know all about the sin. what do you think?
Pete, when I look at my kids I have two conflicting emotions: 1. I want to protect them and keep them out of the world and 2. I want them to Christians with an impact. And the two can't co-exist. So that's why I'm struggling with the issue. I would love it if Josh never 'learned all the swears' but that's naive.
We're told to be innocent of what is evil. I'm not sure that means ignorant. We're also told not even to talk about the things the wicked do in secret.
Honestly - I'm not made of teflon so something do stick. But you're right - focusing on God, dwelling on what is good and right and all that.
I don't know how Jesus did it! He was holy and yet totally immersed in the messy lives of the world.
Good post... hmm. I think of when Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17... how He prayed not to take His disciples out of the world... but to deliver them from the evil one (in the Lord's prayer as well).
Understanding something as evil is not evil. So your son knowing the words that people use with evil intent is not evil in itself. I think what you said is good in that we need to be innocent with regard to evil... blameless in the way despite the knowledge.
On the other hand, it is good to be simple or naive with regard to things that are evil (Rom 16:19)... so it is not as though we should be seeking knowledge about what is evil... instead we seek righteousness and the knowledge that is inevitably acquired by the tainted garment of flesh and world that we inhabit... well, God will use even that to make us more effective in showing His righteousness as it stands in stark contrast.
That's my two cents ;)
True - how else will the world know unless there is a distinction? But how can the distinction be seen unless we're in the world?
hmmm... I think the distinction can be seen just because we are in the world. That is... we don't close ourselves off completely (like some sects do). We still do business, and have homes in communities and talk to neighbors, etc... Even though being in the world is hard... in that it torments us. I know that as I have grown in the Lord that it hurts me more when I see His name blasphemed. It's like "righteous Lot" who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.
So knowing this should not make us comfortable being around and in the world. Bad company corrupts good character. The world will always make us uncomfortable since it is at enmity with God... even though we have knowledge of its sin and Satan's devices (we are not ignorant of them).
I think life now should be at peace with God and tension with the world.
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