Social Grace

All cultures have social rights and wrongs. The rights comprise of those little things that become customary to not only us, but those around us too. It’s the little things we learned from our parents, and they learned from theirs. Our friends learned similar habits from their families, and when we all interact with one another based on our family traditions community is formed.

The social wrongs are our actions contrary to the rights. Most of us want to be socially acceptable, to be liked and welcomed to participate in our communities. To ensure our acceptance, we make sure our behaviors conform to societal requirements.

When our traditional way of living, and behaving, is our safeguard, we don’t like it scrutinized and evaluated. We don’t want others telling us we are wrong, and we need to change. It can be offensive. However, have you ever considered that your habits, your family’s habits, and what your community considers as good and acceptable may be dishonoring of the Lord? That’s a hard and difficult thought, isn’t it?

Sometimes we need to take a good look at what we do, why we do it, and more importantly is it honoring of the Lord? I can guarantee that when you start to be this serious about your Christian walk it will cause difficulties for you. However, it will please the Lord that you are seeking His will in all you do. But can you be this brave for his glory? Do you take the calling to be set apart – to be holy – seriously?

1. What are those things in your culture that everyone does that are counter Christianity?

2. Do you know enough about the Word of God to find conviction in those things you do that are counter Christianity? If not, why? What should you do about it?

3. What is the Lord calling you to do in your culture for His glory?

4. Who can you team with to ensure all you do is for His glory?

• Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another (Ephesians 4:22-25).

• Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Colossians 3:5-10).

#custom #tradition #culture