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A Clash of Cultures
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Galatians 3:28 Now, in Christ, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or free, male or female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.
Listen to the radio broadcast of A Clash of Cultures
Download audio fileDown through the centuries, white men have colonised the countries of black men. Most times it hasn’t ended well for the black men. For some reason, white men, back then, considered themselves superior and so, in various different ways, they subjugated the black men.
It was never pretty. From stealing their land, to enslaving them, to extermination … it was never pretty.
So today, in many countries like my own, we live with the legacy of the damage done to indigenous peoples, many of whom as whole communities, still haven’t recovered. Many of whom haven’t been able to forgive what was done to their ancestors and so, move on, to enjoy the relative prosperity that the 21st century offers.
Why am I talking about this today? Well, today is Waitangi Day in New Zealand. It’s the day when the nation comes together to remember the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori people, and the white settlers.
New Zealand has always been a progressive and compassionate country, and on a global scale, the Kiwis have treated the traditional owners of their country better than most.
But still today, things aren’t perfect. Still today, there are tensions, there are inequities, there can be ill feeling on both sides. It’s something you see all around the world in fact. The question is, how do you and I deal with this clash of cultures? How do we deal with this – let me put it bluntly here – this terrible, lingering sense of white is smarter than black?
Now, in Christ, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or free, male or female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
In some countries, people look down on Asian or middle eastern immigrants. In others, they see the lack of social and economic progress amongst their indigenous people, and look down their noses at them. Elsewhere, the lingering effects of slavery or apartheid, eat away at social cohesion like a cancer, flaring up in conflict and violence.
Imagine how God sees that – because to Him, black, white, yellow, brown, Asian, Anglo … to God, we’re all the same. Each one different, yet made in His image. Each one a sinner, yet worth dying for.
We are all the same in Christ Jesus.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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