I ‘ve been home for about a week now. I thought reverse culture shock wouldn’t be that big of a deal to me, and first I genuinely thought i wasn’t going through it. Until one morning while watching Good Morning America with my mom. Then it hit me. I didn’t have problems with the multitude of choices at the grocery store, nothing like that. What Hit me was what this western world actually concerns itself with. When the morning news is discussing weather its morally ok for a kid to have a gift registry for his or her birthday at Toys “R” Us or weather or not folks should keep shaking hands because its spreads germs the fastest, then you know some thing is wrong with society. WAKE UP UNITED STATES!
I recently told a friend about the cool thing about living in the bare minimum conditions that third world countries live in is that the only concerns they have are ones of actual survival. Now I know this might sound strange to some folks, but think about how much freedom there is in that. Are we really so spoiled (and I mean that in terms of food) that we are speaking of child gift registries? This has been my culture shock and learning how to channel these passions without snuffing them out. I will have grace for those around me, but be assured that I will not be silent about my passions and convictions nor will I dampen them or snuff them out for the sake of anyone’s comfortability. Some people see people actually living the way Jesus did and actually doing what Jesus did and call those people, “radicals,” but what if they aren’t radicals at all? What if they are just simply obeying?
Now believe me, I am no believer in being saved by works. We are saved by God’s grace and His grace alone. What I am asking is, what is the point of being a child of God that still has time left on earth if we are not using that time to further God’s Kingdom to the best of our ability; weather it be obeying God or at least demonstrating what a life fully chasing after God, His Christ, and His Kingdom looks like? What if, as Americans, we’re just so, “off the mark,” that we’re bringing stupid troubles upon ourselves because we’re too scared to just abandon. Abandon carpet (which, believe it or not is quite a luxury), abandon fast food, abandon unnecessary gifts that cost way too much at Christmas, and dare I say it, abandon the American dream.
My culture shock has consisted of having these feelings and trying to figure out how to get Uncle Sam and the American dream out of my Church and my Faith. Let me go ahead and tell you that I’m subject to the same stuff so yes I do it too, but I want it out of me. A lot of what I’ve learned this year is about learning to take my, “Wild Stallion,” emotions, and turn them into emotions of a, “War Horse.” So I’m sort of feeling my way trying to write you these things via this blog.
So what do we do? How do we get the infection out? Prayer is the first thing that comes to mind. The second thing that comes to mind is excommunicating fear from our mind, body, soul, and spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of Love and of a sound mind.” We cannot be afraid to obey. We cannot be afraid to even take things like giving all we have to the poor literally. The fear of conviction cannot exist in us. His conviction is so loving. His conviction in us is A) Further proof that we are in His grip and that He loves us and B) a great opportunity to repent and turn from our ways of wrong, and out of repentance comes redemption.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NASB “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For What earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, had produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”
We cannot be afraid to be Jesus to these people, and we cannot be afraid to humble, and simplify ourselves completely. We cannot be afraid of a lack of provision.
Deuteronomy 8:16 NASB “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.”
How awesome is it to rely on God and God alone? To know nothing of this world, not even man, not even gas prices, has a foothold on you? My desire, America and whoever else is reading this, is that we think entirely eternally, and I know that seems hard, but do not be afraid, do not fear! Take courage, God is with us. God will not forsake us!
Joshua 1:9 NASB “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
My hope is that God uses this blog to stir something in you, weather it be motivation, conviction, zeal, or something good along those lines. The heart of this blog is NOT to condemn. Thank you to all my supporters that have been obedient in supporting my trip and supporting me. I love you all very much and hope to spend time with you soon.
All my love,
Be Blessed,
Steven Buffington
