Today’s Scripture
Reading (October 24, 2017): John 10
A recent article suggested that maybe the time has come for Canada and
the United States to consider redrawing their borders. Similar reports in the past have suggested the division
of Canada into four different countries, separating the land along cultural lines. This
traditional understanding cedes the Atlantic Provinces to the United States
(maybe becoming the 51st State), Quebec becomes an independent country
with French language and a French cultural understanding central to the
identity of the nation. Ontario becomes Canada, and the Western Provinces bind together
becoming another independent nation, with some models suggesting that the
Pacific Northwest area of the United States might join with this new country
forming a country that would rank among the top ten wealthiest countries in the
world.
The model is based on a cultural
understanding of our world. Both the United States and Canada are culturally
diverse nations, and so these discussions occasionally come to light, but the
most recent suggestion comes as more of a division of the United States rather
than Canada. The argument is that the people of New York have more in common
with Toronto than Arkansas and the Pacific Northwest has more in common with
British Columbia and Alberta than with the rest of the United States. So doesn’t
it make sense that the new North American nations reflect some of these
realities?
In our contemporary world, there continue to be examples of this kind of
cultural redrawing of borders. The nations of Eastern Europe following the fall
of the Soviet Union immediately began to redraw country borders on cultural
lines. The continuing struggle between Spain and Catalonia reflect cultural
differences. The conflict in Northern
Iraq with the Kurds reflects a cultural difference between the people. But
there is also an incredible strength that exists in the cultural diversity of
the nations if we can begin to understand each other.
However, a diverse cultural understanding seems to be lacking in our
world. Too often, we seem to believe that
everyone sees the world in a similar way. I think deep down we know that
that is just not true. Just looking at the rural-urban difference in voting
records tells us that we understand the world differently. And sometimes we
need to be reminded of that fact.
Jesus shares an agriculturally based parable, and John notes that the
Pharisees didn’t understand. What we are not sure of is where the difference in
understanding existed. Part of the difference may have indicated how far
separated the Pharisee's existence was
from the ordinary life of the average person of the nation. Jesus shared an everyday illustration
of sheep and the shepherd, and the Pharisees just could not cross the cultural divide and
understand Jesus words.
Another way of interpreting the Pharisees lack of understanding is that
they missed Jesus point that they were not the Good Shepherd. The Pharisees
understood that they were shepherding the nation toward God, but Jesus talks
about the Good Shepherd, whose voice the sheep recognize, who was not a member
of their group. The idea that the Good Shepherd was not a Pharisee may have
been inconceivable to them.
But both interpretations indicate that the Pharisees were culturally out
of step with the people. And one of the
historical problems of the Christian Church is that we echo this same lack of
understanding. Jesus came to save all cultures, but the message of the church
has to cross cultural boundaries. The Gospel message must be spoken culturally
and in a way and language that the people can understand. And that means that
it has to be expressed differently in
different nations, but also needs to be communicated differently within culturally diverse countries. The message is important enough for us not to assume that everyone understands the message the
way that we do. And that takes some effort, but the news is worth it.
Tomorrow’s Scripture
Reading: Luke 12
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