In my very early years of growing up in an almost entirely "white" network of family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances, it was a giant shock to see a man of color stride down the sidewalk in my direction. I had been playing there very happily. In a panic of terror, I ran into the house, my heart on a crash course to imploding.Mom, had to explain a few things to my younger siblings and I to calm us down. "It's ok. God made people of different color and tones, and Jesus loves and died for them just as much as He does/did for us. No need to be afraid." Eventually, the heart beat returned to "normal" but I was still wary after that and on the lookout each time we went out to play.
Years later, likely in middle school days, or even high school, there was a book that really impacted me and began an enlightening work in me to the plight of people of skin colors other than my own. It was called, Black Like Me, which was written by a white journalist; a Mr. John Howard Griffen.
Griffen would take some kind of meds that would temporarily turn his skin dark (black), and he would roam through areas of the Deep South of the USA in 1959 when there was still segregation and deep tension between "colors". Obviously, he then wrote about those experiences and of the discrepancies in the treatment he received from the hands of others depending on which 'color' he was on the various days he walked those same areas. He definitely did many miles in the shoes of that "ethnic" role. Not so sure how popular he was for that but I remember being appalled to know how others were treated just because of their skin color. It was very disturbing to read such as a teenager. What more, for a teenager of 'color' to have to experience it first hand.
In some ways, even moving to another area of "whites", could produce a cross-cultural encounter. When those among whom you've come to live, "talk funny" - even if it is English; have different body language gestures; or even vocal interjections; different unwritten rules, etc, in which they communicated and were governed by. This was supposed to be our "same culture"?!
Our Dad had grown up in a multi-cultural environment so he had no qualms about introducing his offspring to them either. In our new location there was a port city that saw great vessels from all around the globe berth at the docks.
He'd go down there and "spread the gospel" to the "whosoever" will. Sometimes he'd be invited aboard and offered a meal or at least a coffee (he was not a coffee drinker and especially not when laden with milk and sugar but he sipped at it valiantly for the sake of the gospel).
Then there were the times Dad brought those "whosoever" home for a meal. It was fascinating, actually, to meet people from the Solomon Islands (wherever that was); from South Korea; and from I can't recall where all where. As children, it was almost as good as visiting those mysteriously exotic places. Interesting times and it served to boost our welcoming of the many hues of color in people whom God loves and Jesus had died for; not to mention our boost in greater knowledge of Geography.
If all that was not enough introduction to 'other' people, there were the international students, come from diverse, afar places, congregating at universities in the area. They too, were "captivating species", and opened up more new vistas of cross-cultural interactions and observations of the different ways of doing things.
Yet, all of these encounters did not faze much as one did not become immersed in those cultures. It was more of, a "brush with", them. What did tip the scales though, was the 'world' trip. Sitting in an own turf airport, departure for Far East destinations' hall and all fellow passenger heads had black hair, except one or two hues of blond dotted sparsely among them produced a panicky, breathtaking, heart stopping moment. You gulp for breath, admonish yourself--why did you decide to do this?! Stay home! Calm yourself! Then , ok, ok, take a breath; slowly let it out. You'll be ok.
Naïve. At that age, one did not think of all the negative things that could have happened. Nevertheless, what a wonderfully, scary, titivating experience of a lifetime! (I say that now; ha.) God's hand was certainly protecting and the angels kept busy as one was bombarded with sights, sounds and sensations of inter-cultural adventures.
BUT...
This still did not immerse one totally in the cross-cultural baptism by fire test. There was that olive branch of escape...the return-to-home-ticket. Been there, done that, just for a few months. Home...Respite, yet altered in good ways by the encounters.
The full crunch doesn't come until one stays ensconced in a culture not ones own on more permanent basis. Ah, then that person must eat, sleep, breathe, that culture as a steady, unrelenting diet. The individual is expected to adapt and take on more and more features of that adoptive culture, overcoming prejudices; losing ones original identity and morph into someone they'd never expected to become; "another color".
It is that "starting from scratch", as if from babyhood up and the person feels, stupid, clumsy, illiterate and looked down upon because shouldn't you, by now, be like this or that; after all you'd been here "so long". You just have not measured up to standard.
Then the negative character and attitudes that had been submerged, flame to life and light. With Holy Spirit assistance called to the fore, these can be navigated, by God's grace. On the other hand, some of these experiences can be so exciting and mesmerizing; others definitely the opposite; some even starkly rubbing against the grain of one's own beliefs and culture.
What is the purpose of delineating all this? What is the purpose for the person's life?
Turn your attention to the book of Acts. Think of the Jewish people who'd become believers. Think of what they had been asked to do. Going to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria to preach the gospel hadn't been too terrible; after all they mostly went to their own kind even if it was not their own village or district. What about the other phrase of Jesus' command,
"...go into all the world" (Matthew 28);
now there's the crux of this spiel.
Things were about to explode into cross-cultural encounters; lines and boundaries crossed that ne'er before had even been thought of to venture forth into. Who was the one chosen to light off this "explosion"? Dear ole apostle Peter.
Of all the things that had persuaded Peter to violate Jewish law and enter the house of a Gentile such as the God-fearing Cornelius', I think his vision was of vital importance (Acts 10). God really had to prepare Peter for this mammoth towering, high jump even though he had "the key" to the starting line. The vision of the unclean food he'd had to, "slay and eat" was at first the revulsion but then the propulsion. That net of food had been let down from Heaven three times and three times, Peter protested.
He was a 'kosher' man! He'd never, ever touched, let alone eaten, "unclean food". God got His point across to Peter though and Peter got it. He was immediately tested on the knowledge. That pivotal knock on Simon the Tanner's door...
Peter's allowing "unclean" Gentiles into the house and eating with them and then going with them into another Gentile's home and eating their food and mingling with them was 'anathema' to any one of Jewish descent. Nonetheless, God had told Peter to go. He'd sanctioned the going and Peter was obedient to it.
Envision that for a while.
It's a wonder Peter did not pop a blood vessel or two! Think of all the thoughts and feelings he'd had to overcome!! However, because he went at the Lord's direction and in the Lord's strength, many were won for Christ that day.
And the days after...
This unlocked the door for the apostle Paul's ministry among the Gentiles. He had been considered among the best of the best of the Pharisees. He became the actual pioneer missionary to the Gentiles once Peter had opened that door with his "key". Think of the cross-cultural shock he must have experienced!! The best of the best Pharisees, "defiling" himself with the non-kosher people of the Gentile nations? This was about as far as the east could get from the west from his upbringing to what he was called by God to do! He was obedient to it.
As your mind "does the math" of all that, think of all the missionaries of all times: past, present and future; think of all the hurdles they have had to surmount, and still have to overcome in their cross-cultural encounters.
What is the sum of all this? Is it not for the purpose of bringing the gospel of peace, the gospel of Jesus Christ, of His salvation and justification by faith not works, to the nations and peoples that do not yet know Him?
Pray for all the missionaries you know and for those who are yet to be. The cross-cultural encounters are not a piece of cake. Notwithstanding all that, there is eternal purpose and that makes it all so worthwhile.
~ERC December 2020~
Sing, If You're Black or White presented by Ey TV Show
