Our Culture’s Report Card

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Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT)

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Devotion:

            Giving a grade to an entire culture is a difficult and perhaps a dangerous thing, but I will attempt it regardless. The main problem with attempting to give a culture such as ours a grade is that we are so diverse. There are some places in our culture that are doing extremely well, while others are failing miserably. The second problem a grader faces is what standard should be used to assign the grade. What are the metrics can one use to determine what is passing and what is failing?

            My attempt to grade our culture must be grounded in the words of the scripture and the ideas presented by the word of God. The scripture above gives a reasonable guide as to what a culture should and should not look like on the outside. Judgement of the heart and soul of culture and those who participate in must be left to God, of course. But we can know a tree by its fruits. Good trees produce good fruit, while bad trees produce bad fruit.

            How do we measure up to the standards set by this scripture? I am afraid not very favorably. We can feel that the times we are living in are very difficult. With high prices, and shortages of essential items it can be very hard. It is even harder for those who live outside the United States. For a long time, we have been a culture that is very materialistic. Money is a source of power and pride for the culture the world over. Many people boast of their material possessions.

            God has seemingly given the world over to its lust for the things of that money can buy. People are more than ever leaving churches and God to go over to the side of the wealthy and well connected. We see, on the news, acts of unspeakable cruelty and evil being done to our fellow men who bear the image of God. God has been expelled from our cultural life together.

            So, what are we to do? How can we improve our score on God’s report card? We must begin by looking long and hard in the mirror until we can see what an ultimate horror we have become. Recognizing our shameful and sinful attitudes we must repent and turn again toward God and His ways. Seeking to love God, others, and ourselves the way Jesus loves us. Confessing our sin, we must be honest and desire truthfulness in our innermost being. We can then begin to live lives of virtue and grace. Pleasing God and praising His holy name.

Prayer:

            Lord, we can see how badly we have failed you. Guide us to true confession of our sins and true repentance of them. We pray that you will show us how to live in this broken and hurting world. Not criticizing it but healing it of its brokenness. Teach us the things that make for peace and harmony in our culture. Give us the courage to love those the culture calls unlovable. Strengthen us, O Lord, to stand firm in a world that no longer reveres you. May we live as examples of your love today and every day. Amen

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