{"id":1467,"date":"2011-07-18T12:27:57","date_gmt":"2011-07-18T19:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.richarddahlstrom.com\/?p=1467"},"modified":"2011-07-18T12:27:57","modified_gmt":"2011-07-18T19:27:57","slug":"disengage-from-the-culture-and-dont-change-the-world-change-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/richarddahlstrom\/2011\/07\/18\/disengage-from-the-culture-and-dont-change-the-world-change-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Disengage from the culture and don’t change the world – change yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Casey Anthony. \u00a0Who is she? \u00a0Why is her case important? \u00a0Or, is<\/em> her case important, or before that Anthony Weiner\u2019s case, or before that some other politician or movie star, or both \u2013 why is anyone at all paying attention to this string of social pablam? \u00a0And we Christians have our own diversions: \u00a0\u201cGood bye-Rob Bell\u201d<\/em>? \u00a0\u201cEugene Peterson is the devil because he wrote the Message\u201d<\/em>. \u00a0Are these conversations \u00a0more important than our national fiscal crisis, or the torture of citizens in Syria by their own government, or the ongoing challenges of human trafficking in Asia, and right here in our own country? \u00a0Are these stories more important than how I\u2019m dealing with finding my calling, or how I\u2019m dealing with my family challenges, or vocational challenges? \u00a0And most significantly: \u00a0Are these stories more important than my threefold calling to 1) live justly by advocating, paying attention to my lifestyle choices and affects they have, being the first to cross social dividing lines, \u00a02) love mercy, by cultivating a heart that is quick to forgive and relentless in pursuing honest, open, and reconciling relationships, and 3) walk humbly with God, which means developing a real relationship of intimacy with God by making time for Bible reading, prayer, and receiving God\u2019s revelation through creation, life circumstances and relationships. \u00a0(I unpack all three of these much more in my new book<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I understand the value of cultural engagement, understand that we\u2019re called \u201cthe light of the world\u201d because we\u2019re meant to shine into the messiness of it all, bringing beauty, hope, joy, generosity. \u00a0This time, like any other time, is not a time for withdrawal. \u00a0Still\u2026.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m increasingly concerned that we who follow Christ are wasting way too much time feasting on social and theological trivia. \u00a0Like candy, our debates about the merits of \u201cthe church down the road\u201d, or \u201cLove Wins\u201d or John Piper, or Casey Anthony Weiner might give us a rush but I\u2019m the parent warning you: \u00a0it\u2019s rot your teeth, and then you won\u2019t even be able to handle important food but will, like some early Christians, be stuck on milk forever<\/a>. \u00a0The author to the Hebrews reminds us that mature saints have had their senses trained to discern between good and evil. \u00a0How do we train our senses?<\/p>\n

1. By turning \u2013 and beholding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maturity in my life and faith is ultimately bound up with maturity in my relationship with Christ.<\/a> That relationship, like any relationship, requires two things:<\/p>\n

First, I need to see that I\u2019m changed into a better person by spending time with Christ. \u00a0I simply must develop habits that allow me to receive from God as God reveals Himself through His Word, through creation, through silence, and through real relationships. There are lots of reasons we struggle with this, but the main reason is that, like shiny bright lights to babies, other things call us away from \u201cthe simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ\u201d<\/p>\n

Before I can behold, I need to turn away from everything else. \u00a0Any relationship requires our offering of the gift of presence. \u00a0For example, in marriage, I need to put the paper down, turn off the TV, or set aside whatever\u2019s occupying me, before I can make eye contact. \u00a0It\u2019s the same with God; and this is where Facebook, and the social trivia bantered about on it becomes so insidious. \u00a0Is it really more important to hear about national gossip than to meet with Christ? \u00a0Is it really more important to debate the merits of Rob Bell\u2019s new book than to pray? \u00a0I didn\u2019t think so. \u00a0I\u2019ve got to set some of this stuff aside if I\u2019m going to behold.<\/p>\n

2. By listening \u2013 and responding<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I develop habits of beholding (through coffee with God, or walking with God, or Verse of the Day as an e-mail, or whatever), God begins to speak to us. \u00a0He reminds of relationships that need repairing. \u00a0He invites us to confess our failures and move off the ground of shame and fear, onto the ground of boldness and confidence. \u00a0He invites us to change our financial priorities, or our time use, or he speaks to us about vocational matters, or marriage, singleness, parenting matters. \u00a0God, in other words, REVEALS! \u00a0It\u2019s not as clear on some days as others, but I promise you this: \u00a0keep showing up, and God will bring guidance to your life.<\/p>\n

The final piece of the puzzle is our response. \u00a0We need to not just listen; we need to listen and take the next step \u2013 the step of obedience. \u00a0Do you notice that this step, the last step, propels us into the culture \u2013 and once there, we\u2019ll engage, imparting hope through acts of justice, hospitality, service, mercy. \u00a0We\u2019ll do it through art, through transformative marriages, through being vitally alive as single people, through our practice of law, or teaching, or cooking, or whatever it is that we do.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not really against engaging the culture, as I hope you can see. \u00a0It\u2019s just that the cultural engagement umbrella has recently become shelter for a lot of things that aren\u2019t that valuable. \u00a0I\u2019m pretty sure that pontificating about the fate of Rob Bell or Anthony Weiner or the church down the road isn\u2019t a big piece of God\u2019s pie. \u00a0It might be sweet to talk about\u2026 but it\u2019s not very good for you.<\/p>\n

Why is social and evangelical trivia so engaging these days? \u00a0How can we elevate the conversation?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Casey Anthony. \u00a0Who is she? \u00a0Why is her case important? \u00a0Or, is her case important, or before that Anthony Weiner\u2019s case, or before that some other politician or movie star, or both \u2013 why is anyone at all paying attention to this string of social pablam? \u00a0And we Christians have our own diversions: \u00a0\u201cGood bye-Rob […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,8],"tags":[23360,27],"class_list":["post-1467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-coffee-with-god","category-inhaling","tag-coffee-with-god","tag-culture"],"yoast_head":"\nDisengage from the culture and don't change the world - change yourself<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Casey Anthony. \u00a0Who is she? \u00a0Why is her case important? \u00a0Or, is her case important, or before that Anthony Weiner's case, or before that some other\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/richarddahlstrom\/2011\/07\/18\/disengage-from-the-culture-and-dont-change-the-world-change-yourself\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Disengage from the culture and don't change the world - change yourself\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Casey Anthony. \u00a0Who is she? 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