“Most of my important lessons about life have come from recognizing how others from a different culture view things” (Edgar H. Schein). When you choose to step outside of your own world, you learn
something new that changes your perspective. We have set ways of viewing things, doing things, and understanding life, but when we step outside of our own space, we see the diversity the world has to offer. When we learn what cultural values and patterns are, we are able to learn practical ways to appreciate them, and go back to the Creator’s viewpoint of all this diversity, it does not make it feel so overwhelming to learn about other cultures. Instead, it focuses us in on what Matthew 28:19 says to do, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Cultural values and patterns are what creates the first layer of a culture. This is the cultural normalities and the basic criteria’s for a cultures practices. These could be instances as simple as how long we should socialize with someone. Have we ever thought that our hour or hour an a half coffee time is not the usual way for a college student to get to know someone? Many cultures have four-course sit down meals to catch up with their friend or family member.
So how can we learn to appreciate culture in all of this? How are we able to learn about the diversity without having to ignore everything we have been taught and everything we are used to? We have to take it step by step and understand that learning a new culture is really just about being open to something new. The word ‘change’ scares a lot of people and learning a new culture does not mean having to change anything, but being open to the new. I have learned that by first telling yourself this is not necessarily change, but just new, it mentally becomes easier.
Second, I would advise that being okay to mess-up or fail will change your entire experience. You will never get everything right and if you do, then you are not learning. Learning new cultures means being open to messing up and not doing everything correctly. If you have the mindset that failing means that you cannot continue to learn, then that would be a great place to start.
The first Bible verse many children grow up memorizing in children’s church is John 3:16-17 which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” This verse, along with Matthew 28 means that we must use our mouth to share the Good News in order for people to know. This means that if we walk into a room with a different culture surrounding it and we claim that we know everything and everything should be done according to our standards, then how would we ever be able to share the Truth of the Gospel? Romans 10:14 says, “How will people call on Him if they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him if they not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” This is saying that in order for us to share the Good News and the Truth of the Gospel, we have to care about them and help them to know others and their differences. These cultural differences are not something that should drive us apart, but instead bring us together, focusing on the Word of God and the Lord as our Creator.
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