Margaret Killingray from LICC comments on Christians being signposts of God's kingdom

Margaret Killingray

Culture is the way we do things - in our family and community as well as in our wider cultural groupings. And it's hard to prevent ourselves from thinking that the way we do things is actually the way they should be done. But all cultures near and far are tainted and, to some extent, dysfunctional. And in all cultures, Christians are able to be signposts of God's kingdom wherever we are, seeking to bring his transforming grace into our everyday frontline contexts.

Daniel and his fellow exiles in the Bible may have been 'well informed' and 'quick to understand' but they found themselves in a foreign and challenging place. Their families, language, traditions, and the places and rituals of the worship of their God, had all been stripped away. How should they react? Should they simply knuckle down, do as they are told, give in and forget their identity as servants of the Lord? Or should they attempt to avoid all contact with this pagan culture, creating, were it possible, their own exclusive ghetto? Or denounce and confront every pagan insult to their God, refuse to cooperate in any way and probably bring about their executions?

Daniel and his friends went to the enemy's schools, learnt the language and engaged fully with all the palace staff, acting in such a way that they were honoured by the Babylonians who worked alongside them. They sought to protect their fellow Babylonian 'wise men' when they were threatened with execution, acting with courage and diplomacy. They chose to make a stand on the food they ate, refusing the rich food from the king's table, but they did it with humility and self-discipline. They prayed regularly with windows wide open. They confronted the orders of the king when they had no alternative. They didn't hide their faith, but demonstrated the mercy and grace of God to all - their fellow Jews and their Gentile rulers and co-workers, so that the king would one day say, 'I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just'.

We too can seek to mould the cultures we inhabit - family, neighbourhood, workplace - wherever we are on the frontline. But our first steps begin, always, with love and humility, demonstrating the loving mercy of our Lord.