A Cross-Cultural Life: Do You See What God Sees?

In the midst of heightened cultural sensitivities, we can lose our bearings if we don’t see what God sees, if we don’t look beyond the natural and embrace the spiritual. We’ll be tossed to and fro by all the news reports, the latest riot, the latest killing, the latest sadness in a long history of discrimination and prejudice. 

Even though the world is going crazy, we must take a moment to remember that God sees the pain, He sees the injustices — but He also sees something else. Take a moment to breathe, to see, what He sees. 

“… I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10, NKJV)

As believers, God’s goal, His vision — what He sees and all creation yearns for — should be our goal and our vision. We cannot stop short. We must press the matter until that vision is realized. 

It’s a noble thing to show kindness and sensitivity to others. We need to speak up and work to enact change. As we do, we must remember that God’s heart is for all men to be saved, for all to come to repentance, for all to embrace a relationship with Him. And if our goal is not in line with God’s vision, then our works will fall flat and fail to produce the end result that is the answer to all the injustices and unfairness.

Open your eyes and envision what could be, what should be, and add that faith to your conversations, your kindnesses, your actions to transform our society. 

Pray until the vision comes to pass. Love, sow seeds of goodness, water what someone else has planted — and believe for a mighty harvest. A righting of wrongs, a gathering of one people united by faith in Jesus Christ. Work with Jesus in the great field of the world. Sense His pain, embrace His purposes. The Lord loves justice and He loves to see unity.

Cross cultural boundaries and erase them with the blood of the Lamb, the saving, atoning work of Jesus Christ. 

“Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise Him, all you people of the earth.” (Psalm 117:1, NLT)