A CLARION CALL TO RESIST THE PULL

·Whenever I come back to the States, I struggle inwardly as I go through culture shock. I may not talk a lot about it, but the inner turmoil is there, just the same.

· The American and Kenyan lifestyles are so different – especially economically!

· After having lived in a foreign country for almost six years, I believe I can wholeheartedly agree with those who claim that Americans are rather self-absorbed. The average American only thinks of the good ol’ US of A – how wonderful it is, how mighty it is, and how booming the economy is. We ignore the fact that literally billions of people in the world don’t have the essentials of life: clean water, proper sanitation, and three meals a day.

· Unlike Americans, Kenyans don’t have kitchens full of food. Rather they ask God for their daily bread! Many of my Kenyan friends only eat two meals a day – that is, if you count tea as a meal!

· Unlike Americans who (relatively speaking) have huge homes, most Kenyan families live in one room that’s only 100 square feet (commonly called a 10x10). That’s most likely smaller than your bedroom!

· In urban areas, they share a community toilet and wash room with several other families.

· Americans typically have so much stuff that they fill their attics, garages, and basements. If there’s not enough room in those places, they rent storage space. Every time I come back to Omaha, new storage centers have been built. Why? In order to store more stuff! Stuff that’s rarely used!

· Americans seem (to me) to be in hot pursuit of more and more leisure, more and more luxury items, more and more comfort, and more and more pleasure.

· On the contrary, Kenyans struggle just to meet their most basic needs. They live with almost no luxury or leisure. Their days are consumed with survival.

· Come visit me in Kenya some time. I’ll show you these things.

But, enough of these comparisons. Let’s make a bit of a shift here. Let me move to a different comparison – that of the world and the church.

· Statistics tell us that the church doesn’t look that much different than the world (adultery, divorce, pre-marital sex, debt, depression, etc.)

· Would your neighbors say, “Those folks at the end of the block – in the blue house – they’re different. There’s something truly unique about them!”?

· Or have you (like so much of America) adopted the motto - “The one with the most toys wins!”

· Are you following Jesus? Or, are you following the world?

· If you flirt with the world, how will you influence it?

· Have you compromised in some areas of your life?

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