Pray First

Read Genesis 24

When in Rome, do as the Romans do! That phrase originated, in some form, from the advice of one saint (St Ambrose) to a younger saint (St Augustine) who had moved from Rome to Milan. In Rome the church fasted on Saturdays; in Milan the church did not. The advice of St Ambrose was essentially, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; when in Milan do as they do!

As a military family, we’ve enjoyed quite a few elements of other cultures. When in South Korea, our then one-year-old daughter tasted a candied sort of treat offered to her by a little Korean girl… dried squid! My daughter took it with joy and bit into it with anticipation. Her gnarled facial expression made it clear that she regretted her participation! 

When we lived in Texas, we learned to love beef brisket and rodeos. When in Kansas, we learned to love horseback riding. When in Boston, we learned to love the snow, the Red Sox, and the people’s patriotism. In Alabama, we loved Saturday football games and the Crimson Tide (we’re from there so it’s natural). We loved hiking the beautiful trails and going to the bay and the beach. When we went to Rome, we did as the Romans do, at least what tourists do in Rome! We visited the Roman Colosseum, ate tons of pasta and pizza, and enjoyed viewing the countryside. 

I’m thankful for the life experiences we’ve had in the many places we’ve lived or visited. However, a few of the cities where we lived exposed us or our children to things we would rather not have encountered. It’s often easier to join with those around us than to go against the grain. It’s easier to do as the Romans do. But as Christ followers, we’re called to live life differently than the world around us. While it may be good to experience different cultures, God does not want us to leave behind who He has called us to be. 

In Genesis 12:1 God told Abraham to go from his hometown to “a place I will show you.” God had a great plan for him, to make him a father of many nations. But when God called him to go, Abraham had no idea where God had planned. He simply trusted God and took off on his camel. He took his wife, Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all the people they had acquired and set out on the journey. He eventually entered the land of Canaan, which turned out to be a cursed, pagan nation.  

A cursed nation would surely be a difficult place to find friends and make connections, while also remaining a follower of God. Imagine who your kids would go to school with and play sports with. These cursed people would be the ones at the local grocery store, the PTA meeting, and the rotary club meetings. 

Abraham knew God, and he followed God. He wanted that kind of life for his son Isaac as well. He lived life differently than the Canaanite people he now lived near. He didn’t want Isaac to date the girls or marry a woman in that pagan nation. Abraham knew Isaac wouldn’t find a godly woman to marry among the Canaanites. So he sent his servant to get a wife for his son from his hometown; a wife that had learned to follow God. 

Wherever we land, wherever we live, God still calls us to be His. He doesn’t want us to become like the people we live near if they aren’t His followers. He wants us to be a light in the darkness, not become the darkness. He doesn’t want us to gossip with gossipers or hate with the haters. He doesn’t want us to follow the ways of the world or cede to what is culturally acceptable if it goes against God’s word. He wants us to love others, including people not like us and those that don’t know Him. But some of our closest friends, our people, the ones we do life with, really should be those that will hold us up, call us out, pray for us, and encourage us to follow God. 

What are your closest friends like? Do they chase after the world’s ways: riches, vanity, idolatry, impurity, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, lying, drunkenness? Or do they seek God’s ways?  Do they walk with you through your hard times and point you to Jesus? Will they pray for you? Will they gently nudge you away from temptation or sin? Or, would they tell you to do as the Romans do? 

Whatever our situation or location, we need to remember to do as Jesus would do, not as the Romans do, or the Canaanites do! God says, “Be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:16 NKJV). And it sure does help to have some friends close by that are striving toward that same goal. 

Worship: “First Things First” by Consumed by Fire

 

Find Tracy on Facebook at Tracy Fields Todd, Writer, and on Instagram at @tracyftodd.