How have you been counter-cultural?
The last time someone asked you "How are you doing?" how did you answer? I'm betting it was something like, "Man, I'm just so busy." Doesn't that offer frightening insight into our culture and ambitions?
The number of hours we work, the amount of money we make, the stuff we own have all become badges of honor we wear proudly for the world to see while they slowly eat away at us on the inside. I wonder how things would be different if we started "bragging" about different things. What if instead of "I put in 90 hours last week," I told people "I had an unbelievable weekend with my wife?" What if instead of "I bought a new 42" plasma," I told people "I just got rid of our cable?"
In the comments to last week's post, Greg said, "I am happy to say I've never missed a birthday or sonogram appointment in the 10 years I've been in consulting." Awesome. We need to hear about more men doing these kinds of things.
This forum is certainly no substitute for real, face-to-face, intimate community (I truly hope each of us is searching for Godly community at work -- I talked to a guy about praying in the office on Fridays...only took me 3 years to do that) but I do think we can accomplish some things via blog. Namely the exchange of ideas. So that's what I want to do this week -- open it up for you to offer advice/encouragement/examples of practical, counter-cultural things we can strive for at work and at home. Examples may include refusing to miss birthdays, spending more time with our families, selling our stuff and giving sacrificially to the Church and the poor. If you have done counter-cultural things at work or with your money, tell us what/how/why. Give us Scripture to think about.
I'm hoping that by knowing some of the other things you guys have done, things we should consider in our own lives, we'd be encouraged to live more obediently, more simply, more generously. An amazing result of that lifestyle would be the opportunity to then speak counter-culturally in everyday conversation.
How can we get started?
The number of hours we work, the amount of money we make, the stuff we own have all become badges of honor we wear proudly for the world to see while they slowly eat away at us on the inside. I wonder how things would be different if we started "bragging" about different things. What if instead of "I put in 90 hours last week," I told people "I had an unbelievable weekend with my wife?" What if instead of "I bought a new 42" plasma," I told people "I just got rid of our cable?"
In the comments to last week's post, Greg said, "I am happy to say I've never missed a birthday or sonogram appointment in the 10 years I've been in consulting." Awesome. We need to hear about more men doing these kinds of things.
This forum is certainly no substitute for real, face-to-face, intimate community (I truly hope each of us is searching for Godly community at work -- I talked to a guy about praying in the office on Fridays...only took me 3 years to do that) but I do think we can accomplish some things via blog. Namely the exchange of ideas. So that's what I want to do this week -- open it up for you to offer advice/encouragement/examples of practical, counter-cultural things we can strive for at work and at home. Examples may include refusing to miss birthdays, spending more time with our families, selling our stuff and giving sacrificially to the Church and the poor. If you have done counter-cultural things at work or with your money, tell us what/how/why. Give us Scripture to think about.
I'm hoping that by knowing some of the other things you guys have done, things we should consider in our own lives, we'd be encouraged to live more obediently, more simply, more generously. An amazing result of that lifestyle would be the opportunity to then speak counter-culturally in everyday conversation.
How can we get started?
posted by Matthew at 8:56 PM
2 Comments:
Well, working at my church (Scum of the Earth), I buy into a counter-cultural movement...that's just part of the job. So, whether it's music, or art, or dress, or any other form that it takes, there is something that 'counter-cultural' about our church.
But it's funny, since I've been there, I've seen a drastic change in my own life, some of which has been good and some bad. I've gotten my septum pierced (good) and taken to swearing more (bad). These are just a few of the many changes that I've seen over the past 3 years.
One of the questions that has come into my mind so often, though, is how can my culture be redeemed. Richard Neibuhr talks about our relationship to culture in his book Christ and culture. Here's a basic synopsis:
http://www.mtio.com/articles/bissar26.htm
One of the big things that I have wrestled with since I've read the book is how can Christ transform my culture. Now, granted my cultural influences are different than many of yours, but there is something valid in our ability to see that which is Christlike in any culture and seek to redeem that.
Some thoughts:
- Josh -- you are right. I hope we can be counter-cultural not to isolate ourselves but to challenge/redeem culture.
- "It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" -- Henry David Thoreau
- A buddy sent me an article recently that talks about some pretty counter-cultural folks...they didn't buy anything new all last year. And decided to do it again this year.
- The one example I can think of in my life of counter-culturalism was my decision not to pursue an MBA despite Deloitte's offer to pay for it and the warning of several partners that I was "leaving money on the table." They're right...I just couldn't shake the fact that I didn't feel God calling that direction...and I didn't want to commit to 2 more years of weekly travel. Looking back, John 12:1-5 provides some encouragement.
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