Culture & Race

I feel theres a need to stress that the biggest problem we face today isn't racism aka colour but cultural misunderstandings. Just like our fathers had a problem with racial equality, we face cultural equality.
We don't understand other people's cultures, so we (for the most part) avoid those people. Even personally I find myself perplexed and intrigued by others' cultures.
White/western people have various cultures (but very similar to each other). Jewish people have their own unique culture, as do the Greeks. The Latin and Spanish have their various cultures. The Chinese, Japanese, S.Korean, N.Korean, and Asia over all each have their own cultures. The Muslims have theirs. Here in South Africa we have a background of different cultures each routing back to a different clans. Then there are the 'coloureds' with a culture of their own.

Our culture started with our fathers' history, country of origin, and cultural understanding, language etc. As the culture developed over the ages, each generation added their part. This can be a good thing, if each generation can have the courage to change what needs to be changed and face their challenges. We often believe change starts with one individual and so we wait on someone to rise up.
We have already had a Mandela, who opened our minds to address the racial issue. Now we're integrated together. Yet the work is far from done, its started.

Now we need to understand and accept other cultures.  We don't need to totally take on another culture, though maybe it could do us all some good to spend time with other cultures. We can have our differences and disagreements! This healthy, its just how we deal with it. Currently, we get into a routine doing whats comfortable and avoid what isn't (comfortable). This leads to inter-division.
If we, as a people, are serious about change it starts with fixing our ill-inherited perceptions of each other and replacing them with first-hand understanding.

In class yesterday, the teacher opened a discussion on how we would counsel people from other cultures. Would we counsel a person from a different culture, race or religion we didn't understand or agree with? After all everyone shared, it boiled down to understanding vs comfort. Would we be prepared to step outside our comfort zone to help someone.

Overcoming cultural division, we need to start with stepping outside our comfort zone to learn about and understand other cultures. Secondly, we would need to treat everyone as Yeshua/Jesus would: as humans deserving love. By showing His love, compassion and caring nature to others, can people see He lives!

Jesus went to Heaven so we would carry on His work on earth. So Jesus challenged us to continue His work, yet are we taking Him on His challenge? Are we training to be fishers of men, men after His heart, servants to His will? Jesus was the first man with all of Yahweh's (God) Holy Spirit, and yes He was born to die for us! But also to teach us how to walk with His Spirit and how to be His servant, living body on earth to carry out His heavenly Will. Will we take on His challenge and allow Yahweh to carry His vision for this nation???