Insolubility

This morning, Tammy and I awoke to a beautiful view from the top floor of the Four Seasons in the Lake of the Ozarks. We are here because Tammy has a three-day conference for Community Health Workers, with CEUs that she can use for her state licensure. While the workshops sound promising, it is apparent that the worldview of healthcare and social work is very different from our biblical worldview. 

Sitting in the restaurant eating breakfast and contemplating this clash of worldviews reminded me of Iced Tea! Some people don’t get the idea of Sweet Tea when you go to a restaurant. Here in the mid-west and further South, when you ask for Iced Tea, it comes in two types: Sweet and Nasty (AKA not sweet). However, go to a restaurant in other parts of the country, which only comes unsweetened.

When you ask a server about Sweet Tea, the standard response is from someone who does not understand basic chemistry or the principles of Solubility, when they say, “you can add sugar if you like.” When making Sweet Tea, the sugar is poured into the hot tea, which means the sugar breaks down (melts) smoothly and becomes one with the tea (cue exhilarating sound effect). But when you pour sugar into cold (iced) tea, the sugar does not dissolve, it simply sinks. It takes much more sugar and brisk stirring to get close to semi-sweet tea (Not anything close to Sweet Tea).

What is all this talk about tea? Good Question…

When going to a conference like this it does not take long to figure out that the Christian Worldview is being poured into a cold liquid. Sure, there are some places where we find common ground and concepts that are good within reason, but it is not a perfect blending of worldviews. Our biblical views of sexuality, abortion, homelessness, and other conservative values will clash if we hold strong convictions.

What is sad is that once upon a time the water temperature was more agreeable and the alignment of the two views was more in tune with each other. There are those who call themselves Christian who will blend into the water because their biblical worldview is in tune with the secular world, putting their convictions in alignment with the world.

Let me be clear, Christians should be insoluble in the culture.  The issue is the truth that we must engage the culture and the world with great care. We have to enter the secular worldview, and hold strong to our convictions, not allowing the persuasive teachings, beliefs, and ideologies of the secular world to influence our faith.

Paul makes the profound statement in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21.

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

When entering this arena, our goal is to represent Christ and our biblical worldview. We can be the light in the darkness, showing those who think themselves wise that God’s truth is greater than the world. The Gospel has the power to transcend worldly wisdom. Pray that followers of Christ will not be dissolved into the culture, but will draw other out.