Ingrown Christianity

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Ingrown-
1) Grown abnormally into oneself.
2) Inbred; innate:
3) Insular; self-contained:
American Heritage Dictionary

I'm not sure why this thought hit me today but here are some thoughts I've had while meditating on it.

Having grown up in a conservative, secluded, easily identifiable Christian community there were some things I never gave a second thought. Entering adulthood I simply adopted the attitude of my environment and became a self-preservationist along with my peers. Honestly, the thought of affecting or being positively affected by anyone or anything beyond my own culture never entered my cranium. I did, in some small measure, attempt to befriend people outside of my world, but it was just that, otherworldly. It was as though we were speaking two different languages about two different topics at the same time. It simply didn't happen, because due to my insulation, I could hear nothing that was said outside of my own paradigm.

I want to be clear, I'm not wanting to be accusatory by this post. I would, however, like to ask each reader to look in the mirror. Have you ingrown? Have you grown abnormally into your own sub-culture? Have you become self-contained? What influences you? It is impossible to be influenced by things you don't allow access into your life. Somehow, though, I'm not as concerned just now about who we allow to influence us as who we are willing to allow ourselves to reach out to.

Do you reach 'out'? How far?

Do you reach far enough out to touch your neighbor? You know who your 'neighbor' is. Jesus taught us clearly that anyone with a need is our neighbor if we are apprised of their need. Can you allow yourself the freedom to serve your neighbor's needs? What if your neighbor is culturally quite different than you are? Each of us like to be accused of taking the Scripture literally, but be careful not to miscontext and/or miss some texts altogether in our quest for literal application. Far too many times I've heard do good to all men and especially to those of the household of faith quoted with all the emphasis on the end part rather than the beginning. Friends, we're past due on the do good to ALL men part.

Let's ask ourselves this as a measuring stick. When we entertain, to whom does the invitation extend? Sure, there's always a time for entertaining our friends, our family, our long-time acquaintances. Sure, relationships take work, and we should devote times for just that, maintaining genuine relationship with our peers. BUT......if that's the entirety of our social experience; if we never mingle socially outside of our own 'kind'; if we have never even given thought, much less effort, to socializing with people we don't understand have we not become ingrown?

I end with this, I am guilty! Not only am I guilt of being a social recluse, I rather like it. I'm comfortable in my own social circle. Nevertheless, I pray the Lord will grant each of us repentance and the ability to affect and be affected by people. Real people. People who are quite different than ourselves!
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