Our "Culture Shock" series on 1 Peter addresses how we live in a world that should feel very "foreign" to us. We are citizens of another place (heaven), servants of another King (Jesus), and our primary allegiance is to another Kingdom (the Kingdom of God).
Some Christians are very shocked at the world. They see people with different value systems and behavior, and feel repulsed or indignant about it. However, I believe that we shouldn't be shocked at what we see from those who don't love Jesus. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:32, "if there is no resurrection, 'Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!'" If there is nothing beyond this life, if our actions in this life have no bearing on anything, why not live it up? From our first parents in the Garden of Eden, people have chosen to behave in ways that are selfish, self-serving, and small-minded.
Instead of being shocked at sin and selfishness in our world, we should be a shocking example of what a life surrendered to Jesus looks like. If we live in obedience to Jesus, we'll live life the way it was meant to be lived. We'll be the most fully-alive human beings we can be. We will shock our co-workers and neighbors as they see the way we treat money, sex, food, work, ethics, and family. Do we look shocking to those around us? Or do we tend to get comfortable with the values of our world, so that we reflect our culture more than we reflect Jesus Christ?
"Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. " (1 Peter 2:12)
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