Embracing a New Way of Life
I recently visited my brother in Boston, marking my first trip to New England. As he showed me around the city, I was struck by two things: the beauty of the place and its rich history. Every street and building seemed to be something I’d studied in history class. But there was something else that caught my attention: the people. Growing up in smalltown Texas, my way of interacting with others felt out of place in Boston.
At a diner, I greeted everyone behind the counter with a cheerful “hello” and a smile, only to be met with confused stares. I held the door open for a woman, and she scowled at me. I even waved at a passing car while driving, but instead of a friendly response, I got a different kind of wave in return. My brother, embarrassed, told me to stop trying so hard to be friendly. What was the problem? It wasn’t that these people were bad or that Boston was a horrible place; it was simply a different culture, one where people relate to each other in ways I wasn’t used to.
Culture is a term that’s often thrown around without much thought. It’s a set of shared beliefs, values, and practices that shape how we interact with the world around us. It’s what’s considered “normal” in any given society. When we look at Jesus’ life, He introduced a radically new culture—a way of living that turned everything upside down. For three years, He lived and taught in ways that defied the norms of His time. His message wasn’t just about following rules or religious rituals; it was about transforming the way people think, act, and treat others.
Jesus’ mission on earth was to offer a new way of life. In John 10:10, He said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus doesn’t just want us to survive; He wants us to thrive. Abundant life in the culture Jesus designed doesn’t mean we won’t face difficulties—it’s about living with purpose, peace, and the assurance that we are never alone. The stories in the Gospels aren’t just historical accounts; they’re invitations to experience the fullness of His life today.
One of the central elements of Jesus’ message was showing his followers what the Kingdom of God looked like. In Matthew 6:10, in the Lord’s Prayer, He teaches us to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus wasn’t just preparing us for heaven; He was showing us how to bring the values of heaven into our daily lives. The culture of the Kingdom is about transformation. It’s about living with love, humility, forgiveness, and service to others.
As followers of Jesus, we are invited into this new culture. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when we choose to follow Jesus, we become a new creation. This new identity carries with it a new purpose: to live as representatives of God’s Kingdom. We are meant to change both personally, and we’re meant to help transform the world around us by living in a way that reflects God’s values.
Living out this Kingdom culture means having a personal relationship with God through prayer and the study of His Word. It also means being part of a community that shares these values and supports each other in living them out. The more we embrace this new way of life, the more we become agents of change, reflecting love, grace, and generosity in everything we do.
I wasn’t ready to let the culture of the Northeast change me, and I returned to Texas as quickly as I could. But I am grateful every day for the transformation I’ve experienced through the culture Jesus established. When we embrace this new way of life, the impact doesn’t end with us; it spreads, changing the world around us, one life at a time.