by John O’Malley
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Culture is how we do life in context. We can speak of culture regarding a bias, a people group, or a region. Culture is an accepted set of ideas, values, and beliefs.
We see subsets of culture everywhere. We refer to culture as we compare our home country to our host country. We can identify another’s culture more readily than we can see our way of doing life.
If you are in a tribal area, you can identify people from another tribe because of culture’s markers. If you are in an urban area, you can identify people from a specific culture by how they walk, dress, and speak.
Earth is not the only place with a culture. Heaven has a culture.
Heaven’s culture is God’s way of how He wants us to live and behave. We learn of heaven’s culture and how to implement it in our lives from the Bible.
You determine how you implement heaven’s culture. As a leader, you determine the standard of practicing John 13:35. Each believer must practice the word of God.
Our homes are to be embassies of heaven’s culture. Our ministries are to be consulates of heaven. We live our lives as ambassadors of heaven.
Last month, I described World Wide’s office culture, and by extension, the entire mission’s family. We define our culture by one word, SERVE*. Our culture is simple, intentional, and spiritual. We know we are at our best when we SERVE.
The first value of our culture is selflessness.
Selflessness is difficult work. Selflessness is to think the same as Christ. (Philippians 2:5) Selflessness is a mental, emotional, and spiritual decision. Selflessness is being in sync with God. Selflessness asks, “Does what I am about to do meet His goals or mine?”
Selflessness, in the life of Christ, meant every action of Christ, every word of Christ, and every thought of Christ gloriously displayed the attribute of selflessness.
Selflessness is death. (Galatians 2:20) Selflessness is death to my ideas, my ways, and my wants. It is to live with the spirit of death about us. I am crucified with Christ. Selflessness is the supreme act of the love of Christ. Selflessness was His substitutionary death on the cross. Paul states positionally and practically, “I am crucified with Christ.”
Selflessness is deacon work. (1 Timothy 3:13) Deacon work is menial and unattractive. Deacon work is not honorable. Yet, selflessness–deacon work–is vital, necessary, and beneficial. When we are selfless, we purchase a good degree and confidence in our walk and work for the Lord.
Selflessness means no glory for ourselves, only Him. Selflessness has no agenda, no ambition, nor conceit. Selflessness maintains a posture of lowliness in mind. Selflessness means I value you above me. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Selflessness is hard work. I have work to do on me. What about you?
Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley
*(SERVE is an acrostic — Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional)
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.