There is another way…

On Wednesday this week, everyone in South Korea became younger as the whole country aligned itself with the international community’s way of counting age. The traditional South Korean system declared everyone to be one at birth, counting time in utero as part of a person’s life. For many, tradition also determined that January 1 was the national birthday and everyone was deemed a year older on New Year’s Day rather than the day of their birth.

President Yoon Suk Yeol pushed strongly for the change when he ran for office last year and having been elected has kept his promise so the vast majority of people in South Korea just became younger and got a new birthday.

Now there are lots of fascinating things about this, but a particular one that interests me is that many South Koreans had no idea there was any alternate way of doing age. They were swept along without thinking, not even knowing that there might be a different way of managing age and birthdays.

Now here’s my point. Many Christians are swept along without thinking, not even knowing that there might be a different way of doing life because they don’t read their Bible. Christians who read their Bible rarely often have no idea that the life they are living is more in tune with the world than the goodness of God. Christians who read their Bible rarely are often swept along with their community and rarely consider whether the way they are doing life might be wrong in God’s eyes. 

Doing life the way everyone else does is not the determiner of good, right or best. God has spoken and he has shared good with us and it is up to us to listen.

So, let’s talk about work. Has the way you think about work been shaped by your education, your friends, your parents, your own ideas or by God. Over the next three Sundays and Wednesday 5th July you’ll have a chance to listen to God, talk with others and work it out.

Let’s talk about sexuality and gender. Has the way you think about them been shaped by your education, your friends, your community, your own ideas or by God. If you want to think it through, there are some resources on our YouTube channel to help you. 

We could keep listing all the critical topics shaping our world today and asking ourselves where our understanding has come from - and if it has not come from God, are you sure that the way you think and behave is right?

Research has continually shown that those who read or listen to the Bible at least 4 times a week are consistently growing in faith and godliness, more confident as a Christian and more energised for mission. They are less likely to be swept along and shaped by the world, and more likely to be keeping in step with the Spirit. 

So as all of South Korea moves to be in step with the world, I wonder if it is time for you to move to be in step with God. What change might you have to make to align yourself with God’s word? Might it be that you just need to start listening to God more regularly? If you need help, just ask. I would love to see you growing in faith and knowing the goodness of God more deeply.