We have been reading a book for class over the break called Third Culture Kids by David Pollock. The book talks about kids who grow up in a culture different from their home culture. They often struggle because they don't quite fit in the culture in which they live. Because they are citizens of one country but live in another, they often have confused loyalties. The two countries might be at odds with each other, or even at war. As they work through these different issues and try to establish their identity they want to be liked and have friends. Third culture kids can fit into the culture they live in by coping in several ways: Some look the same and act the same - you would never know they were any different. Some look like they belong on the outside but act differently. Others look like they don't belong on the outside but think and act just like the locals. Still others act blatantly different so there is no doubt as to their identity.
As I was reading about these and other characteristics of third culture kids I was struck by a thought. Really, we as Christians should be third culture kids. Philippians 3.20 tells us our citizenship is in heaven and 1 Peter 2.11 exhorts us to live like we are not of this world. How well do we fulfill this calling? The Bible guarantees the world will conflict with our passport country. Do we even recognize these conflicts? Are our loyalties confused? How do we cope with being different? Do we look different on the outside with Jesus bumper stickers and T-shirts while we act just like the locals so they will like us? Are we so blatantly different that the people here don't even want to be around us?
We can learn much from third culture kids and the struggles they face. Their ability to transcend differences and communicate across cultures is something we all need. God has called us to reach out to a lost world. We don't belong here. One day he will call us home to give an account of what we have done. Until then, we remain in cultural limbo.
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Prayer and Praise
- We hope to leave for the field next summer!
- That our year of partnership development would go well
- Joel will be going to Oklahoma for 6 weeks this fall for a linguistics practicum
- That we would have a productive yet enjoyable summer
- For this next year of many transitions - particularly for our boys who think of Missouri as home
- Wisdom as we parent our 2 boys
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3 comments:
Great reminder. I think that we are called to BE (not worry about look) so different in how we love and how we give grace that it draws attention to our REAL citizenship. Not something I am great at... but I'm a work in process.
Otherwise, did you find (since you are a TCK) that the book was accurate?
Molly
Yes, the book is insightful and accurate. It could use an update to address some of our modern technology and issues, but I would still recommend it.
Great thoughts, Andi (are you the one who wrote this?). Anyway, it is true we have an advantage as TCKs in the whole loyalties and understanding of our true citizenship. Since I don't feel like I belong to any one culture it is easy for me to accept that I don't belong here and have a heavenly citizenship. At the same time it is tricky because we long so much to be accepted that it is tempting for us to try to fit in rather than be different. It is hard to be different and our cultural adaptability makes us fairly well equipped to gain some measure of acceptance in the cultures we encounter. Unfortunately as in all things there are great pros and cons to being a TCK. So let us all strive for that awareness of our true citizenship and endeavor to live out what it means to be a citizen of heaven. I love you guys! And miss you!
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