Having travelled a little this year I was struck at how privileged we are in South Africa. Yes, we have our problems but live in an amazingly diverse culture. The beauty of South Africa’s people, friendliness, openness, honesty, and welcoming hearts is unique. Yes, a small portion of rabble-rousers cause problems, crime and more, but I suspect that 90% of the population in South Africa wants to live in peace and harmony with one another. Many nations are mono-cultural and do not have the privilege or sometimes the inclination to engage across cultural barriers to their Judea, Samaria, and uttermost parts of the world (Acts1:8). Living together with different cultures, having twelve official languages creates a milieu that we are forced to deal with. While creating tensions it forces us to deal with our prejudices and issues with one another, especially if we want South Africa to go well into the future. A unique place indeed.
As we look at scripture I see that heaven will not be a mono-cultural place, After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” (Rev 7) Surely as we live life here on earth and endeavour to emulate Jesus as our example we should be reaching across cultural lines and loving one another, living well together, and building community and our nation together. We have the blueprint in scripture, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Col 3:11)
Friends, all this to say, we are privileged to live in these times in South Africa, do not fear He is with us, He will guide us, and He has a good pleasing and perfect plan for our lives and the lives of every South African. Let us allow kingdom culture to unite all our cultures and as Jesus is lifted on high through the diversity within our unity we will see our precious South Africa prosper.
Andrew Christie 