When moving to or visiting a foreign country, you expect a certain amount of things to be different. You are aware that you're entering into a different culture and therefore expect to find things to be different. However I think we are often unaware of how different things will be.
A few weeks ago I stopped in a shoe store in the mall. I was needing to pick up shoes for a wedding that I am in and I saw in the window the exact pair of shoes that I needed. I picked up the shoe that I was looking for and asked the lady at the counter for a size ten. She gave me a strange look and said that they did not have a ten. I then asked what the largest size that the shoe came in. She told me an eight. So I put the shoe back and left the store.
As I walked away from the store I began to think about the shoes sizes. I began to faintly remember that shoe sizes in South Africa are different to the States. I went back to the store and asked for a size eight. Perfect fit. (and it was on sale...... what girl doesn't love a comfortable, perfect fitting heel, that is on sale!!)
One of the other small things that I forget is different here is the fact that people walk on the other side of the sidewalk. Meaning that you walk on the left side of the sidewalk. This mirrors the fact that people here drive on the left side of the road. Luckily driving I have not tried to drive on the right side of the road but I constantly walk on the right side of the sidewalk. It's such a small subtle reminder that this not where I grew up. This is not the culture or way of live that comes to me naturally. I'm living in Africa, but I am not from Africa.
It's similar to the way that as believers we live in this world but are not of this world. I am constantly reminded that my views and beliefs as a Christian do not line up with the world that I live in. I often find myself swimming upstream as I stand upon the values and morals that the Lord has taught and instilled in me.
When we consider the differences between the values of the world and the values of God, we can clearly see some big things. But I think the real test lies in the small things. The everyday life choices that we make that may not seem like that big of a deal. It's easy to find ourselves just going with the flow of the people and not taking a stand on what we believe. Sadly many never even think about what side of the sidewalk to walk on until they find themselves going against the flow of traffic.
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