The Influence of Culture
Daily Old Testament Reading: 1 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 9
Daily Focus Passage:1 Kings 11
My parents warned me that the people we surround ourselves with would influence our decisions. As a teenager, I felt that I heard these words constantly and, at times, felt that I was strong enough not to become influenced by the poor attitudes or decisions of others. Yet, moments occurred where the influence of others crept into my actions and worldview, and I became influenced by the culture surrounding me. In 1 Kings 11, Solomon faced the same dynamic. He held great wisdom, but he failed at heeding the warning of the Lord and fell prey to the influence of the culture he surrounded himself with. Solomon’s story demonstrates the importance of recognizing the influence of culture on our lives and calls us to find avenues to protect ourselves.
WE MUST GUARD THE COMPANY WE KEEP
Solomon did not heed the warning to guard himself against the influence of culture. He received the command to follow the commands and ways of the Lord and not fall prey to the temptations that exist in the world. Yet, Solomon married a non-Jewish woman. The marriages may appear okay in the eyes of the world, but the Lord decreed that Jews must not marry other nationalities. Solomon's wisdom failed under the pressure of the world as he engaged in multiple marriages with women from various nationalities. His company became worldly and not under the demands of the Lord.
1 Kings informs us that Solomon’s refusal to guard the company he kept led him to the place of idolatry. Solomon gave into the temptation of following the idols of his wives instead of following the Lord with his whole heart. Solomon developed a divided life with multiple allegiances and remained faithful to none. The failure to protect himself from worldly influences led Solomon to disobedience and punishment. The same truth continues today. The Lord calls us to obedience, and we must remain wholeheartedly devoted to Him and not fall prey to living in a divided allegiance. We must guard our lives in the company we keep.
WE MUST REMAIN IN THE WORD OF GOD
Solomon held wisdom but could not remain in accordance with the Word of God. He was tempted to justify his actions through his giftedness and self-righteousness. He became consumed by the world instead of being consumed by the Word. Solomon’s failure reveals why we must remain in the Word of God and not fall prey to our surroundings.
To remain in the Word, we must first read the Word. We must guard against the world's influence by engaging God’s Word. God’s Word does not become known through passive engagement but requires the believer to read intentionally. We must actively set time aside to read God’s Word to hear and know the truth and expectations of the Lord.
To remain in the Word, we must second plant the Word. We must take the engaged truth from the Word of God and plant the truth in our hearts. The planting of the truth means that we place the Word of God in the core of the self and live out life on the foundation of the Word. The activity of planting the seed of God’s Word in our life demonstrates trusting in the provision of God’s Word for our life.
To remain in the Word, we must third nurture the growth of the Word. The seed of God’s Word must be nurtured in the believer’s life. We nurture the Word as we continue to engage the truth and attempt to live out the truth. The more actively we use God’s Word as the definition and guardrails of our lives, the more we nurture the Word and cultivate a stronger faith. Thus, we become stronger in standing against the ways of the world.
To remain in the Word, we must fourth demonstrate the fruit of the Word. As the presence of God’s Word grows in our lives, we become more like Christ because the fruit of the planted Word becomes harvested in our actions. The Word produces good fruit in our lives because we live according to the will, ways, and Word of the Lord. Thus, we must plant the Word in our hearts to protect us from the world's influences.
