Vantage Point

Impact.

So far as I know, it is true that a fish is impacted by the water it swims in. That truth is applicable to the rest of us humans, whenever and wherever we were born and raised.

 Every community and every era have their own culture, a culture, present like water, that impacts how we perceive the world. I grew up in Del Rio, Texas, in the 40’s and 50’s, a different culture than Del Rio and San Antonio today.

 Being older and having a different culture now than I had when growing up, my vantage point has changed.

 I have a dear friend who refers to his vantage point as his garden. Some years back he became aware that when he saw or experienced something that didn’t fit nicely in his garden, he interpreted what he saw or heard so that it would fit in his garden. When he became aware of what he was doing and stopped trying to make what he saw or heard fit in his garden, his vantage point grew. His garden transformed.

 The teachings of the Torah, Hebrew scriptures and Christian scriptures have been shaping our vantage points for more than two thousand years. Saint Paul challenges us to model our lives after the way Jesus lived and taught. Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”

 Let’s look at what American culture shines the light on today. We are certainly more sophisticated and worldly than we were in the 40’s and 50’s. Our heroes tend to be athletes, movie stars, business moguls. Youth, beauty, fitness, success are all highly valued.

 I ask two important vantage point questions. What fruit does our current American culture offer us? If we want fruit American culture presently does not offer, where do we turn?