All of us are challenged by this
ever-changing world. For many of us, society is much different from what
we knew as children or even as young adults. One of the great dynamics
of our age is the number of new and different faces that are entering
our lives whether through the media, in our schools or right next door
in our neighborhoods.
In one sense, the growing reality of globalization
is pushing us together with people we have never dealt with before. The
global neighborhood is simply getting crowded. Dynamic advances in technology,
transportation and communication have brought new faces, accents and traditions
into our everyday lives. Our comfortable world of "sameness" is being
stretched, if not actually shaken.
This is no longer simply a New York, London
or Los Angeles phenomenon, but it's happening everywhere-just look out
the door, or pick up your local newspaper, or look up the names in your
phone book. How we deal with "others" is going to be one of the great
personal challenges of the 21st century.
Society today is split on dealing with this
issue of "others." In one sense, society has become more tolerant of people
from different backgrounds. Today we see much interaction between different
groups and an appreciation of others. At the same time, other parts of
society are fragmenting into isolation and tribalism.
We find this in all the various racial and
ethnic groups. "Balkanization" of nations, states, counties and cities
is an ever-present dilemma facing responsible people. The hyphenated person
or group is a big part of modern society and how we view ourselves. These
two terms, "globalization" and "Balkanization" are two very real dynamics
that will affect your world, your church and yourself in the 21st century.
How you view "others" is very telling as to how you view yourself, and
ultimately how you view God.
