Every person faces pressure to find their way in a new school, a new job, or a new culture. This process of conforming to the community around us is called assimilation: “a process where individuals or minority groups adopt the ways, language, and customs of a dominant culture, often losing distinct aspects of their original heritage.”
There are at least five pressure points:
- Language (verbal and non-verbal)
- Social Norms
- Education and Work
- Identity
- Religion
All of us face this pressure, consciously and unconsciously, as we live within our Canadian culture where the individualized self is at the centre of conversation when we talk about the value of human life, family values, and sexual ethics. The message is clear: put yourself before family, society, and God. God is at the margins.
How do we remain faithful to Jesus when we live in this pressure cooker?
Daniel 1 teaches us that …
- God has His hand on all of history.
- The dynamics of assimilation remain unchanged.
- God favours, equips, and sustains His servants.