Over my time in Zambia, Kenya and now, for a few years in Tanzania, I have been challenged greatly in many things, especially by the many cultural differences. In it all I am learning to discover what Kingdom culture is, that’s what I’m called to live by, not Tanzania culture, not American culture, not British culture, but Kingdom culture and Jesus is the perfect example of that. Thankfully Jesus came to earth as fully Man and fully God, and everything He did He did empowered by Holy Spirit, and this means that I too can live as He did. I can live with a Kingdom culture.
Before coming to the continent of Africa I read a book called Foreign and Familiar. It is a book that talks about the major differences in culture between hot and cold climates. The main difference was that in cold climates culture tends to be diary led, while in hot cultures it tends to be relationship led. This is a very simplified view but basically, in a cold climate you are generally invited to visit a friend’s home for dinner on an agreed date and you don’t turn up unannounced, or early or late. However, in a hot climate there is no arranged time or date, you just show up and join in with whatever the family are doing, food or otherwise. In my time here, I would say that this is a fair, if very simplistic, explanation.
So, one of the biggest challenges for me here was the differences in how we consider time. I have spent many years believing that it is honouring to turn up on time for people and that this was Kingdom culture. While I was in Kenya someone asked me if this was really Kingdom culture or just my view of Kingdom culture because of growing up in the west, where being on time is important. It was a good question and one I didn’t immediately have an answer for, but it started a journey for me to discover what time looks like in Kingdom culture.
As I said at the beginning, Jesus is the perfect example of Kingdom culture and so to find Kingdom culture on time we need to look to Him. Interestingly, the first thing this brings up is that time is a created thing because God is eternal and therefore, not bound by time as we are. Jesus chose to come and be subject to time while He was on the earth. We know He could have altered it to suit Him if He needed, because time had been stopped for Joshua to give him time to defeat the Amorites (Joshua 10:12).
So back to Jesus’ example, there is nothing in the Bible about Jesus being on time, at least it’s not mentioned literally, but I think I can find a few examples of it. or example, when Jesus met the woman at the well in John 4, I think He was on time. because if he had been late, He would have missed her. I think His timing was also spot on to raise the widow’s son (Luke 7) and probably for the many times He was a dinner guest for a Shabbat meal.
So, I can see that Jesus showed up on time for things, but the truth is I think the opposite can be said too. When Jesus stopped for the woman with the blood, Jairus’ daughter died (though Jesus brought her back to life) and also, Jesus turned up 4 days after Lazarus had died, even though his sister’s had let Jesus know when he was poorly. From an earthly perspective (or at least from that of the grieving families) I think these examples point to Jesus being late, but somehow from a heavenly perspective He was perfectly on time.
What does this tell us about time in the Kingdom? I think this says that kingdom time keeping has nothing to do with what time it might say on your clock but on what Holy Spirit is saying. I still think that being on time is honouring, but sometimes you need to honour the one in front of you, and not necessarily the one who is waiting for you.
So what does this mean for me in my daily life? I think it’s probably easier for me here than in the west, because life is much slower here and they already have a different perspective, it generally does not bother them if you turn up late, as long as you turn up! However, I have had to learn to manage my own expectations of others in relation to time. If you get frustrated here every time someone is late, then you will be frustrated with almost every meeting.
Now whenever I am meeting with someone I let them know the time I have to leave, this helps them to not get disappointed if our meeting is short because of them being late, their lateness being my perception not necessarily theirs! I also take work with me, so that if they are late, in my opinion, I do not get disappointed by feeling like my time is wasted, I just get on with getting something done. This is how I love me and them well.
For someone who was always early and never late, unless it was completely unavoidable, God has done a huge work in me on this and I am forever grateful. Time is something we should steward well but not to the detriment of the one in front of us, who after all, is made in God’s image and His masterpiece, as we all are! Once again, the example we follow is Jesus who only did what He saw the Father doing bringing the Kingdom with everything He said and did.
Adventures with Jesus
Following the crucified and risen King
Undone by God’s goodness
Happy heart! Blessed indeed!