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WEDNESDAY • APRIL 1Mark 8:27–38 (ESV)Culture Shift“But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.‘Get behind me, Satan!’ He said. ‘You do not have in mind the concernsof God, but merely human concerns’ (v. 33).Hawaiians have a feasting culture. When the new religion introducedfasting, Hawaiians frowned and asked the question, “Why would anyonedo that on purpose?” Remember, we have luaus for everything!The culture shift is beginning for Jesus’ disciple, Peter, too. In Mark8:27, Jesus is telling what will happen to Him, but His suffering and deathon the cross and His resurrection did not go over well with His disciples.Peter had his own definition of the Christ. That definition came from hisculture and traditions.What was the reaction of Jesus? He rebuked Peter, “Get behind me,Satan!”We know when Christ rebukes, only good things happen. It is a reactionin great Aloha, we Hawaiians say. He rebuked Peter the way Herebuked the storm on the sea, which immediately became calm and peaceful.The storm within Peter had been calmed.We need to know the Master and get behind Him and not our cultureor traditions if they conflict with His authority. Like Colossians 3:3 says,“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”The shift in religion played a major role in the shift of the Hawaiianculture and people, too. It is true for all peoples and cultures throughouttime and space. The whole of the Jewish people went through a cultureshift with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Next was theentire known world, which shifted with the spreading and inclusion of theGentiles into the new proclamation of the Gospel message through theapostles.We in Lutheran Indian Ministries are confident in God’s love and carefor our tribes and nations, because it is still our Father’s world.Christ Jesus, may we continue to “be at peace” when changes in our liveshappen because of our relationship with You, our Savior. Amen.Clarence De Lude III (Native Hawaiian) Missionary-at-LargeWaianae, Hawaii50