Thy Kingdom Come

82
THY KINGDOM COME session 7 83
In some Muslim countries, it’s common for the mom,
aunts, and sisters of a bride to cover the bride’s arms and
feet with elaborate henna designs before her wedding.
In many areas of South America, it’s expected to arrive 30
minutes late, or even more, to a dinner invitation—showing
up any earlier means you’re too eager for the meal. In Greece,
children throw their baby teeth toward the roofs of their
houses for good luck.
WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU
MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, AND WHOEVER WANTS TO
BE FIRST MUST BE SLAVE OF ALL.
Mark 10:43-44
While some of these may seem strange to us, they are
perfectly normal parts of life for the people living in those
countries. These behaviors and beliefs are just part of their
culture. It’s just how things are done there. The same is
true in the kingdom—there are beliefs, values, and ways
of living that are “just the way it’s done” when following
God. The difference is that while someone might be born in
Chile or Greece or America and grow up absorbing all the
nuances of that culture, many of us have chosen to join God’s
kingdom later in life. And, as we talked about last week,
even if we started following Jesus as children we are living
here on earth, in a place that’s not our true home, and we’re
constantly affected by the customs of this world.
This week we’re going to revisit the customs of the kingdom
of God. Some of them may be part of how you already live.
Others might challenge you, surprise you, or even seem
strange to you. Let’s explore how God has called us to live
as his subjects, and how we can grow in this area.
AS A GROUP, DISCUSS THESE TWO QUESTIONS:
Have you traveled to another country? What surprised you
about the way people lived there?
What are some customs of our own country that might seem
strange to outsiders? For instance, Greek children probably
find it funny that our kids put their baby teeth under their
pillows for money!