God speaks to My Chinese American-ness

(Disclaimer as I continue posts on culture: These are my observations and reflections, and are not meant to be representative of anyone else’s experiences or perspectives, or even of the truth. I only hope that these posts are uplifting and celebratory, which is the spirit in which I write these posts…)

I wrote last time on my own journey as a Chinese American (but perhaps will go back to talk more about the American experience, as I think I neglected that), and also noted that I have been on an exploration for a while to find out the significance of my experience of Chinese culture.

This is one of my reflections:

1. Culture is one of the ways through which I experience God. Not in its entirety: I will be the first to say that there are sooo many flaws with the Chinese culture. And it has caused so many wounds in those who are, like me, trying to straddle it with American culture simultaneously (I can only speak on behalf of 1.5 and 2nd generations, because that's all I know. And then, really only for myself). It is unforgiving. It is a culture of using shame as motivation, a way for the Enemy to keep us in darkness. It isolates and is rather ethnocentric. Culture is NOT my faith.

But it also the culture that hails the community over the individual--as the Body of Christ ought to be! ( I Corinthians 12) And it is the culture that teaches the value of revering and obeying your parents--as the commandments tell us! (Exodus 20:12) It is the culture that doesn't let you settle for mediocrity, but encourages (maybe the encouragement isn't always constructive, but the goal is the same) for us to strive for our very best--the way we ought to run the race, as to win the prize! (I Corinthians 9:24-27) It teaches me certain things about the heart of God. When I look at my culture in the context of the Word, it blesses me, and deepens my walk in new ways. And thanks to the grace of Christ, I know that my culture, my people, can be redeemed from our brokenness mentioned previously, and that it can be transformed to be a blessing to others.

The Word is meant for humanity as a collective, but also for each individual, speaking into a person’s life circumstances, background, present experiences, und so weiter. The Father spoke directly to the Israelite’s place of being in the desert, being a flourishing nation, being in exile, being under Roman oppression. He spoke to the Church, to Paul, to the Gentiles stumbling around in this newfound faith. The Word became flesh and lived among us! (John 1:14)

If this is true, then the Word can speak into my cultural experiences, my life journey as a Chinese American. It colors my understanding of the Word, how it applies to my life, how it convicts and quickens my heart and soul. And my experience is not and never will be the same as another Chinese American woman, or another Chinese American, or another woman, or any other person of any other ethnicity or race in this world, and yet, at the same time, we will all share commonality and be part of ONE Body as we walk toward the Cross, showered with the abundant and overflowing grace and love of the Father, to worship the Lamb (Rev. 15:2-4)