Time and Culture

By John David Smith

As a young missionary (Cape Verde Islands), I remember setting up for a 10 a.m. Bible study with four young men. I was there fifteen minutes early and ready to go because (#1) I was excited about the first Bible study in our brand new ministry, and (#2) I had lots of other things on “my list” to complete that day. They all arrived about 10:40 to find me, the new missionary, fuming on the inside over their tardiness. 

In cultural adaptation we tend to judge other cultures negatively based on our own cultural norm. That is exactly what happened in this situation. I was not pleased and told them that I did not have time to do the study that day because I had other things to do. On the inside I judged them, believing they were not really committed because they had not shown up on time. 

However, as I quickly rescheduled the Bible study and walked off, they judged me, believing I was not very committed because in their minds if I had been, I would have been willing to stay all day . . . they were. 

Westerners are usually governed by time. Most other cultures in the world are governed by the event. In Western cultures people must flex to time. In other cultures time flexes to people. 

This was one of the most arduous cultural adaptations my wife and I had to make in our missionary careers. However, once we learned this style of living, it was painful to return to that lifestyle in the West. 

All over the world ChangeMaker missionaries are using their time to make God’s glory and love known to their homeland. No doubt they are motivated not by the often extraordinary efforts required to get to their ministry locations, but by the people there that they love and serve.