<description>&lt;p&gt;Social interactions may truly be afraid of me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That might sound dramatic, but here is what I mean. For as long as I can remember, I have been outspoken. Curious. Willing to step into conversations even when they carried risk. I enjoy the unknown. New places. New people. New ideas. Because of that, interacting with strangers has rarely made me anxious. Not every exchange goes well, but fear has never been the loudest voice in the room for me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before migrating to the United States, I traveled among Caribbean and South American neighboring countries. I loved it. I learned from it. And in all that traveling, I rarely had to introduce my ethnicity or nationality. The people around me shared similar cultural instincts. No one needed a lesson just to understand where I was from. My background was not a subject. It was simply part of the air we breathed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That changed when I moved here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suddenly my story became a talking point. I found myself giving geographical summaries, historical overviews, and sometimes even anti-stereotype clarifications. To be clear, I enjoy learning about my ancestry and history. I am not ashamed of it. But there is a difference between sharing your story because you want to and feeling like you need to present a short orientation session just to be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This has not only happened in broader society. I have felt it in church spaces as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let me say plainly, this is not an attack. It is an invitation to learn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From my limited perspective, it can sometimes feel as though immigrants are expected to know a great deal about American culture, politics, and humor, while others are free to know very little about us and still feel comfortable leaning on stereotypes or asking narrow questions. Many people are well meaning. I believe that. But good intentions do not always soften the impact of careless jokes or dismissive assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even growing up, with American missionaries living in my family’s home throughout the years, I saw how easy it is for all of us to misunderstand one another. There are fewer people who truly know than those who simply assume they do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many of us from third-world countries have been conditioned to handle these moments with patience. We smile. We explain. We move on. That is often our culture. But I have been sitting with a deeper concern.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite our efforts to be spiritually discerning, we sometimes overlook a subtle attitude in the church. It is the quiet expectation of assimilation. What I call, figuratively, “Jewish assimilation” from “Gentile Christians.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I do not mean that literally. I mean the expectation that the outsider should do most of the adjusting, most of the learning, most of the explaining, and most of the tolerating in order to belong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That tension is not new.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first century church wrestled deeply with it. Paul writes, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks” (&lt;strong&gt;1 Corinthians 12:13, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;). That is not poetic language. It is a Christ-centered reality. The church is one body!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He says again, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all” (&lt;strong&gt;Romans 10:12, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;). If the Lord is Lord of all, then no culture holds a higher spiritual status.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His words in Colossians sharpens it further: “A renewal… where there is no distinction between Greek and Jew… but Christ is all, and in all” (&lt;strong&gt;Colossians 3:10–11, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;). Culture is real. Heritage is real. National pride is real. But Christ is ultimate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And yet, even with those truths, conflict surfaced. In Acts 15, some insisted that Gentile believers adopt Jewish markers to be fully accepted. The apostles had to confront it directly. Peter reminded them that God had already cleansed Gentile hearts by faith. “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (&lt;strong&gt;Acts 15:10, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In other words, do not place cultural burdens where God has not placed spiritual ones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That principle still matters. Not only for Christians, but for anyone watching the church from the outside. When unity fractures over culture rather than conviction, it sends a confusing message.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what can we do?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Five Practices That Move Us Forward&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Choose curiosity over assumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ask instead of guessing. Let people define their own story. Respect begins with listening.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Listen without rushing to defend&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If someone shares an experience that stung, resist the impulse to immediately explain it away. A body cannot heal if one part refuses to acknowledge another part’s pain (&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012%3A13&amp;#38;version=NASB"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1 Corinthians 12:13&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Refuse assimilation &lt;/strong&gt;as the price&lt;strong&gt; of belonging!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unity is not “become like us so you can stay.” Unity is “come to Christ and grow with us.” Acts 15 reminds us not to bind cultural expectations where God has not bound them (&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015%3A1&amp;#8211;11&amp;#38;version=NASB"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Acts 15:1–11&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Read more. Learn more. Be resourceful.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Love does not stay ignorant on purpose. The ear of wisdom seeks knowledge. This means studying how racial and cultural tensions have shaped churches historically. It means learning from what hindered unity and from what helped it. One thoughtful resource is &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&amp;#38;dib_tag=se&amp;#38;qid=1771453829&amp;#38;refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&amp;#38;s=books&amp;#38;sr=1-3&amp;#38;text=Melvin+L.+Otey"&gt;&lt;em&gt;It’s There in BLACK and WHITE: Scriptural Answers to 37 Questions People Are Asking about Racial Tension in the Church&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&amp;#38;dib_tag=se&amp;#38;qid=1771453829&amp;#38;refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&amp;#38;s=books&amp;#38;sr=1-3&amp;#38;text=Melvin+L.+Otey"&gt; by Glenn Colley, Ben Giselbach, Hiram Kemp, and Melvin L. Otey.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Build relationships beyond Sunday&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acts tells us believers were “taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart” (&lt;strong&gt;Acts 2:46, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;). Shared tables create shared understanding. People stop being categories and start being friends when we spend time in each other spaces sharing something as personal as a meal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Closing Thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some of the most harmful divisions are not loud. They are subtle. The quiet expectation that only one side should adjust. The silent pressure to shrink parts of your story to make others comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The gospel calls us higher. “Christ is all, and in all” (&lt;strong&gt;Colossians 3:11, NASB&lt;/strong&gt;). If that is true, then no Christian should feel like a permanent foreigner in the family of God.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this resonates with you, I would genuinely love to hear your perspective. What has your experience been? Where have you seen growth? Where have you seen tension? Thoughtful dialogue is one of the ways we move forward together.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if these reflections encourage you or challenge you in meaningful ways, consider supporting me through my &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/journeywithjesus"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buy Me a Coffee link&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Your support helps me continue writing, recording, and engaging conversations like this with care and conviction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for reading. Let us keep learning. Let us keep growing. Let us keep choosing unity that is rooted in Christ rather than comfort.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Get full access to Journey With Jesus at &lt;a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4"&gt;singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe&lt;/a&gt;</description>

Journey With Jesus Podcast

Jonny Singh

As a Gentile among Jews!

FEB 19, 20269 MIN
Journey With Jesus Podcast

As a Gentile among Jews!

FEB 19, 20269 MIN

Description

<p>Social interactions may truly be afraid of me.</p><p>That might sound dramatic, but here is what I mean. For as long as I can remember, I have been outspoken. Curious. Willing to step into conversations even when they carried risk. I enjoy the unknown. New places. New people. New ideas. Because of that, interacting with strangers has rarely made me anxious. Not every exchange goes well, but fear has never been the loudest voice in the room for me.</p><p>Before migrating to the United States, I traveled among Caribbean and South American neighboring countries. I loved it. I learned from it. And in all that traveling, I rarely had to introduce my ethnicity or nationality. The people around me shared similar cultural instincts. No one needed a lesson just to understand where I was from. My background was not a subject. It was simply part of the air we breathed.</p><p>That changed when I moved here.</p><p>Suddenly my story became a talking point. I found myself giving geographical summaries, historical overviews, and sometimes even anti-stereotype clarifications. To be clear, I enjoy learning about my ancestry and history. I am not ashamed of it. But there is a difference between sharing your story because you want to and feeling like you need to present a short orientation session just to be understood.</p><p>This has not only happened in broader society. I have felt it in church spaces as well.</p><p>Let me say plainly, this is not an attack. It is an invitation to learn.</p><p>From my limited perspective, it can sometimes feel as though immigrants are expected to know a great deal about American culture, politics, and humor, while others are free to know very little about us and still feel comfortable leaning on stereotypes or asking narrow questions. Many people are well meaning. I believe that. But good intentions do not always soften the impact of careless jokes or dismissive assumptions.</p><p>Even growing up, with American missionaries living in my family’s home throughout the years, I saw how easy it is for all of us to misunderstand one another. There are fewer people who truly know than those who simply assume they do.</p><p>Many of us from third-world countries have been conditioned to handle these moments with patience. We smile. We explain. We move on. That is often our culture. But I have been sitting with a deeper concern.</p><p>Despite our efforts to be spiritually discerning, we sometimes overlook a subtle attitude in the church. It is the quiet expectation of assimilation. What I call, figuratively, “Jewish assimilation” from “Gentile Christians.”</p><p>I do not mean that literally. I mean the expectation that the outsider should do most of the adjusting, most of the learning, most of the explaining, and most of the tolerating in order to belong.</p><p>That tension is not new.</p><p>The first century church wrestled deeply with it. Paul writes, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks” (<strong>1 Corinthians 12:13, NASB</strong>). That is not poetic language. It is a Christ-centered reality. The church is one body!</p><p>He says again, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all” (<strong>Romans 10:12, NASB</strong>). If the Lord is Lord of all, then no culture holds a higher spiritual status.</p><p>His words in Colossians sharpens it further: “A renewal… where there is no distinction between Greek and Jew… but Christ is all, and in all” (<strong>Colossians 3:10–11, NASB</strong>). Culture is real. Heritage is real. National pride is real. But Christ is ultimate.</p><p>And yet, even with those truths, conflict surfaced. In Acts 15, some insisted that Gentile believers adopt Jewish markers to be fully accepted. The apostles had to confront it directly. Peter reminded them that God had already cleansed Gentile hearts by faith. “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (<strong>Acts 15:10, NASB</strong>).</p><p>In other words, do not place cultural burdens where God has not placed spiritual ones.</p><p>That principle still matters. Not only for Christians, but for anyone watching the church from the outside. When unity fractures over culture rather than conviction, it sends a confusing message.</p><p>So what can we do?</p><p><strong>Five Practices That Move Us Forward</strong></p><p><strong>1. Choose curiosity over assumption</strong></p><p>Ask instead of guessing. Let people define their own story. Respect begins with listening.</p><p><strong>2. Listen without rushing to defend</strong></p><p>If someone shares an experience that stung, resist the impulse to immediately explain it away. A body cannot heal if one part refuses to acknowledge another part’s pain (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012%3A13&#38;version=NASB"><strong>1 Corinthians 12:13</strong></a><strong>, NASB</strong>).</p><p><strong>3. Refuse assimilation </strong>as the price<strong> of belonging!</strong></p><p>Unity is not “become like us so you can stay.” Unity is “come to Christ and grow with us.” Acts 15 reminds us not to bind cultural expectations where God has not bound them (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015%3A1&#8211;11&#38;version=NASB"><strong>Acts 15:1–11</strong></a><strong>, NASB</strong>).</p><p><strong>4. Read more. Learn more. Be resourceful.</strong></p><p>Love does not stay ignorant on purpose. The ear of wisdom seeks knowledge. This means studying how racial and cultural tensions have shaped churches historically. It means learning from what hindered unity and from what helped it. One thoughtful resource is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;qid=1771453829&#38;refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&#38;s=books&#38;sr=1-3&#38;text=Melvin+L.+Otey"><em>It’s There in BLACK and WHITE: Scriptural Answers to 37 Questions People Are Asking about Racial Tension in the Church</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;qid=1771453829&#38;refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&#38;s=books&#38;sr=1-3&#38;text=Melvin+L.+Otey"> by Glenn Colley, Ben Giselbach, Hiram Kemp, and Melvin L. Otey.</a></p><p><strong>5. Build relationships beyond Sunday</strong></p><p>Acts tells us believers were “taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart” (<strong>Acts 2:46, NASB</strong>). Shared tables create shared understanding. People stop being categories and start being friends when we spend time in each other spaces sharing something as personal as a meal.</p><p>Closing Thoughts</p><p>Some of the most harmful divisions are not loud. They are subtle. The quiet expectation that only one side should adjust. The silent pressure to shrink parts of your story to make others comfortable.</p><p>The gospel calls us higher. “Christ is all, and in all” (<strong>Colossians 3:11, NASB</strong>). If that is true, then no Christian should feel like a permanent foreigner in the family of God.</p><p>If this resonates with you, I would genuinely love to hear your perspective. What has your experience been? Where have you seen growth? Where have you seen tension? Thoughtful dialogue is one of the ways we move forward together.</p><p>And if these reflections encourage you or challenge you in meaningful ways, consider supporting me through my <a target="_blank" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/journeywithjesus"><strong>Buy Me a Coffee link</strong></a>. Your support helps me continue writing, recording, and engaging conversations like this with care and conviction.</p><p>Thank you for reading. Let us keep learning. Let us keep growing. Let us keep choosing unity that is rooted in Christ rather than comfort.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Journey With Jesus at <a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe</a>