Creatively work to transform it

At the camp book store I picked up Daughters of Islam by Miriam Adeney. Its a very informative read.

One paragraph caught my attention;

Christ calls us to be 'salt' in our societies. We are to remind the world continually that God is King. He reigns over nature since he created it and maintains it. So we care about deforestation. We care about water management. We care about public health - nutrition, immunization, family planning programs. In the same way God reigns over people since he created us and redeemed us. So we care about schools and jobs and national heritage.

Every country, every neighbourhood, desperately needs such citizens. People who neither condemn or condone their culture but creatively work to transform it. People who know that evil is powerful but that God is even greater. People who can look sin in the eye without losing sight of grace. People who can affirm that beyond every cross there is the possibility of resurrection.

(Miriam Adeney, Daughters of Islam, p.82, my emphasis)

In amongst the information about culture and customs, among the stories of real women and the real life they lead were these two paragraphs which took my attention and caused me to think. These paragraphs don't just apply to 'missionaries', but reminds Christians everywhere to be activiely working to bring Christ to all cultures.