*Jesus, the Third Culture Kid
20/08/10 20:14 Filed in: Thoughts | Third Culture Kids
I know it is not Christmas time, but I have been reading about Jesus’ birth.
You can read about it too, in Matthew 2:1-23 and Luke 2:39, 40.
This time around, I was particularly struck by the time Jesus spent in Egypt.
His family wasn’t there for weeks or months, but years.
He became a blend of two cultures: his parent’s Hebrew culture, and the culture in which he was living.
He was something in between the two cultures. Something we call a, “Third Culture Kid”.
Having two TCKs of my own, I journaled about what it might have looked like.
Jesus, You were a Third Culture Kid.
Your mother did not know how to cook in Egypt.
Your father was not accustomed to the type of furniture the Egyptians liked, nor their tools.
Your mother was far from her family when you got sick, and probably couldn’t find the herbs and balms she knew how to use.
When it was time for you to go to school, your parents were aliens, not citizens. Your parents didn’t even speak Egyptian.
But you probably picked it up quickly, as well as Egyptian culture, which embarrassed your parents around the other Hebrew families living in Egypt. They would ask again, “Why did you choose to move here? No job? No family?” And what answer did you hear growing up?
You didn’t see your cousin John, or your aunt and uncle Zechariah and Elizabeth. You left no forwarding address. And your father absolutely forbade trips back home.
Your mother told you stories of Simeon, Anna, Maji, shepherds, Gabriel, Elizabeth and Zechariah, but they seem distant fairy tales here.
Your mom did the math wrong sometimes in the marketplace. The conversion from money she was used to confused her.
You can read about it too, in Matthew 2:1-23 and Luke 2:39, 40.
This time around, I was particularly struck by the time Jesus spent in Egypt.
His family wasn’t there for weeks or months, but years.
He became a blend of two cultures: his parent’s Hebrew culture, and the culture in which he was living.
He was something in between the two cultures. Something we call a, “Third Culture Kid”.
Having two TCKs of my own, I journaled about what it might have looked like.
Jesus, You were a Third Culture Kid.
Your mother did not know how to cook in Egypt.
Your father was not accustomed to the type of furniture the Egyptians liked, nor their tools.
Your mother was far from her family when you got sick, and probably couldn’t find the herbs and balms she knew how to use.
When it was time for you to go to school, your parents were aliens, not citizens. Your parents didn’t even speak Egyptian.
But you probably picked it up quickly, as well as Egyptian culture, which embarrassed your parents around the other Hebrew families living in Egypt. They would ask again, “Why did you choose to move here? No job? No family?” And what answer did you hear growing up?
You didn’t see your cousin John, or your aunt and uncle Zechariah and Elizabeth. You left no forwarding address. And your father absolutely forbade trips back home.
Your mother told you stories of Simeon, Anna, Maji, shepherds, Gabriel, Elizabeth and Zechariah, but they seem distant fairy tales here.
Your mom did the math wrong sometimes in the marketplace. The conversion from money she was used to confused her.