When Conviction Collides with Culture

Oct 28

Naaman’s story is often remembered for his healing—dipping seven times in the Jordan and coming up clean (2 Kings 5). But tucked at the end is an easy-to-miss moment: Naaman asks for pardon when he bows in the temple of Rimmon alongside his king (2 Kings 5:18).

It’s a tension moment. Naaman had just confessed that Israel’s God is the only true God. He was convinced—but culture still demanded something that collided with his new conviction.

We live in Babylons of our own—workplaces, systems, and social spaces that expect us to “bow” to what doesn’t align with our faith. Sometimes the pressure is subtle: a smile, a silence, a nod. Other times, it’s head-on and painful.

Naaman’s story reminds me that conviction is rarely followed by a clean break. It collides with what used to feel normal. In those moments, God isn’t waiting for us to revert; He doesn’t abandon us. He calls us to navigate with wisdom, courage, and grace.

We won’t always have perfect words, but we do have a faithful God who sees us in the cultural collision. When we take one baby step in obedience, He carries us two.

If you’re clear about the object of your faith, God will give you grace to move through conflicted spaces. Stand in your conviction, practice new habits, set clear boundaries, and—where possible—offer faithful alternatives. It is possible to live in the world without being of it. And when you’re unsure how God sees your part in it, remember Elisha’s blessing: “Go in peace.”