We were Created with a purpose

** Created with a purpose

Luke 19:26  KJV

 Luke 19:26-28  (NIV) ²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

====

What was it that this wicked servant didn't have that caused his master to take back the money he had given him?
It wasn't the tangible money that he had been given. He had kept that laid up in a napkin and he still possessed it. What he was missing and what the other servant had that caused the Lord to give this pound to him was faithfulness. Those who are faithful with what God has given them will be given more, and those who are wasteful will have what God has given them taken away and given to another.

Christians will one day stand before the Lord for the purpose of receiving rewards, and all our actions will be revealed, whether they were our own doings or directed by the Spirit of God.
Those who were not governed by the Holy Spirit in their actions will see all their good works burned up in that day when we stand before the Lord and He tries our works. Those who acted only under the guidance of the Holy Spirit will find that their works will endure the test and they will receive a reward.

Many people choose to do good things thinking that God will be pleased. But our positive response to God's direction (faith) is what pleases God (Heb. 11:6).
We were created with a purpose and every individual has a God-given plan for his life.

We need to let God work in and through us and faithfully fulfill what He has called us to do.

BOOK OF TITUS IN GROUP DISCUSSIONS

1 STUDYING THE BOOK OF TITUS

IN SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Lesson 1

-

Titus' Task on Crete

-

  Titus 1:1 -

** Read the following verses in the New International Version or a translation of your choice. Then discuss the questions that follow. Questions should be

studied by each individual before your discussion group meets.

Materials may be copied and used for Bible study purposes. Not to be sold.

TITUS  1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness

--

[2] a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,

 [3] and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through

the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,

TIT 1:4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

TIT 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint* elders in every town, as I directed you.

[6] An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.

[7] Since an overseer* is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless --

not overbearing, not quick -tempered, not given to

drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

 [8] Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good,
 who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

[9] He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he canencourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

TIT 1:10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group.

[11] They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of

dishonest gain.

[12] Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars,

evil brutes, lazy gluttons."

 [13] This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply,

so that they will be sound in the faith

 [14] and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to

the commands of those who reject the truth.

[15] To the pure, all things

are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

 [16] They claim to know God, but by their actions theydeny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

2 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Lesson 1 - Titus' Task on Crete -

  Titus 1:1 - 16

1. How is Paul’s description of himself at the beginning of this letter significant?
(1:1)

2. How did Paul describe the faith that he had?
 (1:1 -2)

3. In light of Paul’s reference to Titus, what kind of relationship did these two believer shave?
(1:4)

4. Why did Paul leave Titus in Crete?
(1:5)

5. For what reason was it necessary to appoint elders in the towns?
(1:5,10)

6. What qualifications were necessary to be an elder in Titus’s church?
(1:6 - 9)

7. Why is it necessary for an elder to be blameless?
(1:7)

8. What is the result of holding firm to the "trustworthy message"?
(1:9)

9.How should believers respond to "rebellious people" in the church?
(1:10 -13)

10. What were the rebellious people doing that Paul so strongly condemned?
(1:11)

11. What did Paul tell his audience to pay no attention to?
(1:14)

12. How is it possible to learn whether a person truly knows God?
 (1:16)

Opinion

Distracted? Work Harder!

Trouble focusing could just mean that your work isn’t complex enough, and that there isn’t enough of it.

By Chris Bailey

Mr. Bailey is a productivity consultant.

• Aug. 25, 2018

When it comes to focusing at work, there is no shortage of scapegoats to blame for our wandering minds. Social media, the ever-churning news cycle, chats with colleagues — these distractions can lead to a working state of mind that is far from focused. But there’s one possible cause of frequent distraction we don’t often consider: Our work isn’t complex enough, and there isn’t enough of it.

This idea isn’t a popular one, especially with those who feel they’re already working at capacity. That’s a growing number of us these days, when busyness — at work and at home — is seen as a kind of status symbol. But this busyness is often a guise for something else: We procrastinate by doing mindless, distracting tasks that make us feel productive, but in reality accomplish little.

Can you change this innate human behavior? Yes, but you may need to take on more work, and work on stuff that’s a little harder.

Complex tasks demand more of our working memory and attention, meaning we have less mental capacity remaining to wander to the nearest stimulating distraction. In his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience,” the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi argues that we’re most likely to enter into that state of total work immersion when the challenge of completing a task is roughly equal to our ability to complete it. We get bored when our skills greatly exceed the demands of our work — such as when we do mindless data entry for several hours. And we feel anxious when the demands of a task exceed our skills — as when we’re unprepared to give a presentation. Understanding your skill level and skill set, and pairing those abilities with a worthy task, will make you more likely to be fully engaged in your work.

Consciously taking on a greater number of complex projects is a powerful way to enter a mental state I call hyperfocus — an attentional mode in which one task consumes your complete attention. Your mind wanders less often in hyperfocus because you’re more engaged. That means you’re also more productive.

Besides questioning the complexity of individual tasks, it’s worth reflecting on whether you have enough work to do in general. If not, you’re inviting distraction.

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Think back to your last tight deadline. Did that timeline offer the luxury of tending to unproductive distractions like scanning the news and refreshing Twitter? Probably not. Yet, on nondeadline days, it can feel impossible to focus on the task at hand. 

In productivity circles, this phenomenon is known as Parkinson’s law. The idea is that our workload tends to expand to fit the time available for its completion. Small tasks that should take two hours to complete will take an entire workday if we have that time available. Distractions are to blame for this time trap.

The research surrounding attention suggests that our minds are biologically wired to focus on anything that’s novel, pleasurable or threatening — and distractions can be an enticing cocktail of all three. This is one of the reasons I recommend taming distractions in advance, and there are many tactics and tools to help you do this: downloading a distraction-blocking application for your computer, putting your phone in Do Not Disturb mode or just leaving it in another room can help.

Once we’ve removed distractions, we’re forced to face our work — and it’s often only then that we discover how much, or how little, we truly have on our plate. One hour spent hyperfocusing distraction-free can be worth an entire afternoon of distracted work.

Since I am a productivity expert, some assume I’ve mastered distraction. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A few years ago, I finished writing an 80,000-word manuscript on a tight deadline. But after I handed it in, I continued to be just as busy, even though I had substantially less work. 

My remaining projects expanded to fit the time I had available. I logged into my social media accounts when I should have been working. I checked new emails constantly. And I agreed to attend meetings I didn’t need to be a part of in the first place. I felt guilty when I wasn’t busy, and I alleviated this guilt by filling my time with busywork. 

Later I realized this guilt came from the fact that I was working without intent. Intention is the key to productivity — when we have more to do than time to do it in, choosing what we do ahead of time becomes essential. Once I’d tamed the busywork, I realized there was still space for meaningful work, and I took on more complex tasks, including thinking about the book that inspired this article.

Here’s an exercise: Take a few days to assess roughly how much of your time you spend on unproductive busywork, and how difficult it is to become engaged in individual projects. At the same time, reflect on your energy levels. Busywork can be a sign you need a rest; when your mental stamina is low, your mind gravitates to the easiest thing on your plate. 

But if you’re still falling victim to distraction, consider the possibility that you might need to work harder — and smarter — on projects that will both fill your days and enrich your life.

Chris Bailey is the author of the forthcoming “Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction,” from which this essay is adapted. 

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion), 

and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. 

A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 26, 2018, on Page SR10 of the New York edition with the headline: Distracted? Work Harder!. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

How should we be involved?

One of the greatest positions we have in thsiearthly existence is when and where do we get involved?

Luke 19:8 "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

LUKE 19:1-8  Read the whole text to find the answer.

Zacchaeus was rich but Jesus made no demands for him to give away all his goods to the poor as He did with the rich young ruler. Zacchaeus had already repented and money was no longer his god, as was revealed by his actions. It seems that Zacchaeus was going above and beyond the requirement of restitution as stated in Mosaic law by offering to give half of his goods to the poor and to repay fourfold for his theft.

Publicans were hated by their fellow Jews. They were especially despised by the religious Jews as the epitome of sinners and Jewish religious laws prevented devout Jews from keeping company with any publican. To eat with a publican was unthinkable as the Jews considered this actually partaking of the publican's sins. This is why the people reacted so adversely to Jesus eating with Zacchaeus.

Jesus did not eat at Zacchaeus' house to participate in his sin but to extend mercy and forgiveness to him. This is always the criterion whereby we can judge whether or not we should be involved in a certain situation. We must not participate in other men's sins, but the Lord doesn't want us to retreat to monasteries either. We are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13), and to do any good, we have to get out of the "salt shaker."

If we can be in control and minister the love of God, then we are right to associate with sinners.
But when we are being controlled by the ungodliness of sinners, we need to take control or withdraw.

AWMI.net

Interpretation of Tongues:

 From: Bible Study Tools 

Proud member of Salem Media Group.

Copyright © 2018, Bible Study Tools. All rights reserved.
Article Images Copyright © 2018 JupiterImages Corporation.

Interpretation of Tongues: 10 Things You Should Know about This Spiritual Gift

1. Someone Must Interpret What Is Spoken in Tongues at Gatherings

Paul envisions that in any meeting of God’s people upwards of “two or at most three” may speak in tongues, “each in turn,” which is to say, not simultaneously but one after the other. Once they have concluded, he insists that “someone interpret” (1 Cor. 14:27b). Although the apostle doesn’t say so explicitly, it may be that he envisions only one person to provide the interpretation of all three utterances in tongues. It is entirely possible, on the other hand, that each utterance in tongues will have its own individual interpreter. If no one is present at any particular corporate assembly, no one should speak in tongues.

2. Whoever Wishes to Speak in Tongues in Public Should Pray for the Interpretation

In 1 Corinthians 14:13 Paul exhorts the person who wishes to speak in tongues in public to “pray that he may interpret” (1 Cor. 14:13). There is no indication in what Paul says that this person had ever interpreted an utterance in tongues before. He or she may have, but it is just as likely that this would be their first experience with this spiritual gift. Paul doesn’t tell us when the prayer should be uttered, but it seems likely this should occur before the utterance in tongues is given. After all, if there is no interpretation there should never have been a word in tongues in the first place. It seems only reasonable, then, that the person who is feeling led to speak aloud in tongues should first pray for God to grant him/her the interpretation. If God does not respond to such a prayer by giving the interpretation, the person should then refrain from speaking in tongues altogether.

3. Interpretation of Tongues Is Not Necessarily the Ability to Interpret All Divine Revelation

We should never confuse this spiritual gift with the ability of a person to interpret divine revelation on a broad scale. The person with this gift would not necessarily be extraordinarily capable or skilled in interpreting biblical texts. There are principles of interpretation in the science we call hermeneutics which are easily learned by anyone who has the time and commitment to study them. But educating oneself in the rules that govern how to make sense, for example, of John 3:16, is not what Paul had in mind when he spoke of the gift of interpretation. This gift is the Spirit-empowered ability to interpret what is spoken in tongues. There is no indication in Scripture that someone who has this charisma would be able to interpret dreams, visions or other revelatory phenomena.

4. Interpretation of Tongues is Not the Learned Ability to Translate Foreign Language

This gift must be distinguished from the learned ability to translate a foreign language. I can translate Greek and a good bit of Hebrew and Latin into English, but that is not what Paul has in view. All of us are familiar with scenes at the United Nations or an international political conference where translators are employed to interpret speeches for the representatives of various countries. This is an impressive skill, but it is a natural, learned, human ability. They gained this skill through extensive education and practice. The gift Paul describes, on the other hand, is supernatural, unlearned, and is no less a “manifestation”
(1 Cor. 12:7) of the Holy Spirit than the gift of miracles or prophecy.

5. Interpretation of Tongues is a Spirit-Empowered Ability to Understand and Communicate

I would define the gift of interpretation as the Spirit-empowered ability to understand and communicate an otherwise unintelligible public utterance of tongues for the spiritual benefit of the congregation as a whole. I’m hesitant to use the word “translate” to describe this gift, given the fact that this term may lead people to conclude that there will always be a one-for-one or word-for-word rendering of the tongue's utterance into the vernacular of the people. But there is a spectrum from the literal translation at one end to broad summation at the other end, whenever the gift of interpretation is exercised. Interpreting a tongues utterance may take any one of several forms.

6. Interpreting Tongues May Be Word for Word or Summation

Someone with this gift may provide a literal, word-for-word rendering that corresponds in every conceivable way to the content of the tongue. It would be the same in length and emphasis. If the tongue was delivered in what appear to be five sentences that last for 45 seconds, so too would the interpretation.
There may also be a somewhat looser, more fluid rendering that captures the essence of the utterance. Those who engage in the translation of the original text of Scripture into another language, such as English, often refer to this as “dynamic equivalence.” The totality of what was spoken in tongues is brought over into the words of the interpreter, but it may not be in a word-for-word form.

7. Interpretation of Tongues Can Be Commentary Explanation of the Utterance

At other times something of a commentary is provided in which the interpreter explains (perhaps even exegetes) the tongue's utterance. After all, what is said in tongues may be enigmatic or parabolic or symbolic and thus needs an explanation. This is somewhat similar to what happens in an art museum when a scholar or historian “interprets” a painting. He or she may provide comment on the artist’s mood and background and even his/her perceived intent in crafting the painting or sculpture.

8. Interpretation Can Be a Paraphrase of the Utterance's Meaning

Then, of course, the interpretation may be closer to what we call a paraphrase of what the tongue's utterance means. If I may again appeal to the discipline of Bible translation, I here have in mind what the Living Bible provides us as over against the New American Standard translation. The latter is an essentially wooden and quite literal rendering of each word, as much as is possible, while the former is the translator’s own effort to bring the original text into the world of the reader in such a way that the latter can make better sense of what the text is saying.
I suppose someone may interpret an utterance in tongues by giving us a summation of the gist of what was said. No attempt is made to supply a word in the interpretation that corresponds to a precise word in the tongue. Rather, the interpreter takes the utterance in a tongue and reduces it to a much briefer and summarized statement.

9. More Than One Person May Interpret an Utterance

There is nothing in what Paul says about the gift of interpretation to preclude the possibility that the Holy Spirit might enable someone to interpret a tongues utterance anywhere along this spectrum. For example, the person with the gift of tongues might speak for five minutes while the interpreter speaks for only three. There is nothing to prevent a single utterance in tongues from being interpreted by two people whose “translations” differ in terms of length and focus. One person might provide a somewhat lengthy, seemingly word-for-word interpretation, while another summarizes its basic content or provides a more practical application of what was spoken in tongues. In any case, the movement is always from the obscurity and unintelligibility of the tongue's utterance to clarity and intelligibility of the interpretation, such that everyone in the church can say “Amen” to what was said
(1 Cor. 14:16). In this way, the entire body is edified.

10. The Content of Interpretation Depends on the Content of the Tongues Utterance

It would seem reasonable to conclude that the content of the interpretation would depend entirely on the content of the tongue's utterance. Therefore, we must ask another question first: what is said when one speaks in tongues? The Apostle Paul describes tongues as prayer (1 Cor. 14:2), praise (1 Cor. 14:16), and thanksgiving (1 Cor. 14:16).
If the interpretation must correspond to the utterance, the former will come forth in the form of prayers, praise, and expressions of gratitude to God. The interpretation will be a God-ward utterance, no less than is the tongue's utterance on which it is based.
The standard view among most charismatic believers is that when an utterance in tongues is interpreted it becomes the equivalent of prophecy. As such, it is horizontal in its orientation, which is to say, it is directed to other individuals in the church. But if tongues are always prayer, praise, or thanksgiving, would not its interpretation be the same? Mark Stibbe writes:

“If an interpretation is offered which is not in the form of prayerful adoration, we should be cautious about regarding it as a genuine interpretation. If it is offered in the form of praise language, then it has a much better chance of being the true ‘interpretation’” (Know Your Spiritual Gifts, 179)

Know Your Spiritual Gifts: Practicing the Presents of God - Paperback – May 1, 1997

by Mark Stibbe (Author)

.

---

This article originally appeared on SamStorms.com. Used with permission.

Sam Storms I am an Amillennial, Calvinistic, charismatic, credo-baptistic, complementarian, Christian Hedonist who loves his wife of 45 years, his two daughters, his four grandchildren, books, baseball, movies, and all things Oklahoma University. In 2008 Sam became Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sam is on the Board of Directors of Desiring God, and also serves as a member of the Council of The Gospel Coalition.
 Sam is a past President of the Evangelical Theological Society and currently serves on its Executive Committee.

---

This article is part of our larger resource library of terms important to the Christian faith. From heaven and hell  to communion and baptism, we want to provide easy to read and understand articles that answer your questions about theological terms and their meaning.

USA OK - Weird in rest of World

24 things that are considered 'normal' in the US but the rest of the world finds weird

Jessica Booth,

INSIDER

Aug. 21, 2018, 5:59 PM

Drinks filled with ice isn't as common in other places in the world.

Flickr/Mark Finney

Sometimes people in the US forget that the way we do things isn't necessarily the way it's done everywhere else.That doesn't necessarily mean these American customs are bad, it just means that they aren't the norm throughout the world. Here are some regular things we do in the US that people from other cultures might think is a bit abnormal.

Using money that is all the same color.

It seems confusing.

NBC

In the US, dollar bills are all the same shade of green, and they all look very similar, aside from slightly different images.
If you travel to other countries, you'll find that their bills are typically all different colors and sizes according to what they're worth. Many foreigners find our currency to be a bit confusing, since it all looks the same.

Putting a lot of ice in our drinks.

They are often packed with ice.

Flickr/HarshLight

One small thing that stands out when you visit Europe is that they don't use a lot of ice — at most restaurants, you won't get it unless you ask for it.
Americans are some of the only people who use an excess of ice in their drinks. Articles have even written about why we do it. The Smithsonian believes it may be related to our "more is more" vibe in the US.

Using "America" or "Americans" to describes ourselves, our customs, and our country.

South America is also America.

Wikimedia Commons/Phil P Harris

If you grew up in the US, you may think of "America" and "United States" as interchangeable. As it turns out, much of the rest of the world does not.
The United States is not the only "America" out there — there's also the rest of North America and all of South America. Many can't understand why we refer to the US as "America," and people from other countries often refer to our country as simply "the States."

Writing the date beginning with the month.

The way the US writes dates is unique.

Shutterstock

People in the US typically write the date out in the format of month-day-year. People in other parts of the world, like the United Kingdom and Europe, write it out in the format of day-month-year. To us, that format is quite strange. But many people from other countries can't understand why we write the month first, as to them it seems out of order.

Advertising prescription drugs all over the place.

The ads are in magazines and on television.

Image Point Fr/Shutterstock

In a Reddit thread asking the weirdest things Americans do, many users discuss how strange they think it is that the US advertises prescription drugs. Many said they found it to be one of the weirdest things about being in the US.
Reddit user NoDownvotesPlease said, "That was the weirdest one for me. 'Ask your doctor for brand x antidepressants' type commercials on TV. In the UK, your doctor tells you what drugs you should take, not the other way round."

Hanging American flags everywhere.

An American flag waves over an empty lot in Waveland, Mississippi, August 26, 2015.

REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman

In that same Reddit thread, users expressed how strange it was that that American flags are everywhere, from businesses to historical sites to homes.

The fact that our pharmacies sell so many things.

They sell snacks, shampoo and most essentials.

Flickr user Bruce Stockwell

As BBC America pointed out, there are many differences between pharmacies in the US and drugstores in Europe and elsewhere. Many people from other places can't believe that, in the US, our pharmacies sell drugs and junk food. They can't believe that pharmacies basically double as convenience stores in the US.

Eating bread that almost always tastes sweet.

People in the US might not even realize how sweet it is.

DmyTo/iStock

In the Reddit thread, many users discuss how they found it incredibly strange to constantly encounter sweet bread in the US.

Using the imperial system of measurement instead of the metric system.

The US is one of three countries that still uses it.

FlickrCC/Biking Nikon SFO

The United States is one of only three countries who still use the imperial system of measurement, and everyone out there thinks we're strange for doing so.

The constant commercials on TV.

US television has a decent amount of commercials.

Kris Connor/Getty

When it comes to advertisements, the rest of the world can't believe how many we have.
Reddit user WhatWouldTylerDo wrote, "I love America. But the one thing I hate is the placement of commercials on TV. It might be only for certain channels, but for a 30-minute show, there will be about four commercial breaks. And not even evenly spaced. Including one before the credits at the end of a show. Then it'll jump straight from the credits to the next show."

Expecting free refills everywhere we get a drink.

It's banned in some countries.

successo images/Shutterstock

Many foreigners think it's strange that free refills are offered and generally expected. It's not the norm in many other places — France banned unlimited refills in 2017.

Using a lot of water in the toilet bowls.

It might seem excessive to others.

B Brown/Shutterstock

Toilets are certainly different in the US than other parts of the world, and one amusing difference to note is how much more water there is in American toilets than other countries.
In the Reddit thread, one user wrote, "Seriously, why so much?!"

Putting giant gaps in between bathroom stalls.

It doesn't offer too much privacy.

Buckeye Sailboat/Shutterstock

Some people from other countries can't believe how large the spaces are between bathroom stalls. It was brought up in many comments in the Reddit thread, with users saying they found the "massive" gaps to be an invasion of privacy and just plain strange.

Drinking huge coffees while we walk around.

In other places, coffee is often consumed in smaller quantities.

Shutterstock

In many other countries, like Europe, coffee is consumed in smaller quantities. That means they drink it quickly and they don't take it to go.
But in the US, large to-go coffee cups are common. People from other countries find it very strange.

Taking leftover food home from a restaurant.

It's not uncommon to take your leftover meal back home for tomorrow's lunch.

Sandip Bhattacharya/Flickr

In the US, we don't think twice about asking a server to box up our uneaten food so we can bring it home to finish another time. In other countries, this is incredibly strange and even considered to be rude. In France, for example, it's so frowned upon that a law had to be passed to allow "doggy bags" to happen in order to get rid of food waste.

Eating giant portions.

Some foreigners can't believe the portion sizes.

OhEngine/Shutterstock

Speaking of leftover food, people from other countries also can't believe how big American portions are. That's true when it comes to the size of dishes in restaurants, sodas and other drinks in fast-food chains, and even items that aren't food.

Paying sales tax on pretty much everything we buy.

It's not built into the price.

Getty Images

We might not like sales tax here in the US, but we expect it.
In other countries, the sales tax is often built into the price, so the price doesn't change when you bring something to the register, and they find it strange that the US doesn't do the same. It's such a big difference that there are even advisories to people traveling to the US warning them of sales tax when shopping.

Tipping waiters and waitresses and other service professionals.

Travelers are warned about it before coming here.

Anastasiya Aleksandrenko/Shutterstock

Not tipping in the United States is extremely frowned upon. In other parts of the world, a tip is not expected — it can even be considered rude. Tipping is another thing travelers are often warned about when coming to the States.

Chatting with strangers and making small talk.

It's a bit strange to some.

ABC

One thing many Reddit users noted is that they found it strange that Americans chat with strangers so often. While some found it odd in a weird way, others found it nice.
Reddit user CompleteWoks said, "The hospitality, generosity and kindness to strangers, the friendliness and welcoming warmth is paralleled nowhere in the world."

Using red cups to drink alcohol out of.

They're common in US movies and in real life.

Via Flickr

People around the world can't believe how often Americans use red cups. In some countries, people throw "American parties," where they all make sure to use red cups.

Wearing swimsuits to the beach.

Swimsuits are the norm.

caccamo/Flickr

In some other countries, like Europe, it's considered totally normal to be topless on the beach. In fact, individuals who travel to the US often have to be warned to wear swimsuits in public, and keep them on.

Going into debt in order to go to college.

It can lead to student debt.

Getty Images

It's no secret that going to college in the US can be extremely expensive and students can end up in debt to get a degree. A lot of other countries offer free college educations, and they can't believe how much we spend on ours.

Throwing baby showers.

Some foreigners find it to be rude.

Steven Depolo/flickr.com

Baby showers are a fun custom in the US, but it's not something many other parts of the world partake in. Outside of the US, some people find them strange, kind of rude, and aren't interested in partaking in them.

Working constantly with very little vacation time.

The work never stops.

Shutterstock/beeboys

According to research by the Center for American Progress, the United States is officially the most overworked country in the "developed" world. Some people in other countries can't believe how much work we do, how long our hours are, how we eat lunch at our desks, and how we don't take advantage of vacation time. Some other countries offer six weeks of paid vacation time as a standard. That's certainly not the case here.
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