"You shall not believe that you are somebody.
You shall not believe that you are as worthy as us.
You shall not believe that you are any wiser than us.
You shall not imagine that you are any better than us.
You shall not believe that you know anything more than us.
You shall not believe that you are more than us.
You shall not believe that you are good at anything.
You shall not laugh at us.
You shall not believe that anyone cares about you.
You shall not believe that you can teach us anything.”
This “Law of Jante,” or Janteloven, was first observed by a Danish man named Aksel Sandemose in 1933, and is well-known by all Norwegians. It is an ingrained attitude of Norwegian culture that tells people they are not to stand up above the rest and that they have nothing of value to offer anyone else. It is a stronghold that keeps heads bowed low, strangles initiative and boldness, creates a spirit of criticism, and produces fear of hearing one’s voice heard above the rest. As our speaker this week on The History and Culture of Norway said, “This mentality is garbage straight from Hell” and hinders much for God’s Kingdom.
On Friday, we all stood together against the Law of Jante and the lies it feeds us about our identities. Even though I am not Norwegian, I saw the impact of the Law of Jante in my life, and renouncing it was a significant act for me. I found myself believing at times that I didn’t have much to offer these people who know so much more about prayer, worship & spiritual warfare than I do. But this attitude was hindering my ability to be involved in what God is doing in our school, and robbing others of the ways God wants to use me to bless them. Saying I don’t have anything to offer is really saying God doesn’t have anything to offer, and what greater lie is there than that!? Now that we have all taken a stand against the Janteloven, I feel much more prepared to both receive from God and pour out into others. Down with the Law of Jante!! :-)
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