The kingdom of heaven is not like here, not with a pandemic raging. A pandemic which has been politicized because we have forgotten our neighbor. Politicized to the point where we are more concerned about our rights and our freedom to the detriment of others. We are not caring for our neighbor as we would ourselves. We are not living the kingdom here and now if we think God thinks one group, one person is more important than another. This is not the kingdom.
The kingdom of heaven is not like here, with the pandemic of racism once again coming to our attention. The cry goes up "how long", how many more innocent black people have to die? How many have to be dragged through the mud of reputation before we believe in the unjust killing of black people? How can this be justified time and again? When will the cry of a people be heard and others stop marginalizing and minimizing what is happening to them. When will the kingdom come?
The kingdom of heaven was not there in Jesus' time either. With Rome conquering others and then enforcing their will on others, their culture. The conquered were made slaves. The traitor among their own people was allowed to collect more than the already high tax imposed by Rome. The conquered were to put a statue of Caesar in their temple and they could never understand why the Jews found this offensive. Rome was not the kingdom, yet Jesus gives us these glimpses of what the kingdom is like.
The kingdom of God comes between the good wheat and the bad. It can't be rooted out, what makes a difference is for the good to grow right along side the bad. Don't worry about getting rid of it, God will take care of it at the harvest. Just mind your own growing, your own living of the kingdom. I heard a program yesterday in which the young woman said, "I love Jesus, he's a cool dude." What she didn't like was Paul or any of the others. The ones which condemn, lay down laws, have we forgotten who Jesus was, who even Paul was. These people were writing to change a culture of one being against another. In trying to bring harmony and pointing it out in their writings. Then we have taken it and only highlight the ones which make us superior, make us legalistic, which was what Paul was trying to get away from after being a killer of Christians because of Jewish law.
The kingdom of God is like yeast. How small, how insignificant in the making of bread. If it is killed though or if you don't use it what a big difference it makes in the outcome of the loaf. Flat, hard, heavy in the one forgotten or killed yeast. Light, full, crisp in the one where the yeast has helped it rise. It doesn't point to its significance except in the outcome and taste. One can be eaten with relish the other gets set to the side because it has no delight to the palate. This is the kingdom, hidden within.
So how do we get the kingdom here, on this earth? There are glimpses of the kingdom all around us. We just have to attune ourselves to this kingdom. Every time we love our neighbor as our self and think of someone else other than us, the kingdom is present. Every time we walk with others to say this is enough violence. Violence is not the way for us to live with one another, the kingdom has broken through. Every time we do simple acts of kindness and they are magnified by this world who is so hungry to leave the nightmare of this world behind, the kingdom has broken through.
Remember this Jesus thing is really cool. Take the time to learn the words of Jesus. This person who is described as feeding others, healing others, and listening to others, recognizing the unrecognized. This is the kingdom. We could be spreading it, and this is a gospel others are hungry for. So go and release the kingdom into this world. Love others extravagantly, be kind, and love your neighbor. Show this world the good news, God has not forgotten them.
Comments
Post a Comment