What if…

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of the Kingdom coming to earth as it in Heaven. As I read Jesus’ words and life, I’m continually convinced that He entrusted his followers to actually live that kingdom now – as if it was an actual reality. As I see Jesus’ ministry lived out it becomes clear that he meant for real change to occur in society by the people who claim to follow Jesus.

As I think about that, I’m struck by what’s going on in our world. In Egypt, we’ve just seen a revolution, in Libya people are fighting for something new and the regime is killing innocents, we have turmoil with oil, finances, strained relationships and earthquakes, we see state governments shutting down because they disagree and we see our federal government about as divided as ever!

Add to this the perception of the church. I just read about a petition being passed around to boycott a “pilot” being developed on ABC called “Good Christian Bitches”. The show is about a young woman who has made bad choices and returns to her home town and then becomes the object of ridicule and scorn by the pillars of faith in her community.

I got to tell you, I want to boycott the show too but not because I’m offended that ABC would make it. I want to boycott it because it may be closer to reality than a lot of us want to admit to. I mean who wants their dirty laundry aired out for all of the general public to see – even though they already know it? I think the larger issue isn’t that a media giant would want to produce a show like this but that it’s a show that is based on reality and that people live every day!

I look at all this stuff and I can’t help but wonder if we’ve missed the Kingdom? Don’t get me wrong, I’m committed to the Church. I firmly believe that it’s the Church who’s been called to engage and invite this kingdom into the world we live in. However, what’s gone wrong with us if society is so screwed up? How is the Kingdom coming to earth, as it is in heaven, when it appears that all Hell is breaking lose?

For me, it’s wrapped up in the fact that I, and I’m sure many others, may have bought into a wrong narrative. I mean a lot of the time I reduce the Kingdom to a purely spiritual thing. I don’t do it intentionally, I think. But I do find myself “spiritualizing” things that I know Jesus was actually for – like peace when turmoil surrounds me, like speaking truth to fellow christians who are living way out of the bounds of a life of Jesus. I find it easier to scorn and ridicule non-christians for their “pagan” ways than it is to hold Christians to the faith we’ve both committed to!

That’s where the opening Questions come into play – what if I were to live today with the honest to God intention of bringing in the kingdom into every decision I make? What if I really did attempt a life of humble, radical, passion-filled, obedience to the Kingdom Jesus preached? I was talking to my friend Marc today about the now-infamous WWJD idea. We got to the point where we said what if instead of focusing on what Jesus would do we could start asking what Jesus could think or do in the decisions of life? How could a world that is so hurting so badly feel the impact of EVERY follower of Jesus living with this intentional decision to think and act like the Kingdom’s future is in our hands?

Thankfully, I’m reminded that God has us all in His hands and that simple reminder is both reassuring and challenging. We get to be the Kingdom! We get to be the Touch of Jesus. He’s got us and he’s letting us be a part of His move on this hurting world! How awesome is that? What a great opportunity to ask…What if? What if?

See you out there…