Mine or Thine

There's a lot of conversation in and around the Church and the churches these days. Political, Socio-economic, Sexuality, and more. In the dialogues I've been a part of, the discourse is both closed and open-eared. I read a book over the summer by Jonathan Merritt called "A Faith of Our Own" that I believe illustrates components of a misconception by a lot of church goers. In the book Merritt challenges that its not necessarily, "what would Jesus do?", but "what would Jesus have you to do?". I've come to a conclusion that a lot of professed Christians seem to believe that we are to build THIS kingdom for God, rather than building the Kingdom of God.

In Matthew 12:28, Jesus is asked by "one of the teachers of the law" which is the greatest commandment? And Jesus replies "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.", and the teacher agrees and says "you a right in saying that" (on a side note, do you think Jesus got an ironic chuckle when this "teacher" confirmed His statement?).

I think proclaimed Christians are too clouded with political slogan and agenda, and even a call for "revival" in the churches and in our nation. Now hear me right, I am not against a Spiritual resurgence if God so sees fit, but as I am hearing about and seeing the activity around political slogan and "revival", I am curious of something. Is the intention to build THIS kingdom for God? To make it a safe and peaceful place? To make it some sort of nirvana? To make it fit a political agenda? To make it "well" for the haves? And perhaps even the have-nots?

I must continue to challenge my own thinking along these lines as well. Around hoping for and moving to make better. And why I truly want "it" to be better.

The Bible clearly states that this will pass away. And that His Kingdom is not of this world.

Let your/ours/my works be of the noble Purpose(s) of God. Not for your/ours/my ownership, peace, power, safety, security, and agenda—from our own smallness.

Yes, love and serve. Give. Help. Encourage. Revolt. Stand. Change. Hope. Participate IN THIS world. But not FOR THIS world.