IN FAITH
Reflections on The Kingdom of God
But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, {28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. {29} If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. {30} Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. {31} Do to others as you would have them do to you. {32} If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. {33} If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. {34} If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. {35} But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. {36} Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:27-36 NRSV)
One might wonder, “Why a column about the Kingdom of God,” a concept, which isn’t on most people’s minds on a daily basis? And my answer would be, “Look at our world as it is: beautiful, with people striving to make society into something truly good, and with great evil, where the use of power is often abused, where children and women suffer from abuse, and are victims of war, and where greed and hatred sometimes carry the day too much.” That’s why I am writing this column, to write about what could be, what is, and what needs to be.
There are at least four kinds of people: dreamers, whose dreams have shaped the world, and helped it to become more like God intended, and pragmatists, those folk who take a hard look at the world and take it as it is, and in their sometimes limited way, try and find solutions, which are workable, without totally abandoning the dreams given by true visionary leaders.
There is another kind of person, the cynic. Very often those who are embraced by cynicism, are persons who have given up hope, and have become embittered, and believe that nothing matters, and no actions that we take will make a difference.
Then there are those who are “hard boiled,” or “hard hearted,” who have lost the capacity to be gracious, kind, and generous, because someone or some persons hurt them long ago, and so they have constructed thick “shells” about themselves refusing to love others, and also refusing to love themselves.
I’m sure we could identify with even more “types” of persons, if time and space would permit.
We need to have dreamers, because without dreamers and their ideals, we have no noble goals for which to reach. And without those noble goals, which lift each of us and all of us toward something better than we have now, there is a danger that we shall become complacent, or even worse, that we shall lose our faith, and give up on life altogether.
We also need pragmatists, because they often help us move forward in realistic ways, which move us closer to God’s desired goals.
But, most of all, our world needs those who have the faith in God and in God’s Word and who are willing to “step forward” and to sacrifice and to love so that this world will more closely resemble what God truly intends it to be.
When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom (or rule) of God, he spoke of how Israel needed to relate as a nation to its own citizens and to the world. The history of Israel, from the time of its beginning during the Exodus from Egypt and its establishment in the Promised Land, is the history of a people who were chosen by God to live out what life under the rule of God would look like. And, we today, as those who follow in the footsteps of those religious leaders and servants who came before, need to persevere and not give up, because God will bless our efforts. The Kingdom of God is already in our midst, if we will but open our eyes and hearts.
It seems to me, that today, in a world where “the self” tends to rule, and idealism has been put on “the back burner” by many in world leadership, unless we correct our current course, we shall continue to slide toward a society that has no connection with its God, and no concern for others who are either the poor, or outcasts, or enemies, and which may lead us to the destruction of our society.
But, it doesn’t have to be so. People of faith can still make a positive difference. But, we must not abandon our faith in God, nor cease to “do good.” If we quit trying, and surrender to despair, we will play into the hands of our Enemy. And I don’t know anyone who would like to see Satan in charge of this world, do you?
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