Reflections from Sunday meeting (10/4/20)
Have you ever drawn in too close to a campfire and been stung by a stray spark? It’s amazing that such a tiny particle of ash can burn with such heat and light. With one swipe of your glove or quench of your heel, it is smothered. If you had left it there, it would have grown exponentially into a flame, a torch, or perhaps a bonfire of its own.
I believe every person on this earth carries a spark in their heart--a spark of the Kingdom.
As Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Luke 17:20, “The coming of the Kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘here it is,’ or ‘there it is,’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.”
At our Sunday gathering this week, we had an enlivening discussion around this topic.
At the onset, one person outlined an all too common false narrative. Namely, that accepting Jesus is like joining a club. Members of this club forfeit a few unwanted habits (i.e. swearing) and take on some new habits (i.e. reading the Bible), and they’re in! Upon joining the club, members will be rewarded with some members-only perks, (aka blessings). And best of all, once they’re in, they’re in! They are a card-carrying member of the Kingdom.
This effectively misses the key point of Jesus’ message. If we truly examine and feel the heart of Jesus’ message in Luke 17, the club analogy quickly breaks down. Rather than a static, exclusive, rule-oriented club, Jesus intimates a moving, active Kingdom-presence in everyone, and is as alive in us as we allow Him to be. He’s not interested in seeing us polish up our lives with surface level quick fixes. Rather, He wants us to become alert to the deep seated mindsets and beliefs that create obstacles to his Kingdom.
What obstacles in our lives are smothering this Kingdom spark, and preventing it from bursting into flame? One person pointed out the human tendency to hold on to shame, fear of the future, or grudges, to name a few. Not only do these thoughts reinforce our underlying beliefs of incompetency and unworthiness, they are time consuming occupations that drag us away from the depth of the present moment.
Apathy, un-forgiveness, regret, and pain, are also big contributors to the masks of identity that suffocate our sparks. As one person in our circle pointed out, we can become numb to the conflicts within us, resigned to a constant state of suffering. Meanwhile, the Kingdom waits dormant in our hearts until we have the courage to wake up and get out of our prisons.
Think of the parable of the treasure in the field, for example. It’s likely that many people passed right over the treasure, possibly tripping on it in their hurry. Finally, a man came by who was alert enough to recognize the treasure for what it was, and “When [he] found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” (Matt. 13:44)
Another person pointed out that God’s unconditional love is the only power that can ultimately melt these barriers inhibiting the Kingdom from flaring up. This love is a state of being, void of judgement, empty of fear, and requiring no sacrifice. Love is something we become as we give ourselves to the practical reality of God. When we’re truly singed by the white heat of the Kingdom, the surrendering of
all those obstacles will not be painful but truly liberating. There is a Way of Life and Love available to all of us!
