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| Maintenance is the hidden cost of all our worldly commitments. |
Living in Jesus' Intentional Kingdom means living beyond what our eyes see, our hands hold, or our senses apprehend. It involves learning to set our hearts on His kingdom and His righteousness. And it isn't easy.
I have been purging stuff. Simplifying the material goods around us can be hard. We accumulate naturally in our culture. In preparation for a church drive for donation to the thrift store of a local ministry, I recently culled my closet of two big lawn and leaf bag sacks full of clothes. That's right. There were that many clothes that I didn't need.
The second point of the Intentional Kingdom Manifesto states: I will realize that looking to His kingdom means I will never be satisfied with the stuff of this world. I will long for something more that only Jesus gives, seeking His Intentional Kingdom. (Matthew 5:3-6) So what does this mean? Let's put Jesus' words in front of us to get a better picture of it all:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
These blessings are promised in violation of all our human sensibilities. They don't square with our typical responses. From a strictly human viewpoint we see the poor as having nothing of value. We view mourners as unconsoled. We would think meek people lack power. And to be satisfied with God's righteousness as our deepest longing? Really? None of this squares with the selfish materialism or personal goal achievement that our culture foists on us as necessary. But Jesus asks us rethink it all, and if we repent of our personal agenda, He will give us a better, more rewarding, and eternal agenda.
The rewards are astounding: 1) A heavenly kingdom for the spiritually impoverished; 2) lasting comfort for those who would mourn for sin and are dissatisfied with the transience of this life; 3) an inheritance for the meek who will yield to Christ's power of them; and 4) true satisfaction for the spiritually hungry. It seems so much better than what the stuff of this world offers. Here's why...
If we align ourselves strictly with materialism we will get what we want... briefly. But the price is high. There's constant maintenance on the stuff of this world. Ask any stakeholder in the American Dream. Home ownership, car ownership, pursuing what you want... any physical thing requires maintenance. It demands from you often much more than it gives. But God gives once and the satisfaction lasts forever.
When we think about the stuff of this world in contrast to Christ's kingdom, commitments are challenged. Think about it and discuss:
- What is the true price of ownership in the things of this life?
- What hidden costs are their to materialism?
- How do we keep our allegiances true to Christ?
- What material things are necessities and provisions from God? Do we thank Him for them and use them for His glory? Which ones interfere with our heart allegiances to Christ? How do we know when we cross the line in our attitude towards the stuff of this world?
