Ready to Leave

Well I think I am finally packed and ready to go. I find it amazing that I was able to fit everything that I needed to live for 4 months in two suitcases (well actually I fit it into one but it was too heavy to meet the airline restrictions). I have been looking forward to this day for so long now, it seems almost surreal now that it is almost here. I want to say thank you so much to all of you who have supported me financially and especially through prayer as I begin this journey.

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand"Christ kept proclaiming while he was on earth. The people had a hard time understanding what he meant because the kingdom that he spoke of was completely backwards from any kingdom they had ever seen. In this kingdom those who are last are first, those who give up their life save it, those who are poor are blessed. Strength and power are not honored but instead humbleness, service, and child-likeness are commendable attributes. It is a place where the poor, dirty, uneducated, and unclean can become heirs with Christ to the kingdom of God. Some of the first of these were called the apostles. :) It is a kingdom in which all are invited to the party. Rich and poor, clean and unclean, "good" and "bad", Jewish and Gentile, socially refined and socially outcast, are all invited to join the celebration of our Lord. Any kingdom in which it's own ruler compares it to a mustard seed or yeast spreading through dough is one strange kingdom indeed. Sounds kind of small and subversive, based on principles very different from the usual "how to establish a kingdom" manual that Attila the Hun, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonapart, and many others seem to have followed. Instead it is a kingdom made up the "the least of these."

"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."
- Napoleon Bonapart

I love how Mother Theresa talks about the "smallness" of the kingdom in words that we can live by day to day. In her simple wisdom she said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." These words seem kind of backward in a society where success is usually measured in percentages,numbers, size, or scope. I am beginning to learn that God does not call me to produce tangible results as we might measure them, but he does call me to love and to serve. If I do that, all the "results" tend to take care of themselves. But of course there is always that human pride that seems to creep up, wanting to do something "big" to "change the world" as so many idealistic youth have touted. It almost sounds like were trying to redeem mankind, which is funny cause I think that's already taken care of. :) Granted, if we all fully lived out the love of Christ the world would surely change but it is not up to me to change it, it is only up to me to obey in love. As you pray for me please pray that I would be able to resist the temptation to be merely a social activist trying to accomplish some sort of measurable success but instead that I would do every small thing, every tiny act of service, with great love. That I may be a reflection of that seemingly backwards but so very beautiful kingdom of heaven.

One last special thanks to all of my dear friends who have spent late nights or long lunch breaks talking and praying as we pondered together so many questions in our search to know God and his purpose for life. I think we came up with more questions than answers but I think we're farther along than when we started. I look forward to renewed conversations when I get back.