The Bible describes the kingdom as “forcefully advancing” (Matthew 11:12). When I read that, I think of warriors charging forward no matter the cost. I imagine great, heroic acts. Yet the last thing I would think of as forcefully advancing is the modern church. Most Christians live a Sunday morning faith, ignoring God for the rest of the week. The kingdom is not advancing as it should, as God calls it to.
I believe this is for one reason: the warriors in the Kingdom of Heaven are in the wrong roles. In the same way a tank driver isn’t effective as an artilleryman, someone called to serve with children won't be as effective on the prayer team, or vice versa. This isn't to say they can't do those things, just that they are better suited elsewhere. Everyone has specific gifts and callings, but for some reason we aren't using them. God designed each of us for a specific purpose, so, with that in mind, let's go do the things he called us to do.
For me, that's teaching, through writing these blogs, to kids or friends around me. God has gifted me in this area, and I intend to use these gifts to advance his kingdom. Maybe for you it’s being an engineer, or a janitor, or a waitress, living your life as a warrior in the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes it doesn't feel as important as teaching onstage, but the kingdom cannot, I repeat, cannot advance without you being in your spot.
Maybe serving people food doesn't feel like it’s advancing the kingdom, but Jesus may have placed someone in your path to be served by you and loved by you. Maybe building a
bridge with integrity and honesty doesn’t seem to spread Jesus, but will impact someone's life. It doesn’t matter what you’re called to do, it matters how you do it. The truth is, you never know who around you needs to be shown Christ, and only you can impact those people. Jesus planned encounters for you to influence the people around you like no one else can.
Being in your role, more commonly known as your grace path, really matters. Living the life God designed you to live with the gifts and passion you bring to the table is invaluable to the Kingdom of Heaven. If we want to change this world and be the light on a hill, as Jesus said, we must be on our grace paths. The kingdom cannot advance without it.
The passions you bring to the table help advance the kingdom as a whole. WIthout your passions, the whole church is weakened. So be passionate, fill your role, and lets forcefully advance like the early church. Paul describes the church as a body; we need every part to move forward.
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” -1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV
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