The Kingdom of Heaven is Like...
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went out and sold all he had and bought that field."
The kingdom of heaven is like a church fundraiser, where a cake was auctioned off for €135 and then left by the winner for the whole congregation to enjoy.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."
The kingdom of heaven is like a missions concert in Galway, where "How Great Thou Art" was sung in Zulu to the sound of Irish congregation members clapping and swaying.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you so good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? 'An enemy did this,' he replied. The servant asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let us both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of teenagers and their staff, faces lit by the soft glow of candlelight as they stand on docks and sing to each other across a lake: "Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true..."
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."
The kingdom of heaven is like a friendship where theology doesn't align, but they support each other's callings anyways.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come... Then the king said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'"
The kingdom of heaven is like an offering box in Brussels, where people were invited to leave a prayer and lift up someone else's, and they did even when they could not understand the language in which the prayer was written. It didn't matter: God knew.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard... The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
The kingdom of heaven is like a prayer room in Amsterdam's Red Light District, where people gathered to worship the one true Light that can outshine the darkness around them.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away."
The kingdom of heaven is like a dance party in Montana, where students spent the day encountering God in a manuscript and the night finding Him while laughing over Just Dance.
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of friends who will take you home in moments of tragedy and sit with you as you sob into their mattress.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"
The kingdom of heaven is like a child who wants to love Jesus, who is so eager for baptism that he jumps into a hot tub with his scuba mask and snorkel, ready to go.
"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out and meet him!'... But while the foolish ones were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut."
The kingdom of heaven is like a little farm in Tacoma, Washington, where everyone has a vital and important role, regardless of what society thinks of their physical or mental ability.
"[The kingdom of heaven] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and another one bag, each according to his ability... After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'You entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness! ..."
The kingdom of heaven is like a congregation in Wenatchee that let a young woman learn how to lead without worrying about her age or gender.
The kingdom of heaven is like a postcard in the mail, bringing sweet words from sweeter friends and proving that distance is not insurmountable.
The kingdom of heaven is like a family on the Aran Islands, who didn't let a path of gravel and steep stairway of slippery stones prevent their wheelchair-bound mother from seeing the cliffs.
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of women in Costa Rica, who laughingly taught some gringas how to make proper tortillas.
The kingdom of heaven is like the hugs received after a long absence, bridging the time spent apart and reminding those involved that no matter how long you've been away or how far you've gone, you can always return home.
The kingdom of heaven is like all these moments and many more, seemingly insignificant yet overflowing with consequence. The kingdom of heaven is the glimpse of God in the everyday, the reminder that the Extraordinary dwells among the ordinary. The kingdom of heaven is tangible; it's present; it's real.
Do I see it? Do you?
The kingdom of heaven is like a church fundraiser, where a cake was auctioned off for €135 and then left by the winner for the whole congregation to enjoy.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."
The kingdom of heaven is like a missions concert in Galway, where "How Great Thou Art" was sung in Zulu to the sound of Irish congregation members clapping and swaying.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you so good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? 'An enemy did this,' he replied. The servant asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let us both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of teenagers and their staff, faces lit by the soft glow of candlelight as they stand on docks and sing to each other across a lake: "Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true..."
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."
The kingdom of heaven is like a friendship where theology doesn't align, but they support each other's callings anyways.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come... Then the king said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'"
The kingdom of heaven is like an offering box in Brussels, where people were invited to leave a prayer and lift up someone else's, and they did even when they could not understand the language in which the prayer was written. It didn't matter: God knew.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard... The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
The kingdom of heaven is like a prayer room in Amsterdam's Red Light District, where people gathered to worship the one true Light that can outshine the darkness around them.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away."
The kingdom of heaven is like a dance party in Montana, where students spent the day encountering God in a manuscript and the night finding Him while laughing over Just Dance.
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of friends who will take you home in moments of tragedy and sit with you as you sob into their mattress.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"
The kingdom of heaven is like a child who wants to love Jesus, who is so eager for baptism that he jumps into a hot tub with his scuba mask and snorkel, ready to go.
"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out and meet him!'... But while the foolish ones were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut."
The kingdom of heaven is like a little farm in Tacoma, Washington, where everyone has a vital and important role, regardless of what society thinks of their physical or mental ability.
"[The kingdom of heaven] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and another one bag, each according to his ability... After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'You entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness! ..."
The kingdom of heaven is like a congregation in Wenatchee that let a young woman learn how to lead without worrying about her age or gender.
The kingdom of heaven is like a postcard in the mail, bringing sweet words from sweeter friends and proving that distance is not insurmountable.
The kingdom of heaven is like a family on the Aran Islands, who didn't let a path of gravel and steep stairway of slippery stones prevent their wheelchair-bound mother from seeing the cliffs.
The kingdom of heaven is like a group of women in Costa Rica, who laughingly taught some gringas how to make proper tortillas.
The kingdom of heaven is like the hugs received after a long absence, bridging the time spent apart and reminding those involved that no matter how long you've been away or how far you've gone, you can always return home.
The kingdom of heaven is like all these moments and many more, seemingly insignificant yet overflowing with consequence. The kingdom of heaven is the glimpse of God in the everyday, the reminder that the Extraordinary dwells among the ordinary. The kingdom of heaven is tangible; it's present; it's real.
Do I see it? Do you?
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