When the Thing is Not the Thing

The Kingdom of God is an Unseen Kingdom-"not of this world," as Jesus put it. Things are going on in it that only God Himself (and maybe angels and our departed ones in heaven, I don't know) can see. If we are spiritually fined-tuned or if God chooses to let us see, we too can view those things from His perspective.
For example, one time I was with my Mom and Dad and we had gone to visit Aunt Sig-my Dad's aunt. Apparently she was special to him and they had shared alot of good times in the past or he wouldn't have wanted to go and visit her. We talked in her room and had lunch with her. She was feeble and unsure of herself as she walked, so as she took us on a tour of the building, my Dad took her hand to steady her. As I walked behind them, what a sweet sight it was. It was as if God said, "This is the Kingdom of God."

Aunt Sig was possibly reaping what she had sowed into my Dad's life. She had perhaps shown love, and love was being returned. She had invested in him; he was now investing, even if in such a small way, in her. It brought tears to my eyes to see a stronger, more able person helping a weaker, more frail one, especially my Dad since he wasn't one to show affection. He was bearing her burdens in these few moments. The stronger helping the weaker. Just like our Father helps His children.

There were so many facets of the Kingdom being advanced in this simple act of love and help, that if you were looking into only the physical you would just think it was people strolling down the halls of a nursing home. But the thing that was seen, was not the real thing (the unseen thing) at all. The unseen thing was the one that had eternal significance;the laying up treasure in heaven kind of thing. The one that blessed the heart of God, and the one that would affect this seen world in ways we will never know. These are the values of the Kingdom often scorned and mocked at in this world.

Love changes things. Maybe this is the meaning of "thy Kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Releasing God's love on this earth.

As we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice daily allowing God to use us to be poured into others' lives, then the thing were are doing and the thing that it appears to be is not the thing at all. It is something so much deeper, wider, and life-changing for us and others than we could ever imagine. O God, help us be willing. O God, help make us able. For Your glory on this earth.