Sign of the Kingdom: Jesus Still Serves through His People

Really, if you think about it, it does not make any sense. They left their home for a week to come to Seattle when they could be celebrating the fact that they aren't in school.  Who would fault them for playing video games, sleeping in and (maybe) filling out paperwork to get into their dream university?

As many people think of high school students they are often portrayed as self absorbed and lazy, unaware and maybe unwilling to give to anyone else. So, for a group of students to come to Seattle to serve at the Ballard Food Bank- and to do it with joy- doesn't seem to make sense. (Did I mention that they paid to do it?!)

There is something "not of this world" when a group of students (and their servant hearted leaders) gets up early to go make sure that people that they have never met get to eat that day. It is a sign of God bringing his kingdom.

What is really "not of this world" is that they did all of this, not from a heart that says "Look at me and how great I am," but with an attitude of joyful, sacrificial love. Don't get me wrong, they are by no means perfect, but the heart that Jesus has given them- His heart!- overflowed in practical service to people who are not used to be treated with authentic kindness and respect.

This group was here to serve alongside Vona Church that my good friend Wil pastors. Wil has counseled all of us that the best way to wisely love the people of his neighborhood in Seattle is to serve them with the attitude of Jesus so that their hearts might be stirred to ask "Why are those crazy people doing that?" (Note: not his exact words) They may not want to hear about Jesus at first, but there is a quality of that kind of love that makes people wonder. Serving others in a world that overvalues those who "deserve" to be served is a sign of the way the world should be...a sign of the kingdom.

A mature lady came to me and asked me all sorts of questions about the students and Vona Church. She was VERY skeptical (to say the least) and asked me questions that revealed that she had been hurt in the past by those who called themselves "Christians." But, interestingly, she was asking questions. She saw something in those students that made her search her heart more than what was comfortable for her. She HAD to know what they were about. I simply told her that those students were expressing the heart of their Savior that he had given them. She scoffed as she walked away, but she also left wondering. The expression on her face showed that she encountered something she couldn't quite explain...and definitely couldn't explain away.

It is a sign of the kingdom that a group of students would joyfully sacrifice time they could be playing  to genuinely serve with the servant heart of Jesus. That sign spoke loudly to me and to at least one hurting woman who longs for something better than the life she knows. Our God often shows signs of his kingdom so quietly that we might almost miss how he is pointing us to the better world he is creating in the midst of a selfish world. He is quiet in that way, but, when we notice, the sign is too loud for us to ignore...and we wouldn't want to ignore it.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16 ESV)