A Glimpse of the Kingdom

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5: 3-10 NASB 

I believe it's no coincidence that on the morning of February 10, 2023 I was reading a chapter in Philip Yancey's "The Jesus I Never Knew" that dove deep into the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. As I read the commentary from Yancey, I couldn't get my mind to stop thinking, "Tonight at Night to Shine, we will catch a glimpse of God's Eternal Kingdom as Jesus is describing it here."

I believe it's also no coincidence that a week which began with a Satanic worship performance at the Grammys; a performance that glorified the Prince of Darkness, was going to end with a Super Bowl halftime performance that glorified greed and lust. But in between those two WORLDLY bookends, some of us would witness ONE NIGHT that centered on the true glory of the One True God. Yahweh Shalom...our God of Peace. The God of restoration. The God of hope. 

You see, in Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, he says that the FIRST on earth will be LAST in Heaven, and those who are WEAK on earth will be STRONG in His Kingdom. 

Our world; which we know is the OPPOSITE of what our eternal heaven will look like, worships fame, wealth, beauty, and physical ability. We see it EVERYWHERE. And regardless of where we are in our faith-walk, our flesh often draws us into believing in those earthly idols, and desiring them as well. 

But those things stand in opposition to God, because they take our attention off God and satisfy only our flesh, and only for a moment. 

Individuals with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers, are often forgotten, dismissed and the last to be served in this world. Sure, we have seen advancements in disability rights after decades of advocacy and grass root movements. But, let's face it: Accessibility is still a battle fought on a daily basis. I mean, for real, some of these attendees who I met saw the inside of a janitor's closet as their first classroom.

 

While students in universities are required to take classes that enforce the need for proper pronoun usage, they will also attend classes that aren't physically accessible to them due to lack of elevators, or they will find the only accessible entrances LOCKED, and only to be opened by staff. 

My daughter in particular was taking an acting class that included a play; required reading, which regularly used the "R" word (retarded, a derogatory slur used to describe those with disabilities, or used as a way to "put down" someone who may not have a disability, but is used as a way to hurt them). 

BUT, rather than dwelling on the difficulties faced in the special needs/disability community, let me go back to the JOY of Night to Shine.  

Jesus's Sermon on the Mount has offended some people, terrified many, and sent potential believers into tail spins because of its doctrine of seemingly impossible perfection. Love your enemies, turn the other cheek; it all seems unachievable to this flawed human race. 

However, when you look at an event like Night to Shine, you start to realize that what is described in the Beatitudes is actually a picture of Heaven; where all that is upside down in this world gets flipped and becomes right side up again. 

Where my daughter can see. 

Where my daughter can run.

Where my daughter can speak without stuttering. 

Where my daughter won't have PTSD from her countless needle-pokes and surgeries as a young baby.  

Heaven is where she will be a princess, daughter of a King. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

You see, the way that Night to Shine makes this happen is with limos, crowns and red carpets. With buddies or chaperones for every attendee so that they can automatically BELONG and be a part of the festivities. They don't need mom or dad to be their best friend, because they will have someone there who is already dedicated to caring for them and making sure their needs are met. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

The parents and caregivers also glimpse the Kingdom as they have a parent/caregiver respite room where they can relax, eat, commune with others who share the same triumphs and challenges and get to encourage one another. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

The volunteers, even THEY become a part of this developing snapshot of Heaven as they see a young man smile and hear his parents say, "Oh my gosh, I haven't seen him smile in so long." Or, when the parents drop off their adult daughter and say, "We don't know how this will go. We'll be right over there because she probably won't want to stay long." But, an hour and a half later that daughter is still dancing and singing on the dance floor. Yes, even the volunteers are blessed during this event as they serve because blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 

The walls come down, and the fear fades like a firefly as dawn approaches. 

Thank God, that in a world so focused on money, power and lust, we can catch a glimpse of generosity, mercy, and agape love. 

That is a Kingdom truly worth aiming for. That is the God we choose to worship even when it becomes counter-cultural and unpopular.  

The God who loves the lost. 

The God who rescues the remnant.

The God who restores the broken-hearted. 

...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; 

and there will no longer be any death; 

there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4 NASB