MikePaschall.com

In one of the parables, Jesus tells the story of a certain nobleman who went abroad to obtain power for himself and then return. Before he left, he called his ten servants, giving them each a twenty-dollar bill, and telling them, “Trade with this until I come back.” When he returned, he ordered his servants to be brought before him for their report.

The first man said, “Sir, your twenty dollars have made one hundred.”

“Fine,” said the nobleman.

The second man said, “Sir, your twenty dollars have made fifty dollars.”

“Excellent,” said the nobleman.

The third man was the only one who made a speech. He said, “Sir, here is your twenty dollars. I kept it safe in a napkin, for I was afraid of you. Perhaps you do not know this, but you have a reputation of being a very hard man. You pick up what you have never put down. You reap where you have not sown, you gather into barns what you have not planted!”

 The nobleman was incensed. He ordered the servant cast off of his place into “outer darkness.”

Here, I’ll make an end of the story. The unfortunate servant was not cast off because he did not realize any profit for the nobleman. No. He was cast off because he did not “work at it.”

We are never under obligation to achieve results. Of course, results are important —and it may be that is the reason effort is put forth. But results are not mandatory. Much of the energy and effort, and many anxious hours, are spent obsessing over the probable failure or success of our ventures. No one likes to fail. But it is important to remember that under certain circumstances, failure is its own success.

To keep one’s eye on results is to detract markedly from the business at hand. This is to be diverted from the task itself. Is to be only partially available to demands at hand. Very often it causes one to betray one’s own inner sense of values because to hold fast to the integrity of the act may create a kind of displeasure which in the end will affect the results. However, if the results are left free to form themselves in terms of the quality and character of the act, then all of one’s resources can be put at the disposal of the act itself.

There are many forces over which the individual can exercise no control whatsoever. A man plants a seed in the ground and the seed sprouts and grows. The weather, the elements, cannot be controlled by the farmer. The result is never a sure thing. So what does the farmer do? He plants. Always he plants. Again and again he works at it—the ultimate confidence and assurance that even though his seed does not grow to fruition, seeds do grow and they do come to fruition.

The task of those who work for the Kingdom of God, is to “Work” for the Kingdom of God. The result beyond this demand is not in their hands. Those who keep their eyes on results cannot give themselves wholeheartedly to their task, however simple or complex that task may be.

—From “The Inward Journey” by Howard Thurman

“So what does the farmer do? He plants. Always he plants.”

Although written over fifty years ago, Thurman’s writing is still spot on, and a much-needed reminder of the simplistic heart and authentic purpose of our call to kingdom values. It strangely appears that most of the Church now equates “kingdom” to power politics and social hard lines. It’s cringe worthy. Disappointing. Brutally ugly. Honestly, I don’t recognize us anymore. “Us” being the Bride of Christ. A people who are to live and walk in the essence of His nature and character, i.e. check the “fruits of the Spirit” (GAL 5:22-23). Sons and daughters who understand how deeply loved we are and validate that truth with a love to everyone we share space with on earth. When did the love of warfare and “tit-for-tat” tactics start taking priority over how Jesus lived and loved on this planet? When did He ever hit back, punch back, exploit or remove the weaker souls from among us? If anyone had the right for a reckoning, it was Him, but He did not retaliate. Not even close.

I remember Jesus warning the disciples about the ambition and greed of enforcing an agenda on earth that included domination tactics. What He said exactly was, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force” (MT 11:12). THIS is a warning. NOT an invitation, nor a mandate for power-over positioning of any kind. In fact, this is about as far as it can possibly be from the mission and life directives of the Christ. Jesus laid it out very clearly in his first real message while reading from Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

(LUKE 4:18-19)

Thurman’s parable explanation is so beautiful because he takes the “spirit of legalism” out of the equation. There’s no drivenness in kingdom work other than basic human kindness, decency, compassion, graciousness, gratefulness, and “loving neighbor as we love ourselves.”

Let me finish with this: America is not the kingdom that Jesus was talking about. We Christians have a very different leader—another source for our security, life, and purpose. God’s kingdom includes everyone, regardless of our differences. And our purpose is to be LOVE in every way possible, each and every day. Looking at myself and looking at us, it appears we’ve lost the plot somewhere along the way.

I believe we can be better. We must do better. —MDP