Up is down

We've talked a lot about the Kingdom of God this quarter, especially as we read through the Gospels in our New Testament class. I met a kid today (who we'll call James) that reminded me what the Kingdom is all about.

God's Kingdom is counter-intuitive. Perhaps it isn't intrinsically counter-intuitive, but counter-intuitive because of the way culture and society has shaped what we know to be intuition. Up is down in the Kingdom, and down is up. The Kingdom belongs to the poor while Jesus bids woe to the rich. The hungry are filled and the filled are hungry. It's those who weep, those who are meek, those who make peace that are called blessed.

There's a unique life that we find among those that society considers least. I find that, more often than not, I receive a lot more than I give in my time at juvie. Sure, there is sacrifice involved from my end, but I never feel like it's in vain. After all, God has chosen the weak and foolish things of the world to shame that which is strong and wise. Jesus tells us that a blessing resides among the weak and the lowly. I don't think that's my blessing to own, but I think I can share in that blessing by knowing the weak and lowly.

James seemed to understand the Kingdom, and he also seemed to embody its ideals in a way.

James shared with me about his hopes and dreams-- things like spending time in all 50 states and cleaning up his life. James told me that he believes he was made in God's image and that God sees that image when He looks at him. He asked me my opinion on issues like immigration laws and how to interpret the creation account in Genesis. He told me that he wants to adopt kids, cherish them, and give them great names because he wants to look up to them. (All I could think while he said this were Jesus' words in Mark 10:15: "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.") James is smart, funny, and full of life-- even with all his pain and all his mistakes. James understands the Kingdom in a beautiful way.

I'm in the midst of finals, and today seemed like a sensible time to forego my Saturday chaplaincy visits. I'm glad I didn't. I left feeling so refreshed and filled with life after meeting with James, because, really, Jesus met me there too. And in that meeting, he let me share the blessing reserved for the least of these. It doesn't make sense, but I'm finding that the way of the Kingdom rarely does.