What kingdom am I supporting by my choices? This is an important question that requires deep reflection. When I think about the concept of a kingdom, all that comes to mind is one man who rules and exercises his authority over a vast number of people. He is untouchable by any other authoritative body in his kingdom—so powerful that he can do anything to fulfill his ambitions, desires, and dreams, and punish anyone who disagrees with him. The well-being of all those people depends on this one man’s decision-making.
If we analyze the question carefully, we can reason that there is more than one kingdom. What are they? The earthly kingdom and the heavenly kingdom. And who rules them? The devil rules the earthly kingdom, and the heavenly kingdom belongs to God. Do I have any evidence to support my statements? Yes, I do. Examine the Gospel of Luke (4:5–6): “Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, ‘I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.’” And in the Gospel of John (18:36), “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.’”
Therefore, whenever I hear about power being exercised and the oppressed suffering under modern-day leaders, I can only imagine that the devil is at work. And, through our choices, we unfortunately support his efforts to destroy the kingdom of God. What are some choices that support the earthly kingdom and, therefore, the devil’s handiwork?
- Supporting violence, war, abuse, killing, and corruption
- Holding grudges and being unforgiving, unkind, unjust, immoral, and hateful
- Being a slave to lust, drugs, wealth, fortune, entertainment, fame, and popularity (above being a slave of power and authority)
Furthermore, we refuse to support the kingdom of God by:
- Not choosing to be merciful, kind, just, loving, compassionate, forgiving, and peaceful
- Allowing ourselves to be influenced by the evil glitter of this world and its tempting attractions
Why? The choices given by this world are easy to follow, while those given by our Lord Jesus are difficult. Straightforward, isn’t it? We need to remember that God delivered us from this evil earthly kingdom by sacrificing His only son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. We received an invitation from God to enter His kingdom, but it is up to us to accept or refuse it.
I invite you all to reflect on the beautiful encounter between Jesus and the good thief. The good thief acknowledges his sins and accepts that he is unworthy to be with Jesus in His kingdom, urging his fellow thief to fear God. He pleads with Jesus, saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Just imagine if we all adopted that mindset: approaching Jesus with utter humility and sincere acknowledgment of a sinful nature. I am sure there would be no pride in our devotion—only a deeper connection and a beautiful, personal encounter with our Lord. Therefore, let us not take advantage of His mercy and forgiveness but instead make choices that would support the kingdom of God. Amen.
