Wed. July 9th :: Lk. 13 :: Mixing vs. Clumping

Again [Jesus] asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?
It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds
of flour until it worked all through the dough."
(Luke 13.20-21)

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Jesus spent much time describing the Kingdom of God.

I’m glad for that because for those of us in a 21st century democracy the whole concept can be a little difficult. We're not a part of a ‘kingdom’ as far as we can tell. And yet we are

Luke tells us that God’s Kingdom is breaking into our everyday life. Little pockets of this other ‘Kingdom’ are springing up here on earth. It’s like this, says Jesus: It’s like a little yeast mixed into a massive vat of dough. Proportionately the yeast is insignificant, but something happens in the mixing. In the mixing, the yeast de-clumps and spreads throughout the vat. It’s in the mixing, the spreading out of the yeast, that an extraordinary reaction takes place.

So what does this mean for us?

For centuries Christians have wrestled with opposing impulses. Many desire to withdraw from ‘worldly life’ as much possible. The intention here is often good. We don’t want to be influenced in adverse ways by the culture around us. We don’t want to rub shoulders with sinners because we’re afraid we might ‘catch’ their sin. So we clump. Yet there is a problem.

Jesus says, it’s in the MIXING that God’s Kingdom takes root. It’s only when we deploy within the culture at large that lives are changed and God’s family is enlarged.

So here’s some food for thought:

How have you clumped?

In what way do you need to re-order your life (your schedule, your recreational activities, your comfort zone) in order to MIX with those who need to know Jesus?

It's a risky question.