Vacuuming the kingdom of God

"Frank" has been a part of our church basically since the beginning; he's not the model parishioner. He often comes early, meanders around a bit and then sits. We say that he's the only one who is allowed to sleep during our services, as he often does, particularly in the cold months. Frank is homeless and an alcoholic. He's been aggressive more than once and I'm not sure which other drugs he uses or the diagnoses (or extent) of his mental health.

I get impatient for transformation. It's true for my own life and also for Frank's. Then I am reminded that it has taken years for him to get to this point and I don't know what abuse, situations, or circumstances contributed to who he is now. I am also reminded that the destination is the journey, that we work out our salvation, and that some things are a process.

While I believe that everyone has value, I realized that I didn't actually believe that everyone has purpose (Forgive me, Lord).

Frank wandered in more than half an hour before the start of the event last night. He was more of "sound mind" than I ever remember seeing him. Everyone there was busy setting up and taking care of various preparations for the evening. Banners were being hung, tables decorated, tech tested, and the floor was getting some needed vacuuming. I think everyone was busy taking care of one thing or another with a few other things still left to do.

When Frank walked in, he was promptly greeted but also handed the vacuum and instructed where to go. He finished the first area and moved to the other end of the room where he not only generally vacuumed, but removed the big head so he could stick the nozzle right by the wall to clean the edges. I was shocked and maybe amazed. It was the first time I'd ever seen him do anything that added value, anything that gave him purpose.

As I was chatting about this with a friend today, she commented on how none of us are meant to be wet blankets - they aren't good for anything. Sometimes we feel like like them, but that's not what we were created for. (And, to take the analogy further, wet blankets piled up just get moldy which brings a new set of problems.) Frank isn't meant to be a wet blanket either.

I was writing a letter this weekend in which I expressed how much and some of the specific reasons why I love the kingdom of God. One of the main reasons is that everyone is invited; anyone can participate. Very early in his ministry Jesus gave us the Sermon on the Mount. In it he invited all those who were down and out to be a part of the kingdom: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and, not those who have already attained it, but rather those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The list goes on. (Side note: the people Jesus didn't have much patience for were the "religious" - some of whom were placing rules and burdens on others that they themselves couldn't live up to.) Everyone is invited and anyone can participate in the in-breaking kingdom.

I'm invited. I can participate in the kingdom that has come, though not yet in its fullness. You, you're invited too, you can help bring heaven to earth. The down, the out, the marginalized, the sick, the poor, anyone who is mourning loss: we're all invited. We can enter into a story bigger than ourselves; we can find healing, embrace community and transformation, and participate in the biggest and best story of all time: God's story. It is one of restoration and redemption. We can, even in the simplest of acts, enter this story. This weekend I saw someone engage it with a vacuum...