5 May | Youth
«For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.» Romans 14:17
Imagine that you enter a public library and find a strange display of books. They are distributed, in the same quantity, cookbooks, on one side, and religion books, on the other. The covers contain colorful photos and interesting titles. As you observe, many come, choose the books they prefer and take them home. In your opinion, at the end of the day, would there be more cookbooks or religion books left in the exhibition?
In our country, many are interested in religion. However, in everyday life, there are other things that people tend to pay more attention to. For example, what they will do or eat on the weekend may worry them more than what they will do or eat during the days of eternity. It is just like that. Sometimes, being “normal” seems to be limited to here and now, while being “religious” sounds like something “out of this world.” Have you ever stopped to think about that?
When a person practices the religion of the Bible, they live for today without losing sight of tomorrow. They work, study, get involved in relationships, have fun, but do not sacrifice their beliefs and values, do not sell themselves for anything or lose the sparkle in their eyes. They live their life here, but never stop dreaming about the future.
In this sense, we have dual citizenship; we keep our feet on Earth and our eyes on Heaven. Although it is easier to be a citizen of a single country, having two homelands is amazing! If you act with perseverance and wisdom, you will be able to enjoy the best of each place.
In Luke 23, when speaking about the Kingdom of God, Jesus explained that the earthly homeland consists of everyday things: food, clothing, comfort, social life, good appearance. The heavenly homeland, in turn, is represented by life and the body, gifts that God wants to last forever (Luke 12:23). Interesting, isn't it? The body and life are the basis of everything we experience; they are, in essence, all we have. Therefore, as a citizen of two worlds, take good care of them!
Following Jesus until Heaven arrives requires being “bilingual,” bicultural and knowing how to deal with the dilemmas of a complex life that aspires to eternity. Therefore, ask the Master to teach you how to enjoy, at the same time, the country you live in today and your future citizenship.