This is Backyard Conversations and we have been in a recent series of blogs looking at the Kingdom Parables. One Hundred Fold Ministries loves these stories! I want to finish this series with a brief parable of my own. More like a poem perhaps or just a word picture of how the Kingdom of God might look if we simply looked at it through the eyes of a child. You can find this parable and others on our homepage entitled aptly – Learn about the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is like a child . . .
Who dances when there is no music,
Who laughs when there is no joke,
Who hugs when there is no sadness,
Who gives when there is no need,
Who loves when there is no merit.

This brief poem is showing us something; The Kingdom of God is different. The Kingdom of God operates by different rules and motivations from the kingdom of this world. So different, in fact, that we are told that if we do not view the world through the eyes of a child we will miss it altogether.

Matthew 18:1-4
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Children have a way, in their naivety and innocence, of seeing life differently. To be fair, children can be, as well as adults, very selfish and manipulative. But I love it that children are not aware of certain social stigmas that keep some of us adults from dancing with abandonment and laughing with exuberance. We get careful and we discriminate. We tend to give out hugs only if they are deserved. “Touch” has become dangerous for adults, not so much yet for children. They simply hug out of love.

Adults are discriminating in their giving. Generosity is measured against so many variables:

• Do they have a job?
• Are they just looking for a handout?
• Is there a catch?

If a child can give when there is no need, why is that so hard for us adults? In the Kingdom, giving is done hilariously (2 Corinthian 9:7) even recklessly. Jesus, in His great kingdom Sermon on the Mount invites us to a new standard – a standard of generosity that even applies to our enemies!

Matthew 5:39-42
“Do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.”

The distinguishing characteristic of the God we serve is that while we were yet sinners, He sent his Son to die of us. This is a LOVE ANYWAY type of love, not LOVE IF! I find it amazing that children can hug people who are too tall or too heavy or too different or very much the same with equal exuberance!

I have a question: Who do you know who is like this childlike Kingdom Citizen? Who is this Kingdom Child who loves anyway? Who does that!? Invite them to have a conversation with you in your backyard. Ask them how do they do it and what do they get out of loving so recklessly?

Then write to me at Dave@100foldministries.org and tell me their secret. I want to do better myself!