September 20, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

“These men have turned the world upside down. They act against the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus.” (Acts 17:6-7)

They say babies see things upside down. I don't know; I don't remember. But maybe that's something Jesus wants us to be able to do when He said we are to be like little children. In the eyes of the world, the kingdom of God is upside down and needs to be straightened out. The truth is that it's they that are in disrepair and need to be put back in order. And their restoration begins with the people of God realizing this.

An eye for an eye is what's operative in the world. Forgiveness and mercy are what characterize the kingdom of heaven. If we pray for that kingdom to come and God's will to be done, we must forgive those who trespass against us just as we are forgiven. Because the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world, and participating in that work is how we will turn the world upside down.