If you read the devotionals available at church--either "Christ In Our Home" or "Daily Bread"--then you will have read this daily devotion recently. Bear with me please!

Jesus loved to use parables as teaching illustrations. They almost always began with, "the kingdom of heaven/God is like...", and then he'd give an example.

"The kingdom of heaven is like..." a lost coin, a lost sheep, a mustard seed, a sower, weeds and wheat, prodigal son, the good samaritan. 

What was the big deal with the kingdom of heaven though? Why did all these lessons and illustrations really matter?

The people Jesus preached to, taught, and healed were all living under the violent occupation of the Roman Empire. A massive kingdom in its own right, the Romans are infamously known for their "by any means necessary" way of running things. The kingdom of Rome was like a sword pointed at your chest, like a boot on your neck, like having to pay outrageous sums for the same fish you weren't allowed to legally catch for yourself. 

By contrast, the kingdom of heaven was nothing like the kingdom of Rome. God exercised--and still exercises--power through love, compassion, and grace. Not just for those at the top, but for every single person, without exception. Nothing about God's way of running a kingdom made any sense, and to be honest, it still doesn't.

So Jesus used parables to make his point. The kingdom of heaven is NOT like the Roman Empire. Instead, the kingdom of heaven is like...

One parishioner shared that they came up with their own "the kingdom of heaven is like" after reading this particular devotional passage (and thus inspired me--thanks!). 

"The kingdom of heaven is like a bumblebee. It makes absolutely no sense that their proportionally giant body and tiny wings can actually fly, but by the grace of God it does."

This week, I wonder--how would you describe the kingdom of heaven?