Wandering Crusader #278 Occupied

“…a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, “Occupy till I come”.” Luke 18:12-13

The outside world is hyper-focused upon and very vocal about things Christians should not do. Sadly, many Christians have the same obsession. That does not mean that Christians should be blind to snares and pitfalls set for them. Awareness is fine. It is not meant to be the nexus of the Christian experience.

The gospel life moves a person in a positive direction from error to truth. I read a person’s social media post recently that they believed summed up Christianity and Christian motivation like this: Heaven is the prize. Hell is the threat. Whatever the person’s character may be, his knowledge is woefully lacking.

A superficial reading of the gospel reveals Christ, not heaven, is the reward of the soul seeking God. “…in His presence is fulness of joy; at they right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” That certainly sounds like most people’s idea of heaven. Hell is no threat. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Hell is the current destination of all who do not serve Him.

Christ is the king, gone from earth, to receive His kingdom and return. The activity of His servants is to occupy until then. What does it mean to “occupy”? It means to use what you are given to further the kingdom. The list of things involved in that task varies from person to person, all of which are positive. Love God, love your neighbor, invite everyone to share the goodness you’ve found, give to the poor, uphold the weak. These things we do, being weak ourselves.

It’s not easy. Hard lessons, slander, and suffering await those who occupy. They are far exceeded by the joy received. We have Christ’s example to follow. He endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him in the salvation of men. We occupy the place and the life He has blessed us with, knowing He will return.

Maranatha