Being a Custodian of Christ’s Kingdom
Sweeping man on a quay - B. J. Blommers (1845-1914)
Jesus sends His disciples to the most different places and jobs, beyond the ones we regularly conceive. All to complete a specific mission: prepare the hearts and cities for His arrival.
This work is so important that numerous institutions choose and work for its fulfillment. For example, the Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit understood the greatness of this calling that made it it's Supreme Objective: “Prepare the paths for the Triumphal Return of Jesus”.
The Opportunity of Life
Life is full of mysteries, as great reflective minds may infer. For them that is true, but to others, those are questions that have settled answers.
One thing we can already comprehend and that’s common to anyone: Life is an opportunity that cannot be taken for granted. When we reincarnate, a process is happening between the spiritual and material world that will allow the birth of a being for a specific purpose. Even if the being does not consciously comprehend such things.
This opportunity is given to us by God so that we can continue the same objective of Christ’s disciples (Luke, 10:1-12). Now, what it means to prepare the hearts and cities for the Kingdom of God and how can we do it?
Promoting change
It is more simple than how it looks because Jesus is asking us to promote a change of heart and perspective, wherever we are. That is, peace when people manifest anger; consciously participate in families reunion, strengthen their bonds; heal the sick from the body and from the soul; help someone see the greatness of life; etc...
You could argue: But I don’t know how to promote peace or have a good family relationship, or even help someone that is sick. I don’t have a certificate in medicine or psychology. How can I be of help?
Easy! Start doing something from your heart that can help someone’s life. For example, you could be a custodian of a hospital. Believe me, through that work, you could be promoting the healing of souls.
I once saw testimony from a study about the different types of workers, and they interviewed some custodians. The question was if they believed someone could do their work. The custodians honestly answered that anyone could clean a room, the reception, the waiting room… But they also said that few could really be A CUSTODIAN.
Being a Custodian of Christ's Kingdom
Why? You would ask. Why is it hard to clean a room in a hospital? Don’t you need to just take out the garbage or sweep the floor? That’s not hard, they’ve already said it. Yes, but let’s pay attention to the meaning of the word: “a person who has responsibility for or looks after something”.
And what they meant by not being an easy job is that it takes heart, courage, and strength to clean a little boy’s room in recovery. Twice! So that his lonely father doesn’t have to worry about it; being yelled at by his boss, for not vacuuming the waiting room in the morning. The reason was the choice to let a tired family rest because they hadn’t slept all night, worried about a hospitalized relative.
Going beyond the common belief
That’s how you are a disciple of Christ. That’s how you prepare the hearts for His arrival. By being someone that chooses to go beyond their job description and promotes the meaning of Christ’s Love to the souls. Even if they won’t be noticed by anyone.
Now, is it easy to do it? No! Jesus already warned us (Luke, 10:3):
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
But why is it difficult? Because we can only help someone if they realize they need help. That’s a reality in both aspects of life: materially and spiritually. We only see the necessity to go to a doctor if we fall sick on the couch and cannot raise our hand to get the remote to turn on the TV and binge-watch whatever Netflix series we are into. The same goes spiritually, we sadly only look for help after some suffering.
What is the job of the disciple — who take to heart the teachings of Christ and renovated tries to do something about it, tries to promote change — that ends up facing this kind of situation? To still preach the arrival of the Kingdom of God, cleaning the souls in what they are capable of.
When we do that, we don’t lose anything, because the Peace we send is the Peace that returns for us, even if the person who we wished for doesn't accept it or goes unnoticed.
To fulfill our mission of bringing Jesus to the hearts is to awaken people for the necessary change we all need to promote and to realize that we all are important agents in preparing the paths for the Kingdom of God on Earth.
We can be apostles of Christ in whatever area we are, or place we work. Preaching the Gospel and the arrival of the New Jerusalem for our Divine King, Jesus Christ!
