I have a friend who is not religious. He has plenty of experience with church but now rejects anything supernatural. He does seem to be seeking something more, often describing a great new life direction but then later finding something new. Always seeking but never finding.

Perhaps because of earlier church experiences, conventional religion now leaves him cold, and talking about God with any of the standard approaches never seems fruitful. Frankly, so much of what we do to introduce God to people, through either action or word, simply isn’t effective anymore. It’s as if a different language is needed today, especially in our increasingly secular culture.

Therefore many people, like my friend, have no real invitation to the kingdom.

This is not only a spiritual problem for those individuals, but it’s also a problem for realizing God’s kingdom in a physical way, for tangibly showing God’s love to those in need. This is because many of those most hardened to God are also most able to help those who need it. However, the prevailing self-focused secular mindset is a barrier to releasing that help. Although most people recognize the value of doing some good, Christ’s example of self-sacrificial giving is a much more powerful force.

Because of Christ’s example and the Spirit working through His people, Western society has experienced radical improvements in compassion and love since the cross.

History is full of examples of Christians impacting the culture for the kingdom. The establishment of wide-spread health care and education, the growth of science and medicine as forces for good, and the end of slavery, are all examples of Christians using their resources and influence to bring the kingdom in tangible ways.

Today, however, power and wealth are primarily seen as corrupting influences that isolate people from God, rather than resources that can be redeemed for kingdom purposes. As a result, the church’s efforts have narrowed to that which can be done with our own limited resources. Such work makes us feel good and seems helpful, but is a far cry from the transformative work of the Spirit through history.

It’s as if we are now satisfied by what we can do through human effort, even when it’s not much more than that done by secular organizations. It allows us to feel good about ourselves and have a good reputation in the community, but never really changes society. Where once Christians were a force driving the end of slavery, we now content ourselves with occasionally freeing a few slaves. It feels good, but it’s not what we were called to do.

Perhaps realizing the kingdom fully requires us to pay attention to the spiritual as well as the physical, to see people through Jesus’ eyes as well as our own eyes of flesh.

When I look at things that way, I see my friend as sick and in need of a physician. The challenge becomes introducing my friend to such a healer. This is a spiritual work that is much more dependent on God, and yet is so easy to miss. May God open our eyes to the ways that He wants to work through us to bring the kingdom in people’s hearts and lives.