4/04/2004 06:43:00 AM

Perhaps that is why Christ's metaphors for his followers are salt or yeast, because we were never supposed to try to be the whole ball of dough. Generally in history when Christians find themselves in a place of power, a lot of pain for any one in the way, and not a lot of unconditional love and compassion, result. What I am thinking is that maybe, due to the nature of power, large powerful entities are unable to put into practice the ideas that Jesus taught. That is why you hear them finding alternate options to the teachings of Christ. -jj

Yes.

The metaphors Jesus uses for the kingdom of which he speaks in the extant texts at our disposal are small things with leveraged, pervasive impact: yeast, mustard seed, salt. Interestingly, these things are also marginal things when compared to that within which they exist--marginal elements whose efficacy is directly tide to its measure. The pinch of salt is enough. The bit of yeast is effective. The smallest bush is sufficient.

It is not the work of yeast to make all that it comes into contact with like itself. Yeast's natural form is to work its way through the diverse ingredients that constitute dough to help bring about a loaf. The messages coming from many corners of Christendom today are more an effort at changing the natural form of yeast than an exhortation toward bread. It is bread not yeast that is the desired outcome of the baking process. The gospel of the kingdom is about bread. It is about being people of influence. It is about impact. It is about a rolling, pervasive, ongoing transformation. It is life well-lived together, life shared and abundant, not a uniform, systematic christianity that is the desired outcome of the gospel of the kingdom. It is life not correct ideology that is the measure of this transformative process. This is the teshuvah of which Jesus speaks. This is the kingdom among us.