Citizens of Heaven
There are two wonderful exhortations from Peter in today’s reading. The first begins with a reminder that we do not belong to this world. Peter refers to us as “aliens and exiles”. What a difference it makes when we begin to see ourselves this way. I had such a beautifully diverse childhood because my father was in the Navy. I was able to experience so many different cultures in their ‘un-Americanized’ forms. What I mean by that (if the USA is not your home or you have never visited us) is that the cultural uniqueness remained. As people immigrate, the second and third generations combine aspects of their native land and the land they have adopted as their own. The result is something that reminds you of both countries. As Christians, it is very easy for us to act more like second generation exiles than true exiles. While we maintain some heavenly characteristics, we pepper that with the world’s cultural influences. We may go to church on Sunday, but on Monday our televisions are watching shows that glorify sin and mock our faith.
Growing up, most of my friends’ mothers were first generation immigrants who came to this country because they married a serviceman whose ship was stationed in their home country. What I remember the most was how going from one friend’s house to the next was like traveling the world. All our housing looked exactly the same – on the outside. Once you opened the door; however, you stepped into another country. The furniture, the music, the smells wafting from the kitchen, all of these told you the origin of the inhabitants. Though the structure was the same, the heart of the home reflected their true citizenship. This is the way we, as Christians, need to frame our lives. We may look like citizens of Earth. We dress (though modestly) in the style of our culture. We have jobs. We drive cars. We function in this world, but once people open that door of our heart, they should see heaven. If they don’t, maybe we need to do some redecorating.
Because we are citizens of Heaven, Peter tells us we should “abstain from the passions of the flesh…” and “maintain good conduct.” This is how people know to whom we belong. Temptation is universal. Of course, we will have moments when what the world has to offer feels very appealing, but we know it is poison to those of us who claim to belong to Heaven. Finally, our conduct should be above reproach. We won’t always succeed at this command, but the effort truly matters. People will recognize our Savior in our lives only if we act like him. So, let’s put off that old self. Let us never forget we are only visiting this world, and let us hold fast to the characteristics of our native land: Heaven. When we do, the world will see a glimpse of that land through our lives. Perhaps they will want to join us in our eternal nationality as children of God.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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