What is the kingdom?

     After a week in Cincinnati with our high school youth, we are back on track with Paul in his letter to the Romans.  We are steadily making our way through and are now in Romans 8.26-39.  This portion of the letter is read in conjunction with the gospel, Matthew 13.31-33, 45-52.  In reading these two passages, I am struck by two things.  Firstly, in Romans, we are reminded of how God's love for creation trumps all else.  Secondly, in Matthew, we are reminded several times of the surprises of the kingdom of heaven.
     The surprises about God's kingdom are many, according to these parables from Matthew.  They are like a mustard seed that someone planted - now mustard is considered a weed and I don't know anyone who purposely plants weeds.  In addition, mustard plants are not the greatest of all shrubs and birds can't make their nests there, like Jesus said. Surprise #1.  The woman who took yeast and leavened 3 measures of flour is a surprise because in the Old Testament leavening is talked about as an evil or corrupt act, not something one would consider to be part of the kingdom of heaven.  Surprise #2.  Skipping to verse 47, the kingdom is like a net thrown into the sea that gathers all sorts of fish, good and bad together.  Here I thought the kingdom was going to be all good.  Surprise #3.
     Now, pausing for a moment and stepping into Romans, we read that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Nothing.  Now I don't like to admit this, but I have in my mind a certain 'type' of person who will be in the kingdom of heaven, and what the kingdom of heaven will be like. That's not to say I go around pointing at people in my head saying, "In.  Not in.  In.  Definitely not in..." It's a lot more subtle, and sadly, a lot more shallow.  Snap, quick, judgements that deny a person their identity as a beloved child of God and instead label them in one way or another.  Or I think to myself, "If I can't laugh in heaven then I don't want to go there."
     Based on the Matthew and Romans readings, I have a feeling that I'm in for a really big surprise.  If the kingdom of heaven has both good fish and bad fish?  Or if it's like a weed??  Personally, I find weeds rather annoying.  Plus, Jesus came proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven has already come near.  That means that it's not some pie-in-the-sky dream, but that it's right here, right now.  Our Romans text is a particularly popular text at funerals because it reminds us that even death cannot separate us from God's love, however, I think that this text is just as important (if not more so) today than some unknown time in the future.
     These texts have kept me pondering all week what exactly the kingdom of heaven is like.  If it's like a weed, then it keeps sprouting up exactly where I least expect or want it.  If it's like the leavening, it's something totally the opposite of what I think.  If it's like the net with all the good fish and bad fish, then there are parts of the kingdom that I wouldn't have thought belonged.  So, basically, the kingdom of heaven is unlike anything I thought.  Thankfully for me, even my judgements can't separate me from God's love.  My judgements may prevent me from seeing the kingdom, but they certainly don't put me outside God's love or God's kingdom.  For us Lutherans we are assured of this each morning when we rise as baptized children of God - God has named and claimed us, so that nothing we do, say, think, or feel can put us outside of God's reach. 
     Thinking in this way, I wonder how often I miss seeing God's kingdom because it is not what I expect?  How many opportunities have I missed God's kingdom because I was looking for what I wanted, not what God wants for all of creation?  And, the biggest mystery of all leaves me pondering, What is the kingdom?