An Occupying Force

“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds,

and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

Luke 19:13

 

Often an ‘occupying army is very unpopular in the nation it is occupying.

My father-in-law was part of the occupation force in Japan shortly after the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

You can imagine that our soldiers were not a very welcome occupation force.

My father served in the other theatre of WWII and was part of the Normandy invasion force.

Those same forces went on, over time and many battles, to become a liberating force in France and the rest of Europe.

 

You can watch old news footage and see for yourself the hero’s welcome they received over and over again in town after town from those being liberated.

Europe’s ‘occupiers’ were welcomed, even cheered on while Japan’s were disdained and worse.  

As believers in Jesus Christ we are told to occupy the earth until His return.  

Some will welcome you but others will not.

Do you come as one who stands proud and arrogant over others with a self-righteous smugness or do you come in humility love and service?

Are you there simply to remind them that they are sinners or do you come with the ministry of reconciliation and liberation?

We are to occupy for good.

We are to be occupiers who are salt and light.

Most importantly, we are to be occupiers who bear the image of our King and bring His Kingdom to the earth?

What kind of occupying force are you part of?