When my nephew and I go to the Wonders of Wildlife at Bass Pro, there is this tank of fish that are constantly swimming in the same direction and it is so tall it looks like a fishnado. Even if one or a couple of fish drift out, the entire column of fish adjusts to that direction to absorb them back into the flow. If one flips direction, they all flip direction. It truly is mesmerizing, albeit creepy to watch.

None of us are here for biology, and I’m certainly not the expert…but for a moment, let’s think about how Jesus swept and absorbed people into his community. It literally was just, ‘Come, follow me.’ Not elaborate, not egotistical…an invitation tossed out there to be accepted or forgotten.

And then, Jesus didn’t stop at absorbing people into his community with the disciples. He continued with women (Shout out to the ladies on International Women’s Day! Jesus’ ministry could not have existed the way it did without the women who financed him, walked with him, and became important in the Gospel stories.), poor, lepers, tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans…the list goes on.

Everyone who wanted to be swept into the Jesusnado was accepted.

And then they all moved in the same direction.

It is incredible what a visionary can do to lead a group of people. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God in a way that people couldn’t help but want to be a part of what was happening. He performed miracles that people couldn’t help but believe that he was the Messiah. He fulfilled prophecy that proved he was who he said he was. He sent people out to tell the stories to all people. The message resonated. It meant something. It gave them purpose.

Love God. Love your neighbors.

Be Kingdom magnets.

Do you know your purpose for the Kingdom?

If you don’t let’s talk about that and discover it together. There are a million different directions it could go based on your skillset, hobbies, profession, passion…and the coolest thing is that God wants to use everything he has created you to be to build for his Kingdom on earth.

We do this together, friends. No individual just wingin’ it out there on their own? God created us for community, to lean on each other to balance each other. No one of us can build for the Kingdom alone. It literally takes all believers moving in the same direction, swept into that glorious Jesusnado.

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” [Luke 17:20-21 NIV]