I recently came across a powerful quote from N.T. Wright and Michael Bird used by Pastor Dennis Sy during his preaching for our service at Victory Makati… and it struck me deeply:

“Our job is not to build the kingdom on earth. Only God can do that. But we are to build for the kingdom, to prepare for it, to anticipate it, to turn our communities into signposts displaying it.”

Those words hit home, especially as I reflect on what’s happening in our nation today. In the wake of corruption scandals—whether in the DPWH, among contractors, or even in Congress—many Filipinos are crying out for a society marked by honesty, fairness, and good governance. We all long for a Philippines without corruption.

And yet, as painful as it is to admit, no political reform, no infrastructure project, no “new faces” in office can truly usher in heaven on earth. That work belongs to God alone.

But that doesn’t mean we sit idly by.

Signposts, Not Architects

As followers of Christ, our role is not to pretend we are architects of the Kingdom. We are signposts. Road signs don’t take you to the destination; they point the way. In the same manner, our lives, families, and communities are called to point toward the reign of Jesus.

That means choosing integrity when everyone else chooses shortcuts. That means refusing bribes in business or government deals. That means living simply, generously, and transparently, showing that there is a better way to live than self-enrichment.

Every peso given in honesty, every decision made in righteousness, every act of generosity is a preview of God’s Kingdom breaking into our present reality.

Our Context

Here in the Philippines, it is tempting to put our ultimate hope in the next election cycle, the next infrastructure plan, or the next promise of reform. But Scripture warns us: these may be instruments, but they are not the Kingdom itself.

The danger comes in two extremes:

• Utopianism – thinking one leader or one reform can solve everything.
• Defeatism – believing nothing will ever change, so why even try.

Both are dangerous. Our task is not to bring heaven down by our own power, nor to give up in despair. Our calling is to faithfully live as signposts of the Kingdom.

How Do We Build for the Kingdom?

• Through Work: Do your job with excellence and integrity. Work done without corruption is Kingdom work.
• Through Family: Teach our children that wealth and power are not ultimate treasures, but tools for service.
• Through Generosity: Every act of sharing tells the world that our Provider is God, not greed.
• Through Community: Be light in your barangay, your workplace, your church. Let others catch a glimpse of hope, peace, and joy in you.

The Eternal Perspective

After nearly four decades in the financial industry, I’ve seen fortunes rise and fall. Companies come and go. Politicians rise and are disgraced. Markets boom and crash. The lesson is clear: the best investments are not in earthly kingdoms but in God’s eternal Kingdom.

Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

We cannot build the Kingdom, but we can build for it. And when we do, our lives become testimonies that there is a better King and a better Kingdom coming.

In the face of corruption and selfishness that plague our nation, we must ask: Do our lives point people to Jesus, or only to ourselves?

May we live as faithful signposts—not building for our own empires or dynasties, but for the glory of God’s eternal Kingdom.