Lesson 16
Heaven Will Have Surprises
Our lives consist of label. We have labels on everything. We know the makeup of the food we eat and the cars we drive. What would we do if labels were removed from our lives? Imagine buying ketchup without a label. How would you know it was ketchup? The problem with label is that we have also put them on people. If we label them, it makes them much easier to compartmentalize. Because the label helps us know if we like them or not. You know most of the labels we have for people so I want go through the long list. But, I would like for you to read this poem and think about this.
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp–
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Bob, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, “What’s the deal?
I would love to hear your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must have made a mistake.
And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber – give me a clue.”
“Hush, child,” He said,
“They’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.”
Let’s remove the labels from people and once again see people.
