Disturbing Stories For the Christian Reader

Heaven Is About: Location, Location, Location

        As I approached the entrance, I noticed a man stopping people as they entered the city. He gazed at me until I made eye-contact with him and then said, "No one ever mentions the amount of regret you carry with you," said a man outside the wall. "Don't get me wrong.  It's everything and more than what I thought it to be."

        "I'm sorry. Do I know you?" I asked.

        "I should've known better... Wait! I take that back.  I did know better, but I shouldn't have ignored it."

        "I'm sorry, I don't mean to ignore you but I really want to get inside," I said.

        "You don't recognize me?" The man lifted his face. I had to think hard to find his name, but I knew he was from my childhood. "I'm glad God put me in your life, and I'm sincerely happy to see you get to go inside."

        "Pastor Mike?" I asked. 

        "That was my earthly name."

        My memory of him suddenly became vivid. He looked like a youthful man now, but when I knew him on Earth, his face was much older and worn.  "Why aren't you coming in with us?"

        "It's not my place to question God. I'm grateful just to be here. But I was just as surprised as you when I saw the amount of my reward."

        "But you dedicated your entire life to serving God. I witnessed it. I grew up in your church."

        "Stop! You're speaking with your earthly mindset. It's blasphemous to say that it was 'MY' church." 

        Something that I never encountered on Earth was meeting someone who had regret without sadness. But it was so common up here, especially among those who weren't able to enter in the Holy City. "You're right. But what did you receive for all those years of serving the congregation?"

        "God showed me my reward... It was much smaller than I expected. I dedicated my time to being a pastor, but I didn't sacrifice my life. I received a paycheck bi-monthly for my service to God. I never wanted to question myself about it. But God showed me what my answer would've been. I would not have done as much if I wasn't being paid to do so. So my reward was my salary. The little reward I have now is from what little I did during my free time."

        "But entering the Holy City has nothing do with how much reward you have."

        "Admittance into the Holy City is only for those closest to God. I spent my time on Earth being busy for God, but I didn't get to know Him. The God I thought I knew was really my own conscience. I mistook the personality of God as my own desire to avoid shame. God never expected from me to strive for a good reputation... that was my own vanity."

        The sound of trumpets played and echo throughout the heavens.  "They're calling us inside. I'm sorry, but I can't stay out here with you."

        "Could you do me a favor? When you see God on His throne, could you come back and describe it to me?"

        "The most I could do is give you some of my riches. You should know better than anyone. From all those years of sharing the Gospel and witnessing to strangers, we could never describe God to anyone. All we could ever do was encourage people to see God for themselves. If you didn't know what God looked like back then, then it's even harder for Him to reveal Himself to you now."

        "You're right. But could you-"

        "-I'm sorry to cut you off, but I've wanted to see God face-to-face for so long. I'm not going to delay it any longer. I will come back out of the city from time-to-time to visit you. For what it's worth, I enjoyed singing songs inside your building on Earth."

        The man half-smiled as I waved goodbye. Then he sat down at the entrance of the Gate waiting to see if anyone else would recognize him.