WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN
By Al Keeney (a longtime Funnies reader!)
Source: http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
I had noticed the young man bagging groceries before. He took his job seriously and worked at it diligently. It’s not easy for a person with Down’s syndrome to find a job and he appreciated the opportunity to do something useful and earn his own money.
That particular day he bagged my groceries and placed them carefully in the cart for me. I thanked him and moved to push the cart out the door. After all, I’m a man! I can carry my own groceries. But he would have nothing of that. He informed me that that was his job.
I said, “OK,” and he followed me out to my car. I opened the trunk and he put the bags in. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
Suddenly, he put his arms around me and said, “I like you!” I said the only thing I could say; “I like you, too.”
Over the years I have read hundreds of books on a wide variety of subjects: I have heard countless sermons and preached hundreds myself; I have witnessed several remarkable, even historic events. But you know, I don’t remember any of those things as clearly as I recall that simple expression of innocent love.
Now, some will say that when I see that young man in Heaven, he will have been made whole. In other words, they think he will be like the rest of us. But I wonder.
I wonder if, when by God’s grace I am made whole, I won’t be more like that young man than he like me. You see, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control [Galatians 6:22-23]. My friend the bag boy was blessed with all those qualities and none of the pride or meanness that so often afflicts me.
When we get to heaven, few of the abilities we value so highly here will matter very much. And honestly now, would you like to spend eternity debating the finer points of physics or theology or fine art with some world renowned authority, or would you rather spend it singing in the choir seated next to a kid who is not embarrassed to give you a hug and tell you that he likes you?
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Copyright 2012 Al Keeney. Permission is granted to send this to others, with attribution, but not for commercial purposes.
today’sTHOT============================
The only difference between the difficult and the impossible is that the impossible takes a bit longer.
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
Ah – pride!
If people could only lose that most corrosive of habits the world would truly change.
I agree that arrogant pride can indeed be corrosive and sometimes even repulsive, but I believe that pride when accompanied by a healthy dose of humility can help us to do and be our best. Such as in the phrases: “Pride in a job well done” or “pride in their daughter’s success”.
Thank you for your thought-provoking comment!
Russ
Perhaps the word pride shouldn’t be used in terms like ‘pride in a job well done’ maybe they’re just happy that the job was well done.
Wasn’t pride what got Beelzebub thrown out of heaven? (in the Christian faith)
Thank you for your comment. That is certainly another way of looking at it.
Russ
I like you too! 🙂
The feeling is mutual!
Russ
sigh…beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it…oh and I like you too 🙂
Thank you, Diana. I like you too!
Russ
beautiful — and ibid
Thank you! Pardon my ignorance but what is “ibid” or what does it stand for? (I’ve got to get out more!)
Russ
ibid in my fractured dictionary means repeat – I was ibiding what the other commenters had already said
Oh. Thank you for the ibid and for the clarification!
Russ
do not take my defintion to the bank – it just explains what I was trying to do — which was be a lazy commenter
No worries! I’m often a lazy writer so we’re made for each other!
Russ
🙂
Oh wow, this is a wonderful piece.
Thank you, Andrea.
Russ
What a feel good story – I like the idea of when we become whole we will be that like man. Blessings!
Me too. It’s a diferrent way of looking at the man and ourselves–and that is often a very good thing! blessings to you, too!
Russ
What a great post loved it
Thank you, Jaonne. I’m glad that you enjoyed it too.
Russ
I expect we will be more like that young man when we get to heaven and not the other way around…like you said….Diane
Yes, hopefully we’ll be less clever and far wiser.
Russ
I have a grandson who is that man. He will be 21 this December. Believe me, he is a blessing to our family – and to all who meet him. How I wish we all could be as open and unselfish and compassionate as he! Thanks for sharing your touching story ;o)
Thank you for your comment, Jan. Your family is indeed blessed to have such a man in it. May he continue to serve as a model of such virtues and inspire others to do the same.
Russ