Isaiah 55; 6 & 8-9
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
I remember a story that I have come to believe is a great way to explain the limits of our human condition, our human thoughts and ways. It is oh so difficult for us to escape the reality of adult perspectives of life that is mired in the material world in which we live. We just seem to be unbale to escape our physical limits and allow them to shackle and limit our spiritual thoughts.
The story was about a very successful business man who acquired an enormous wealth. So bound to his wealth that when he was facing the inevitable end of this life, he sought to bargain with God. He made his case in a prayer, meticulously stating his altruism and his generosity toward his neighbors in need.
God granted him the ability to take one carryon suitcase with him when he died. He prepared for his eventual demise by placing half a dozen gold bricks into the suitcase and awaited his death. When he died and arrived at the gates of heaven he was met by the greeters at heaven’s gates. Surprised by the unprecedented suitcase being hauled by the man who stood before them, they asked “What have you here? You can’t bring anything from earth into heaven!”
Respectfully he explained that he had requested permission from God to bring something of his wealth into heaven. “God allowed me to bring one carryon suitcase.” He answered.
The greeters asked him to open the suitcase, curious as to what he had valued so highly. Opening the suitcase revealed six bright shining gold bricks. The greeters broke into hysterical laughter. The man stood in shock. Why did his treasure evoke such an unexpected response? He thought.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“You’ve brought pavers!? The streets of heaven are paved with these. We walk on them. You must know that heaven is not of the world from which you come.”
Jesus said you need to become as little children to be able to understand heaven. Children are not bound by the “adult reality” we have become afflicted with as adults. We need to get back to the open-mindedness of childhood.
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TURNING POINTS
Striving to escape the limits of “adult reality” is critical for us to achieve the wisdom of Jesus’ statement that we need to become like little children. I believe He meant that we need to change our thinking and with it our ways to become more like Him. He has left us with countless lessons of how to achieve becoming like children in thought and deed.