This morning, over a sunrise at Railroad Park, I met two wonderful, godly men to discuss and pray for the inner city of Birmingham. After praying, one of the guys brought up something to me, knowing that the idea of stigma in our society has been weighing on my heart lately (as is hopefully evidenced by my previous posts). He said, essentially, most people, when they picture heaven, picture all white people or all black people... there is, in no part of the country, such a thing as a truly multiracial church, so what should people expect except to see only people who look and think like they do when they picture paradise?
The idea struck me, and I have been thinking about it all day. When you close your eyes and attempt to imagine what heaven will be like, who is there? Hopefully we can all think of some specific people-- celebrities or family and friends--but who else? Do you have room in your Heaven for the pregnant teen in your high school, for the homeless man who asks you for money on the street corner, or for the gang members in your neighborhood? What about that patient that doesn't take his medicine like he's supposed to, or the one who shows up to your emergency room expecting some free detox? Do these people make it in, or is your Heaven more like the Brady Bunch--blond-haired, blue-eyed, well-dressed men and women who just "look" like they must be good people?
Sadly enough, having a theologically correct picture of what Heaven is or is not has little effect on the types of people we actually picture being present there. I'm not suggesting that just anyone will be able to waltz into Heaven on Judgment day... in fact, I'm suggesting just the opposite. If we truly comprehend the mercy of Christ and the love He has for all people, we realize that no one has an advantage. True justice condemns us all, regardless of the choices we make and those that were made for us. I am no different than my ER patient-- not the homeless guy, not the drunk driver, not the rape victim or the rapist. No. different. So if, per the grace of the cross, my Heaven includes me, is it not possible that it could include these people?
Knowing this could change our lives, if we let it. So I have a challenge. For one day, for everyone you see, ask yourself, is this person in my Heaven? What is your answer? Who got in, and what did they look like? Why did you let them in? Does your decision reflect what you know about the grace of Christ and His attitude toward people? And after you have done that, what will you do with the information you've learned?
