Good week to all: Welcome to the “front porch.”
Many years ago, I heard a story of a man who has an unusual dream. He dreams that he dies and goes to heaven. An angel dressed in the purest white is waiting for him there at the gates of pearl and greets him with an interesting but perplexing scenario.
He says, “Sir, congratulations on making it here to the pearly gates. However, before I can allow you to go in, you will have to pass a test.”
“A test?” the man says, nervously.
“Yes,” says the angel, “a test. Not only that: You will have to make a solid 100 on this test to go in. Anything less, and I will have to turn you away.”
“Okay,” the man says, “I guess if this is what it takes, go ahead and give it to me. I‘ll do the best I can.”
“This is the test,” says the angel, “tell me what you have done in your life that would make you worthy of heaven.”
“Hm,” the man says, “this is hard. I have tried to be a good person. I worked hard all of my life to support my family. I tried to be a good husband and father, even a grandfather. I made it a point to try my best to live by the golden rule and treat others with courtesy and respect. I went to church almost all of my life. I obeyed the gospel and was baptized into Christ when I was a young man. After that, I went to church every Sunday, I gave generously to the church, and I visited many of the sick when they were shut in or in the hospital …”
The man pauses. “Well, basically,” he says, not so confident that he had done enough, “I tried my best to be the best person I could be.”
The angel shakes his head and says to the man: “Sir, that was good. For all of that, I will give you one point. You only need 99 more. Keep going.”
The gentleman is stunned, almost speechless. He knows he cannot provide another list of great accomplishments; and even if he could, then they would likely only give him one more point; and that would not come close to allowing him entrance into heaven.
Finally, desperately, the man shrugs, and says, “Sir, I am sorry. I don’t have any more good deeds to give you. All I can do, I guess, is depend on the grace of God.”
“Well done!” says the angel emphatically, “that gives you 99 more points. You have made a 100. Come this way, let me show you in.”
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