HEAVEN AND EARTH II

Heaven and earth is like this:

Once, there was a poor man,

a slave of mankind,

who had a vision of an angel,

who delivered a message from the Lord one night.

"I tell you all, the richest man in the village

will die," said the angel.

The poor man woke with a fright.

He ran with all his might

to tell the rich man

of what he dreamt that night.

Shocked, in a daze, the rich man panicked and asked for his doctor

to check his health that day.

To his with relief, all was tested okay.

The next day, the rich man woke with praise.

Then came a gentle knock at the front door.

He opened it and there

stood a little boy,

trembling with sadness.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, the boy said,

"I have come to tell you that my father has died."

At that moment, the rich man realized,

material riches on earth are not recognized in heaven.

In time, the rich man passed on

and found himself in heaven.

Walking the path to his new home,

he noticed the poor man ahead,

living in a house with no end.

The rich man's greed consumed him once again.

He thought his riches would be greater still in heaven,

compared to the poor man's life on earth;

he continued his journey. On the path

there sat a tiny house the size of his heart.

He then understood

the truth about God.

As Jesus said,

"Whoever among you who would be great

must be a servant;

whoever would be first

must be the slave of all."

Daniel Gereige

© 2009