If life is like a giant buffet, where you can choose from the offerings - seductive foods that you know will lead to your eventual ill health or indigestion or nourishing foods that give you strength, don't most of us sample some of each? Not too much of the bad, but we don't want to do without them either.
So if we make our choices, some of which further the work of Satan, but some further the work of God, but we don't want to miss out on the seductiveness of what Satan has to offer completely, aren't we in the middle? Aren't most of us?
Some few choose only God's offering - Francis of Assisi, Elder Porphyrios, St. Antony the Desert Father. I guess some choose mostly the other way too - the notable villains of our history. I do wonder what happens to those of us in the middle.
I had a dream once that I was in a Road Runner cartoon and I fell off the cliff, hit the bottom, and died. I went to Heaven, but it wasn't what I expected. I had to live in a humble room with my mother. There was a TV but only wholesome shows - no action, violence, or even villains. The food was all wholesome - fruit and bread, I think. Not even meat. No oreo cookies, ever again. I have to say I was disappointed. When I awoke, the dream stayed with me, and this was at least 15 years ago. I wonder sometimes, if heaven doesn't suit me, what does that mean about me? Am I too worldly?
Then the major kicker: "What if we all go to the same place, but for some it's Heaven for some it's Hell?"
What happens to those in the 'middle'? I can only answer with what the Lord said about that: "Because you were neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth." Heaven will be so much more than you dreamed... don't miss it for anything. I think the reason it will be wonderful and joyous is because we will be constantly in the prescence of God. We can experience God's prescence now, but we can't seem to stay there... in heaven, we can!
ReplyDeleteYes, but the "hot or cold" is so complex. What about the people who think they are "on fire for the Lord" so to say but carry on being judgemental rather than remembering to leave the judgement to God? See what I mean? None of us is without sin; very few even try very hard to avoid ALL sin - think about the implications of our using disposable shopping bags or cups, for instance. We know we shouldn't but do so anyways. Everything we do has a consequence, whether it is honking in anger during rush hour or buying stuff on a whim that we don't need. And it may seem nit-picky, but the sum of all those details is what defines us as lukewarm.
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