A little boy was wondering about the difference between heaven and hell, so he asked his grandpa to explain it to him. The elder man sat down and told him a story:
“Hell is no less than heaven itself, but the big differences are the people and their attitudes in those places,” he said.
“A man was led by an angel and first showed him what hell was like and afterward revealed to him heaven as well. In hell, he saw masses of people sitting around a very long table filled with different kinds of delicious foods. As he beheld the scenery, he saw chaos everywhere and it seems that everyone was doing his own thing. He could sense anger, jealousy, competition, hatred, cursing, disorder and the like. He wondered why people in this place behaved in such manner and it seemed that everybody was starving in spite of all the food on the table. He wanted to ask the angel what was wrong, when suddenly he observed that these people could not really eat the food before them because each were given a spoon and a fork that measured about three feet long. The angel told him they could not use their hands for eating, but were only allowed to use those unique kinds of utensils. If they won’t, they would be punished. So every time one attempted to get food from the table, he could not feed himself because of the super-long spoon and fork. The man could see the frustrations on these people and came to realized that it was the reason for the non-stop commotion in that place called hell.”
The boy then asked his grandpa, “So what did the man see in heaven? Was there an abundance of food, too?” The old man smiled, “Like what I’ve said, it’s almost the same. Plenty of special and delicious foods at the long table as far as the eye can see. Lots of people sitting, facing one another, each with the same 3-feet-long spoon and fork. But in heaven, the man noticed a big difference in the behavior of the people. They seemed to be enjoying the food, chatting and laughing while eating; and they seemed to be fulfilled and satisfied with the kind of life they had. While he was contemplating and trying to figure out the difference, he witnessed how they used their long spoon and fork to get food from the table, and instead of feeding themselves, they’re feeding the person in front of them.”
Things to Learn
- Of course, real heaven and hell as described by the Word of God are far different from what you’ve just read when referring to the actual places. But the kind of people going to both places has the same behavior and attitude as they had in our story.
- Living for self is one hindrance for a person to go to heaven.
- Selfless living on the other hand is the first step in a man’s journey towards happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction in life.
- A surrendered life to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to be the Lord and Savior will qualify the person to enter the real heaven.
- Hell is so terrifying not only because of the unending and unquenchable fire that a person will suffer (based on what God says in His word), but also the agonizing and depressing atmosphere of hatred, anger, jealousy, cursing, confusion and turmoil of the self-centered people there.
- Giving and sharing with others what you have, brings joy and satisfaction.
- Putting the need of others ahead of yours is so rewarding.
Live a Happy Life
Galatians 5:20, ”I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
2 Corinthians 5:15, ”And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
Christ died for us so that we could live for Him and for others. Blessed are those who understand and practice this in their lives. They shall be called true citizens of heaven. If we have this attitude and live a selfless life instead of a selfish one, we can make our homes, communities, countries and our world more like heaven than hell. Let’s do it.
Question: How can you demonstrate selfless living today?