Tell Them Before It’s Too Late

Remember the song, “Thank You for Giving to the Lord”? The song is about a man who died and went to Heaven.  One by one people came up to him, and thanked him because he was the person who had pointed them to Jesus. He had been the reason they accepted Jesus as their Savior. One line that I like is, “Sacrifices made unnoticed on earth in Heaven now proclaimed”.

I preached many funerals during my forty years in the pastorate. In those times I heard many stories about the deceased; stories about what he or she had meant to the one telling the story. I've often wondered if these people ever told their departed friend face to face how they much they meant to them. There are many people who have sacrificed for me, and I’m sorry to say I never expressed to some of them how important they were to me. Just as others help us and encourage us, we can let them know the impact they made in our lives even if it was something they might not even remember. Most of the time it is the little things that make the biggest difference to someone. A call, a card, or better yet a visit to that special person who made a positive difference to you is the best gift you can give.

To proclaim to others in Heaven our thankfulness sounds good. But when we get to heaven what someone thought about us on earth, good or bad, won’t matter a bit.  There will be no apologies or I’m so sorrys in heaven. When we get to Heaven all of our thoughts and our accolades are going to be for Jesus. These reunions with family and friends that we anticipate when we get to heaven will be put on hold because all of our focus will be on Jesus, the One who loved us so much that he died so that we could have eternal life. Maybe you ought to show your appreciation to others now while they are alive, and while you are still living. I'm sure it would mean a lot to them. Who has done something that made a difference in your life, or encouraged you to not give up? Let them know how much you appreciate them before it’s too late.

Just a note: If the first person you want to see when you get to heaven is mom or dad or some other person you loved on earth you might want to consider your first Love, the Reason for your entrance in heaven. Jesus must be the first person you want to see when it is your time to leave this world: get your priorities straight before you check out.