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From Law & Order to Heaven

I was watching an episode of Law & Order the other night where a young girl with some type of “cognitive disability” was a main character. She was a witness to an attack on her mother. The girl’s disability rendered her incapable of deception, so the cops used her as their star witness because she would not lie. Watching her in this episode was such a refreshing diversion from the sick, disingenuous and perverted world in which we live, and which so realistically is portrayed on virtually all Law & Order programs. This terrific little girl was so endearing and honest, as she exposed the deception of her father (who was not the attacker), and the people that her adulterous mother allowed into their lives. There was a scene in which she in the most innocent and pure personality imaginable contradicted her father to the police (while he sat present in the room), and then when finished, she ran over to him and gave him a big bear hug smiling in his face, her true love for him completely unaffected by her truthful but damaging testimony against him. One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:13-14 NLT);

In the days since watching this program, I have thought of how far from honest our society is. It was a thing of beauty to watch every scene in which this young girl was in, because it contrasts so significantly with our daily lives. We live and work within a daily framework where we are continually on-guard against the true intentions of others. Our behaviors imply the unspoken question: “what is my friend, co-worker, or family member’s true intentions?” We certainly don’t have the opportunity to believe that the next person’s behavior towards us is untainted by some other ulterior motive. I often ask myself if my awareness of the unmitigated evil of this world is driven more by my understanding of God’s Word and that yes the world is getting more and more evil, or was it always this way, but I was unable to see it earlier due to my previous lack of understanding?

I suspect that the wonderful feeling that came over me as I watched this truly “innocent” young girl in this TV program was but a fleeting glimpse into the true world to come when Christ will make “all things new”. He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2-4 NIV)

If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT) The good news for those of us longing for a future time when routine deception is not a part of every day living is this: the darkness of a world almost completely turned over to Satan will eventually be finally and permanently destroyed by a pure, Holy and deception-free God. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea; And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."; Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21: verses- 1, 3-5, 27 NIV)

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