Book 2 of Musings People Like Yourself

What if when you die you are placed with people like yourself? Maybe you want to think about changing while there is time!

The Old Testament teaches us that God does not like mixtures. Levitical law prohibited sowing your field with different kinds of seed or wearing a garment of two different kinds of cloth.

Also, when people died, the Old Testament on a couple of occasions spoke of their being "gathered to their people."

I suppose one of the worst aspects of the present world is that we are forced to live with people who have different values from us, or who won't work, or who steal, lie, curse, or abuse children and animals.

The prospect of the next world being one in which we are placed with people who are like us is very appealing. Imagine living where everyone was serving the Lord, seeking iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to the Father!

Just because we are with Christian people at times doesn't mean they have the same values as we do. Some of them gossip and criticize, and this is not very pleasant. Others seek to be preeminent, and they are a nuisance.

I think in the next world we will be put at our own level. That way we will not have to endure people who want to argue, or who expect us to do their work for them while they play. Also, we will not be permitted to bring our own bad manners into the presence of those who are higher up in the Lord than we are. We would be an irritation to them, and then Heaven would not be Heaven, at least for them, because of having to endure us.

I read somewhere that people in realms of higher glory will be able to shield their glory and descend to people of lower rank. This makes sense. Also, the thought has come to me that we can be as young as we wish but never older than we are. Maybe this is true.

Which brings me to the point of this brief article. Suppose you are placed with people who are like yourself. They have attained the same spiritual level or have the same kind of personality. Would you be happy with this? If not, you better change now because this might happen.

Can't you picture the con man who always has been able to get what he wants by deceiving people, being placed with others of the same ability? They all would spend eternity trying to outwit each other. Perfect justice!

Then there are people who will not work. They are aware that other people will see to it that they don't starve. Sometimes it is a husband who sits around and reads the paper while his wife, no longer young, has to keep working so they can afford a place to live. I think God's justice will be to place him with others like himself. They can all sit around waiting for the others to solve their problems.

I have read of people who take the credit for someone else's work. The scientist who manages to steal the lifelong efforts of another and presents the data as his own results. The archaeologist who claims the findings of another scientist. I guess this happens quite a lot and is thoroughly reprehensible. Such individuals need to be placed with others of their kind. They will be, if I have any say in the matter.

I think this is just and righteous. Why should we be with others who have gained fellowship with Christ and God, climbing upward in the night, while we have been floating along in as easy and pleasant a manner as we can contrive?

Think of the good people, in politics for example, who have been supplanted by schemers. Think of the wealthy kings and presidents of countries where some of the citizens live by scavenging material thrown out in the city dump. The kings and presidents have millions stashed away in banks in Switzerland while little children in their countries have to compete with animals for rotten banana peels to eat. I actually have seen pictures of this.

What if such beasts are placed together in the spirit world?

God will destroy those who destroy the earth, the Bible says. One way to do this will be to place all the destroyers in one place and let them destroy their environment and themselves.

God's people generally speaking are the mainstays of their extended families. They often are criticized, but when a need arises, such as one of the brothers or sisters is sick or dies, it is the Christian who ends up doing the work and taking care of the needs. Have you noticed that?

I have no doubt that in the next world, the strong will take care of the weak. In fact, it will be their great joy to share what they have. For myself, I hope to have some children to teach. I once was a grade-school teacher.

But I am sure it will not be as it is now, where the benefactors are oppressed and abused by the destroyers. The benefactors will rule with a rod of iron. They will "call the shots," and woe unto those who resist them.

It also will be true that the rulers will not be soft people who take care of the lazy bums, such as the mother whose forty-year-old son refuses to work, does drugs, and will not help his mother around the house. This mother, because of her soft and gentle heart, does not have the strength to throw her son out in the street. God will have a better place for such mothers, because they are not strong enough to govern. They only contribute to the son's delinquency, although they certainly do not want to do this. God will not permit them to be victimized any longer.

Think about yourself. Do you want to be placed with people like yourself? Or do you want to be governed by the righteous? What kind of situation do you wish to find yourself in when you die?

Know this: if you are one of the destroyers, a person who counts on the righteous to keep you going while you are enjoying your party, you will find no sympathy in the next world. You will be put where you belong, perhaps with others like yourself.

If this does not please you, then ask Christ to make a man or woman out of you. He can and shall do this for you if you will cooperate.

The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-and for destroying those who destroy the earth. (Rev 11:18)