The Currency of Heaven

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

We find ourselves observing George Hastings pulling up to the Pearly Gates of Heaven in his huge double trailer diesel truck packed to the hilt with all his worldly possessions. The trucks’ air brakes rudely interrupt the heavenly silence as the startled angels get up from their huge white marble desk at the entrance.

 

“Where do I get to park this thing?” shouts George out the window of the truck.

 

“Can we help you?” reply the angels.

 

“I’m George Hastings, this is my wife Beulah, and I’m here to claim my heavenly home.”

 

“Yes, we are aware of who you are. We have readied your residence but what is the purpose of your vehicular transportation?”

 

“Well you don’t expect me to enjoy heaven without my wide screen TV, DVD player, XBOX 360, my collection of Elvis records and I suppose you didn’t notice my inboard ski boat attached to the back of my rig?”

 

“Well sir, you can’t bring any of those things here.”

 

“What! You mean I hauled all this stuff here for nothing? You know how much this is worth? I just can’t dump it!”

 

“Well sir you should have had it converted before you came, then you could have retained its value and possibly with wise investment even increased its worth before you came here.”

 

“Converted? What do you mean?”

 

“Well, its similar to converting currency on earth when you travel from one country to another.”

 

“OH! So all I have to do is convert this into heavenly currency, then I can get my money’s worth out of it.”

 

“Yes Mr. Hastings. You could have converted it before you came and made out quite nicely and glorified your Heavenly Father at the same time.”

 

“Well where do I take this to have it converted?”

 

“Well sir, I regret to inform you of this, but you can’t convert it now.”

 

“WHAT! You just said I could convert it.”

 

“What I said sir, was that you could have converted it. The only place to have it converted is on the earth before you get here. During your life your Lord and Master blessed you with many of His possessions, money, health, time, talents and skills. Wise use of these on the earth will convert such possessions of the Master’s which you are a steward of, into the currency of heaven which is everlasting.”

 

“What’s this currency of heaven? Is it heavenly gold that paves the streets?”

 

“No sir.”

 

“Is it silver, platinum?”

 

“No sir.”

 

“Is it some precious metal unknown to earth that hasn’t been discovered there?”

 

“No sir.”

 

“Stardust I bet?”

 

“No sir, its…”

 

“I know its gotta be that stuff that was in the Ark of the Covenant. I saw that Indiana Jones movie. That’s gotta be it?”

 

“No sir. The currency of heaven is people.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You see Mr. Hastings, our loving Heavenly Father provides for His children on the earth. Those things He provides He expects to be used for those needs you have as well as for your enjoyment, but He also expects you to use them to bring Him glory by investing them in people. He knows that unless they are invested in the currency of heaven, people, they will have no lasting value. You cannot bring any material possessions to heaven. Only by converting them, by using them to minister to others, can they establish any kind of lasting value. Squandering possessions, wasting time the Lord has given you and failing to use the talents and skills He has blessed you with will establish your poor stewardship of what was His in the first place.”

 

“Bummer.”

 

“I told you George.” shouts Beulah.

 

“Yeah, yeah.”

 

“Well I’m really sorry. I guess I knew better. I was just so excited to get all this stuff through my life, I was hoping I could bring it with me.”

 

“Sorry, Mr. Hastings. There is no place for these items in heaven.”

 

“So what do I do with this load?”

 

“Park it over there. You and your wife are still welcome. I’m sure you will enjoy the place the Lord has prepared for you.”

 

George glances over in the direction the angel indicated. George is amazed. As far as he can see off in the horizon are cars, boats, U-Haul trucks, mini-vans, sports cars and all sorts of vehicles full of televisions, laptops, video game systems, hunting equipment, and clothing. Sparkling along the sides of many of the containers in the cars and trucks hang strings of jewelry, crystals and diamonds.

 

George gazes back at the angels in front of the pearly gates and thinks.

 

“I wish I could have had the wisdom to use what God had given me to invest in the lives of people, the currency of heaven.”

 

When It’s All Said And Done

By Robin Mark

© 1999 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

 

When it’s all been said and done.

There is just one thing that matters.

Did I do my best to live for truth.

Did I live my life for You.

When it’s all been said and done.

All my treasures will mean nothing.

Only what I’ve done for love’s Reward.

Will stand the test of time.

 

Lord Your mercy is so great.

That You look beyond our Weakness.

And find purest gold in miry clay.

Making sinners into saints.

Here on earth and ever after.

For You’ve shown me Heaven’s my True home.

When it’s all said and done.

You’re my life when life is gone.

 

Lord I’ll live my life for You.

 

1 Timothy 6:18-19

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”