GOOD THINKING: HOUSE OF MANKIND AND THE PARABLE

The house of Mankind always has an attic. The attic is that place where we store all those things we neither need nor use, all those things we can't bear to throw away. Our attic soon becomes cluttered with useless objects from by-gone days.

Modern Man built his house without an attic, or so he thought. After all, we live in an age of obsolescence, a throw-away society. Modern Man never thought much about attics. He went to work. He came home from work. He laughed and played. He accumulated a lot of useless stuff. He gave little thought to the past or to his future.

Then came the surprise! Spring was in the air and Modern Man planned to enjoy every moment. The Inspector-Of-All-Houses had chosen this very moment, however, to do a spot-check. He had no respect of persons. Oh, Modern Man had received a notice of his coming. The Notice stated: "Get your house in order. Every life will be inspected, and must meet the standards set by the Manager-Of-The-Universe!" But Modern Man had ignored the notices; he never thought the warnings applied to his life. Now, the day of reckoning has arrived!

Modern Man was angry! To have his house inspected just when he was about to go out and live life was more than he could stand. Plus, to be told by the Inspector that his house was not in order and would not be approved by the Power-Above-All-Powers was an affront. Then to be shown the truth became an embarrassment: a bundle of old grudges, neatly packaged, lying in a corner; a large stack of fears and doubts, carelessly hidden in another corner; boxes full of joyous experiences, never shared; jars filled with beautiful compliments, never given; lots of old-fashioned habits and ideas lying around, outdated and no longer useful. Besides, the rooms of his life were dark and dingy; the windows were boarded up so that no light could get in. Every room was filled with cobwebs of past and present sins. The place was a mess!

As the Inspector walked into the attic and shone his light around, Modern Man was exposed for what he was, a sinner! This was more than Modern Man could take, especially on a spring day. He sent the Inspector on his way, locked the door to the attic, and went merrily on his way breathing a sigh of relief that he had gotten off so easily-or so he thought.

CHRIST, the Inspector-Of-All-Houses and Lives, sends us Notice: "There will come a Day when God will inspect every life. He will come suddenly and without warning. He will check to see if each life is in order and meets His "Heavenly Standards."

TODAY is a good day to throw away those things which stand between ourselves and God and between ourselves and others!

TODAY is a good day to clear away the cobwebs of sin and let the light of God shine in!

TODAY is a good day to begin building in those habits and virtues that will please God!

So what are we waiting for? Let's be ready when Christ comes!

Dr. Don Kuehle

United Methodist, Retired

Jackson, MO