God's Bookshelf

There are no good people in this world.  We sometimes get a little bit confused.  Imagine that life is like a book shelf.  On the top shelf are people that have led exemplary lives.  People like Gandhi or Mother Teresa.  People who were internationally famous for what they’d done or the stand they’d taken and were loved and admired by many.  On the shelf below that you’ve got national heroes.  People who are not known outside of their country but inside it they’re great heroes, revered for their life and their integrity.  On the shelf below that you’ve got decent, ordinary, hardworking people.  You don’t know who they are, but when you go out of town you give them the keys to your house to keep an eye on it for you.  On the shelf below that you’ve got people that live a little close to the edge.  You know them.  They’re creative on their tax return, great to have at parties…but you would never lend them your car.  On the shelf below that you’ve got people that cheat and steal for a living.  And on the shelf below that you’ve got truly evil people.  People who enjoy inflicting pain on other people…people like dentists.  And now imagine that God has given you a pen. And you have to draw a line of judgment.  Wherever you draw that line from that point on everyone gets in.  How far down would you draw the line?  At what point would you draw the line?  You know God will draw a line of judgement one day but he won’t draw it horizontally.  He will draw it vertically.  He will draw it straight down the center of the book shelf.  On one side will be the people who lived imperfect lives but were offered forgiveness by God and accepted it.  On the other side of the line will be people who lived imperfect lives and were offered forgiveness by God and rejected it.  What side of that line are you on?