This letter was written to a lady who was in her 90s but still interested in her investments:
Dear ______, Your call yesterday reminded me of some things that have entered my mind, and I do think of you often. You expressed concern about your bank dealings, but you then said twice: “I just wanted to talk”. Evelyn, I sensed a deeper need and that you may not fully realize what it is. I am not wise or skilled enough to really delve into another person’s mind, but I will make a stab at it. Perhaps it will help if I tell again what I now know to be true, with no doubt in my mind. I know that I am no better than anyone else, but believe that I have come to a deeper understanding of my life than ever before.
When I read the book “Heaven Is So Real” in February last year it changed my life. I started to read the Bible in earnest and found that if I had continued to live the way I had been living, my soul, my real self, would be consigned to hell after death on earth. I had been living what I thought was a good life, obeying the Golden Rule, never harming another person intentionally. The Bible says this is not enough, I needed to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, confess my sins, and follow in his footsteps as much as possible. I am working toward this goal all the time.
At first I didn’t think I had any sins, but learned that everyone is a sinner in thoughts and in deeds. I have never committed adultery, but I had sinned in looking at other women with lust in my heart. I don’t do this any more. It wasn’t because I didn’t love Anita, it was just that I thought this was a man thing to do. (Remember the Ink Spots song “Standing on the corner, watching all the girls go by”?) Also I harbored some resentment toward people who I thought had not treated me well, and this is a sin before God. I have gone back and rethought my whole life and have forgiven everyone who I thought had harmed me in some way. While we always had everything we needed, I envied some who had a lot more in material things. I stopped doing this a few years ago, and now know that envy is a sin. Then I realized what the Bible teaches, that we own nothing, we are just allowed to use what we “possess” while we are on earth. We had nothing when we were born and will take nothing with us. Everything we use is a temporary gift from God, and He owns everything. Thus giving part of what we have for God’s purposes is only returning a part of what He has given us to use.
The Bible teaches about tithing. This is not just giving ten percent of your gross income to your church. For those who can afford it, it is giving much more to help the poor and those in unfortunate circumstances. Anita and I had always given to charities, but we stepped this up substantially. Jesus said that it will be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Like many of Bible sayings, this was not to be taken completely literally, but was a stark illustration to make the point. I am determined that whatever wealth we possess will not be a detriment to our going to Heaven. The Bible also teaches that we should manage our resources carefully, so we are not wantonly disposing of our money, but giving as wisely as we know how and with guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Talking about Him, the Holy Spirit who is a person sent by God, everyone can tap into His guidance just for asking. I get guidance from Him continually, and this is both a wonderful feeling and a real help. I asked Him to help me write this letter, so you can blame Him if you don’t like it (just kidding, sort of). When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I got the Holy Spirit immediately. At first I didn’t realize what a gift He could be so didn’t take advantage. Now I consult Him many times each day. I am amazed, almost flabbergasted sometimes, at His response.
We have been blessed all our lives with everything we really needed - good health, friends and a loving family. While thanking God every day, over the years I have tried to fathom why we have been so fortunate while most of the world is living in poverty. It was not because we deserve it because we don’t, no one does, but it is the Grace of God. There is no way of knowing why, but we just thank God for it. Now we need to try to give back some of this to others both in money and service. In service, I am doing far more than I ever have, but know that I can do more. Thus I continue to seek ways of using my God-given talents for the benefit of others. So far this has not manifested itself mightily, but I continue to pray for guidance. I am by nature a person who has little patience for slow change, but I have received strong feelings from the Lord that I should not expect to achieve mountains overnight. So I am trying just to do what comes to mind each day in a planned way.
The Bible teaches that becoming a follower of Jesus will give “peace beyond understanding” and that is exactly what it does. I have complete confidence that my soul will go to Heaven as will Anita’s. I believe that we will be taken up when Jesus comes back for His faithful, and that could be soon. I am not just waiting around for this as no one knows exactly when it will be, but we have to be prepared. Even without this happening to us, we have zero assurance that we will be alive even tomorrow due to some accident or sudden health problem. You are familiar with this. I am certain that Vern had no inkling that morning on the golf course that it would be his last game. I had an acquaintance that fell and never recovered consciousness. Thus we have to be ready NOW, not next week or next year.
Now dear friend, are you ready? I am not asking for an answer, only that you think about it. I would be glad to talk to you heart to heart. Of course I am neither a preacher nor a psychologist, just a humble servant of Jesus who is trying to understand for myself. Perhaps with the little that I know, we can find something that would be useful to you. I urge you as a friend, not to slough this off like just another idea, or dismiss it without thinking about your life and what you want to do with it in the time you have left. No doubt your minister and others have rattled at you about this, but now that I know what I must do myself, perhaps I can offer some small guidance for others. P.S. – Though I talked to her about her faith several times after she read this letter, I never knew for sure if she had come to Jesus. I prayed that she would take this step.