This one is (obviously) based on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is difficult to defend. It has to do with the idea of hell, which is very difficult to defend anyways. I often wonder how many people never encounter God because they refuse to serve someone who lets the bulk of humanity go to eternal perdition. But if even enemies of the Gospel (and certainly unbiased readers) find Jesus to be full of love and tenderness in spite of such chilling stories that he couldn’t help telling every once in a while, then it seems that a defense or an apology for hell is not the answer (Jesus certainly never attempted it). The answer (for me anyways) lies in a love that is more powerful than this, and in a highly personal glimpse of what a lousy eternity it would be to be all wrapped in myself, forever losing the things I had been busy blocking out of my life, as well as the things I could never surrender.

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