What Will I have in Common? (a story)

What Will I Have On Common
By David White


That moment, that one moment, the moment in existence that all but a few dread. I lived a good life, I did what I could. But now, as I approach the gates of heaven, a doubt crosses my mind “What will I have in common?” As I walk through this city, this great and beautiful city, I see on every face something similar, and I ask myself “What do I have in common?” I pass by these men and women who for the Cross gave their homes, their influence, their status, their success, their Life. I walk past these people, and in their eyes I see a Love. I see my face in a passing reflection, what do I see? Something? Anything? My thoughts come fast but one drowns out all others “What is it that they have in common?” I approach near the throne and in everybody's eyes I see something, what is it? What is it? Now I stand before God, and in his eyes I see something, “What is it that He has in common with everyone else here?” He looks in my eyes with a gaze so piercing, Oh, so piercing. He says “What do you have in common with all of us?" I crumble to my knees and kneel before His Throne and weep and cry out “I don't know” I lifted my head and His eyes meet mine, He says “You have seen it in the eyes of the saints, and on the faces of believers. You have heard it in the voices of thousands of men and women worshiping. You have seen it in the eyes of men and women on earth. I have seen it in the eyes of the martyrs, those who have given their lives. And what is it? What do we have in common?” I hold my breath awaiting and dreading the reply, and at last he speaks. In a voice that is like thunder, like rain, like laughter, and like sorrow. And at that moment He does what I least expect, He cries. Through his tears He says to me “The thing you see in all of our eyes, is a Love for my Son.” And when He looks at me, He weeps, and says“You don't have that Love in your eyes.” And at that moment I remember. I saw the look in my mothers eyes right before she left her body. I saw it on the faces of men and women that would smile at me though I didn't know why. I saw it in the faces and heard it in the voices of the people that would come to my door and ask if I would like to accept Jesus. I didn't. And now as Christ the Son of God walks in, I look at Him, and He looks at me, with a gaze that would have crumbled stone, but behind that gaze I see a sorrow. As he speaks to me His voice breaks “Depart From Me, I Never Knew You.” And at that moment I fell, and as I was falling I could only hope for those who were still on earth.


Think.