Perceptions #200106

BEFORE THE BELL RINGS

by Norman Bales

In the classified column of a daily newspaper, the following want ad appeared.

Retired lady school teacher, who's tired of reading, writing and arithmetic, desires the companionship of a gentleman in his late '60s who can show her the way to the playground before the bell rings.

That's an unusual way of putting it, but sooner or later the bell is going to ring for all of us, and I would suggest that there's something better in store for a child of God than a romp on the playground. The apostle Paul wrote to a group of anxious Christians in the city of Thessalonica, who were troubled about the prospect of death. They wanted to know what happens when the bell rings. So the apostle assured them this way, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." (1 Thess 4:13-14).

The problem I see with the school teacher's ad is a willingness to settle for too little. Now I can imagine that, if this teacher has spent a lifetime trying to cram knowledge into the heads of squirming, resistant and sometimes rude students then the prospect of finding a pleasant gentleman companion who quotes Byron and flashes enough cash to underwrite a trip to the French Riviera would sound quite attractive.

But there is something even better. The Bible speaks of a never-ending life in the presence of the Almighty God. It speaks of an environment without tears, sorrow or suffering. It speaks of ending joy and beauty. It holds out the promise of a blissful existence where the bell never rings. It's more like coming in off the playground expecting to be exposed in the classroom because you didn't get everything right in your math homework, only to find that the teacher has planned a class party in your honor.

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