Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death: 13. The Changed Outlook

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Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death: 13. The Changed Outlook



TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 13. The Changed Outlook

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The Changed Outlook

Then, too, the whole outlook changes up there. It will be like climbing a high mountain, above the cloud line, after living down here in the valley among fogs and mists. We shall know fully then, even as also we are fully known now. The point of view completely changes. Our sense of values will instantly change, both shrinking and growing.

Everything is seen up there at its real valuation, that is, God's valuation. Some things that we cling to with desperation will be seen as quite valueless. And things that we dimly recognize as good yet let slip, or held with a loose hold, will now be seen as purest gold, of highest value.

We shall see clearly even as now God sees clearly. Things of the earth life, controlling motives, policies of men and groups and governments, individual suffering, the common acute problems-in all this, there will be a radical re-shift in values.

This sense of the change of values will be revolutionary. It will come to many with unspeakable tensest surprise, and even shock, this utter shift of values. Yet it will at once be recognized that now things are seen at their true value.

Then the change of outlook will affect our understanding of our loved ones still living down on the earth. We shall be fully conscious of things on the earth. But we shall see all things from God's point of view. We shall understand much, at least, of God's general plans for the future. We will sense how things will turn out.

And if one thinks, naturally, how can we know without being disturbed of our loved ones having difficulties and pain and the like, let it at once be recalled that we shall see all these things from God's standpoint, There will be an utter change of proportion in estimating these things. It will be the true proportion. What holds God steady now in his tender love for us, and yet His intimate knowledge of things here, that same thing will hold us steady.

Then, we want to remember that our loved ones up there in the homeland, are growing. We know it by simple inference. For growth is a law of life. And up there they have the real article of life. Whatever has God's touch upon it grows. And up there is God's own fireside. All things are His way. And so there is growth of the finest truest sort, up there.

The dear wee babies, the vast majority of those who have gone through the upper doorway, have been growing. Like the child Jesus, they have grown in wisdom or understanding, and in stature, and in favor with God and men. That covers their mental and spirit and social powers. Under the touch of God's creative power, ever at work, and under the tutelage of their angel-teachers, they have steadily grown in matured, poised, gentle strength.

And so each one has gone on growing in all the fine traits and powers and understandings and self-control, that make perfect human character. For heaven is a school as well as a home. Only both words take on a fineness of meaning there, unknown here. All the fine training of perfect school-life and all the true sweets and restraints of fine home-life are the blessed commonplace up there.

We have all suffered a good bit, including God, by the common teachings about heaven. It has been preached and taught and hymned away out of touch with true human feelings and thought. I can recall distinctly a few lines of a hymn I knew and sang in my early growing days. The lines that still stick in my memory said,

"Where congregations ne'er break up,

And sabbaths have no end."

The melody was a fine one. I loved it. I find myself singing it now sometimes. The melody has kept the words living in my memory.

But when I thought into it as a boy it didn't awaken any special enthusiasm over going to heaven. The sabbaths I knew had some un-natural restraints about them, though I still think that those restraints that irked were very decidedly better than the looseness that everything runs to now.

I had a boy vision of one ceaseless church service, on plain hard wooden benches with straight stiff backs, singing psalms and hymns and listening to long proper sermons, and the like. That's a very simple thing, perhaps childish. But is it not of a piece of the common idea most folks have about the other life.

I presume the writer of those lines, like many in the same list, was thinking only of the perfect harmony up there, the sweet fellowship of men with God. But the way he expressed it doesn't seem to fit into human ideas of things we common folk have.

No, it is God's real home up there. Things are as He plans. There's what would be called a natural round of life up there. God is a rhythmic purposeful God, And so there is purpose and motive and definite aim in each life. There's a working toward a goal, and the zest of seeing things grow under one's touch. For that belongs to true life.

Each one yonder has his task and round of occupation, and a rare joy in doing it. It's a busy purposeful active life, up there, but without any strain or worry, crowding or drudgery, or competition of the hurting sort.