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I was visiting with a 6th hour student on Thursday, and heard something that took me about 3 hours to process. I teach 12th grade English at a local high school, and have been thrilled to find out that seniors are real people who can have genuine conversation. I’m really not being sarcastic.

“What’s up Jobin?” I asked as he sort of slumped in his chair. He wasn’t completely down, but he certainly wasn’t Mr. Jolly either.

“Huuh,” I think was his reply. He always has this very nondescript expression that makes it hard to figure out how he’s doing or what he’s thinking.

“How’s it going today?” I prodded.

“Fine, I guess,” He blah-ed.

He’s on the front row, right by my stool, so the poor thing is hostage to my questioning.

“I don’t want to be here,” he offered.

“Where would you rather be?” I pushed. “If you could pick anywhere you wanted, where would it be?” I was expecting “home asleep” or “Hawaii.”

Instead, he pointed up. I tilted my head sideways, hoping that might help my brain interpret. My classroom is on the top floor of the school, but I was pretty sure he didn’t mean he wanted to go to the roof. By the time I tipped my head back the other way, his answer was clear to me.

Even a 17-year-old understands that the only place that guarantees freedom from frustration and dullness is heaven. Jobin knows earth (and sometimes English class) often brings pain and suffering. Jobin knows heaven is where anyone with a sound mind would be if given a choice.

So why in the world would the all-knowing Creator of the universe choose to leave the splendor of heaven and come to a filthy stable in the form of a baby? The Apostle Paul answers that question in Philipians 2:4-8:

"...Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!"

Jesus left the glories of heaven and came to earth to die, so our sins could be forgiven, so we could have the Christ-mas gift of eternal life. Jesus knows heaven's better, and Jobin knows it too. It's the place to be.

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

Psalms 91:13