What if heaven were on earth right here and right now?

​Today Bob Goff raises an interesting thought. For those of us who believe in eternity, what if we considered our lives right now as part of eternity? And, what if we started treating one another like we would in this "other place" we often think of as eternity.

The last several years, I've had two competing thoughts I wrestle with about heaven and relationships.

One of those thoughts is that at some preconceived point in time, God is going to come rescue us all from earth and from ourselves. He'll lift us up to heaven, sprinkle some sort of heaven dust over us all, and suddenly - mic drop - we'll all love one another just like Jesus did all throughout the bible.

Then there's my other thought. Some days I picture God and Jesus and a few angels hanging out watching us. Maybe drinking a sprite and some doritos (because please tell me they are in heaven). They watch the way we interact with one another and quietly ask themselves, "are they ready yet?" Is this the day thy kingdom come - is this the day our will looks like it's being done on earth like it is in heaven?"

They watch the way we accept one another or don't. Forgive one another or don't.
They watch the way we strive to reach out to one another or don't.
They watch how we interact with the orphans and the widows and the hungry and the tired and poor - or don't.

Some days I wonder if while we're sitting here on earth trusting God and Jesus are saving a spot in a beautiful home for us, if in some ways they aren't looking to see what we're building of that home ourselves.

And most days I think that latter portrayal of heaven is more right. I fear most days, too, that we have so much more building to do before they look at each other and smile and say - this IS the day. Which stinks, because some days I get tired of waiting.

What if we sped things up, just in case, and today we start treating each other like we imagine people will treat each other in heaven. What if we assume some responsibility for what that will ultimately look like - kind of like we've hired a contractor to frame the house, but we've agreed to do a lot of the work on the inside ourselves.