One line at the pearly gates

Apprehensive
In a quiet room
Large in size, white in color
I stood in line
with many others
Walking slowly towards
The entrance to eternity.

The line I stood in
was made up of many different people.
Behind me stood a woman who had dedicated her life to raising her children.
Behind her stood a man who spent most of his days in jail for stealing and breaking the law.
In front of me stood an ex-drug addict and an ex-con.
Before him stood a man who had killed many.
Before him stood a school teacher.
Before her stood a preacher of a small congregation.
There, in line also stood and ex-prostitute,
A man who struggled with homosexuality,
An ex pornography addict,
A woman that struggled with pride and arrogance,
An impatient young man,
A woman who had divorced 3 times,
A woman who led the prayer meetings at her local church for years and brought many to Christ,
A woman who always remained quiet and was too shy to speak but had developed discipline in prayer and in reading the Scriptures.
A man who was short-tempered but loved the Lord.
A busy actor
A famous paintor
A talented musician
A tired farmer with hands soiled from work.
A missionary filled with stories of lives saved.
A pastor's wife; a woman who had developed tremendous patience and discernment over time.
A psychologist who helped many every day for many years.
The pianist of a church
A member of the church choir.
A homeless man
A business owner
A widower
A school counselor
A thief
A lier
A murderer 
An evangelist
A bible school teacher

WE ALL STOOD IN ONE LINE

As the line became shorter
It was surprising to see
All these people being given
Permission to enter
Into His Kingdom
Undeserved and unexpected.
In went the murdered followed by the evangelist.
They were not being judged
As they had been judged on earth
Here it was different
We were all the same in a level playing field
All marked with one word: FORGIVEN

Suddenly it was my turn at The Gate.
The Door was tall, embellished in beautiful gold carvings and colorful gems.
Guarding it was an Angel
Who stood tall and strong
Perfectly white and pure
He acted as though he had been expecting me,
he knew me by name
And spoke to me as though
he had known me my entire life.

I looked at myself
The way I was
And suddenly I felt less deserving
To enter these gates than the thief that had gone in before me.
I had nothing good to offer
Nothing special enough that would buy my entrance into this realm.
But I was told I didn't need it
My ticket had been paid for
By a Man I had heard of but had never seen.

I was given new clothes to wear and it was then that the doors were opened before me.
There I stood before the One I had served my entire life. The One who had paid my entrance fees for reasons I still could not understand.

Grateful without measure,
I was finally home

Be salt & Be light to the world