regret

This is actually a post I made on 8/9/04 on my older sister's blog. I've been searching for this story and had forgotten I had posted it on the site:

There were three men on horses riding down the shores of a beach. Each being a believer, they heard the voice of God instructing them to take a handful of the pebbles from the shore and put them in their pockets. They were not told the reasons for such odd command, but they were told that they must not look at the pebble in their pockets until tomorrow morning, and that they will experience joy and sadness simultaneously.

All being obedient, they each took a handful of the pebbles from the sandy shore and put them promptly in their pockets.

The following morning, each awoke eager to see what God had in store for them. And to their utter shock and amazement, when each man reached in to take out the pebbles from their pockets, instead of sandy pebbles, they found beautiful gems and precious jewels shimmering in their hands.

Filled with awe, they were overjoyed with the unexpected gift wealth, but immediately, they were filled with deepest sorrow for each moaned the same regret: "Why, oh, why didn't I get more pebbles?"

***

The devotional went on to say that such will be the case for many if not all believers when we reach Heaven.

The things we strive for on this earth can sometimes seem like a waste of time, insignificant and even tediously useless in the light of deceptively glamourous wealth and pleasure the world promises. We may appear to be foolish people picking up pebbles on a shore when others are mining for gold.

But we would find on that Day that we had all along been carrying treasures incomparably precious and beautiful.

And alas, we would be stricken with regret beyond description that we had not sought after true treasures blinded by temporary pleasures.

One life to live; it will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.