Why Didn’t Someone Tell Them?

I was on vacation in Washington D.C. last week. It was some of the coldest days on record there. At one point I was standing in line for a White House Tour. My sister, Lisa, had done some awesome work getting us the tour. Evidently you have to contact your senator and fill out forms and have a background check 30 days in advance. And so here we were in line (my sister, my niece, and I) shivering in spite of all our layers and boots and heavy coats.

Beside us in line was a little family dressed quite inappropriately for the weather. They told us they were so excited to meet the President and even though it was cold they wanted to look their best. The mother had on a silk pantsuit and the teen girl, and little girl had on lace dresses, nothing on their legs and sandals and heels. The dad had on new jeans, and new cowboy boots, with a new jacket. They said they had driven all the way from their small ranch in Texas to see the President. They had stayed at cheap motels on the trip as a way to afford seeing the President. The dad was in the middle of changing jobs because the ranch wasn’t providing the income they hoped but they were going to see the President! They had walked several blocks in this weather after finding out the directions but it was all going to be worth it when they met the President.

I don’t know if they were misinformed, or ignorant, or hadn’t read or received the information about touring the White House but the tour doesn’t include meeting the President. The whole time I kept thinking, “Why didn’t someone tell them?” Their senator’s secretary could have explained this in all the contact times to set up the tour. Their friends could have helped them understand the documents sent about the tour. All along their way at all the stops they made someone could have clarified what would happen on the tour. The person at the hotel registration desk in D.C. could have told them they were not dressed for the weather and shouldn’t walk all those blocks to the White House but should take a cab at least. No one told them they were wrong in thinking they would meet the President. They didn’t find out until they were actually there. Really, why didn’t someone tell them?

It made me think of that Day when we all stand before God. For some God will say, “Welcome in my faithful servant.” And to some God will say, “You cannot stay with Me, I don’t know you.”

And to the latter people, it may be quite a shock. Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that Day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’

All that work. All that effort. All that expense. A whole life misspent in ignorance, and misinformation, and following a path that does not lead to heaven.

If, in heaven, I am allowed to see this conversation and interchange between the unsaved man and God I don’t think I will say,

“Why didn’t someone tell them?”

because

that someone could be me!