(July 3rd-4rth, 2022)

What are the gifts you hold that you haven’t fully brought into the world yet?
Trigger warning: heavy religious themes

Revelation: Psalm 20

“And I saw a great white throne and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away, and there was found no place for them. / And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,
and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” (Revelation 20:11,
20:12 - 21st Century King James Version)

A young woman stood before His throne, her tangled hair now lustrous and clean at the
touch of His power. And so did He address her, as He did and would with all His subjects
before her and after her; “My child, what have you done with the blessings I gifted you?”
And some among the dead felt warmth and light, while others trembled beneath His great
voice—as only sinners know to fear the questions of the Lord.

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 - 21st
Century King James Version)

Hesitantly, the woman spoke: “Within my short life on the land You created, I have toiled
and trudged to make sense of what I received. What to do with the earthly riches I was
born with? Who to help with the ticking mind I was raised with? These questions I crafted
and recited all my life, in hopes of rightfully sharing my gifts among my brethren.”

“I have used the gold that rained on my palms to help those who lacked food and water. I
have given shelter to those who lacked it and built schools for those who yearned to
learn. I have squeezed my twisting brain to tackle issues we have brought onto ourselves.
I have faced our despairing lands, our melting ice and burning forests, our dying bees
and choking birds. I have run my head dry with vivid tales to enrapture audiences, to free
them from their lives and let them fly for startling moments of freedom.” She paused, her
tired eyes filling with unshed tears.

“And yet I do not think it is enough. Still, there are those I was unable to help, those
whose needs were sidetracked by my wants. Still, there were those whose lives were made
worse by my stories, or whose hearts were hurt by my twisted lies. I cannot help but think
that I have misused the gifts you have given me.”

Silence permeated through the halls, as God stared from His mighty throne, all-knowing
and all-powerful, already aware of all of her tales.

The angel by His side, who gripped the Book of Life, then spoke: “You cannot fool the
Lord of Heaven & Earth with your forked tongue. False humility will get you nowhere!”
 He turned to look at the Book in his hands. “What of the bountiful fruit in your womb?
Have you not squandered it by remaining barren? What cruel gardener deprives their
neighbors of beautiful flowers to gaze upon?” The woman stepped back, her sinning
heart now transparent to all those who saw her.

“And what mockery do you bring to the sacred love of the Lord, to taint it with your
perverseness and filth! You have committed abominations1 beyond selfishness or
dishonesty, and are unworthy to even stand before Him. Vile, treacherous one, who taints
the holiest of love with her wayward ways, you have dragged and condemned countless
others to drown along with you!” The angel continued, not with cruelty or disdain, but
with cold, undeniable certainty. “You have strayed from your path, woman.”

It was then that the Great Lord raised his mighty hand, and the angel was silenced. Sat
atop His throne, His eyes were weary and heavy with sadness. Again, He never glanced
at the Book of Life, for he was all-knowing, and knew every facet of her heart. “My child,
why did you falter?” He asked in His terrible, booming voice, “Why did you listen to the
Great Serpent’s venomous hiss in your ear?”

The woman was silent before finally whispering, “Because I cannot help following my
heart. I cannot help falling for those I shouldn’t.” And fall she did, for poisoned words
could do little to mask her wickedness. And God wept, as He did after casting out
Morning Star and every one of His children who had strayed from His path, as, despite it
all, He still loved every one of them.

“And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation
20:15 - 21st Century King James Version)

1
Leviticus 20:13