A Christian once said that when he reached heaven he expected to meet with three causes of wonder. He would wonder to find some that he did not expect to see there. He would wonder not to see some that he expected to meet, and, lastly, he would wonder most to find so unworthy a sinner as himself in the Paradise of God. Many who have stood in high places as Christians upon earth will not be found with the happy throng that shall surround the throne. Those who have had knowledge and talent, and yet have delighted in controversy and unholy strife, will not have a place with the redeemed.... They desired to do some great work, that they might be admired and flattered by men, but their names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life. “I know you not,” are the sad words that Christ addresses to such. But those whose lives were made beautiful by little acts of kindness, by tender words of affection and sympathy, whose hearts recoiled from strife and contention, who never did any great work in order to be lauded of men, these are found recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. Though the world counted them as insignificant, they are approved of God before the assembled universe. {FLB 370.4}

En Kristen sagde en gang, at når han når himlen, forventede han at få svar på tre spørgsmål. Han ville forbavses over at finde nogle, som han ikke forventede at se der. Han ville forbavses over at ikke finde nogen som han forventede at måde, og endelig ville han forbavses over at finde en så uværdig synder som sig selv, i Guds paradis. Mange som har stået på høje steder som kristne på jorden vil ikke findes sammen med den lykkelige skare som trænger sig omkring tronen. Dem som har fået kundskab og talent, og alligevel har fornøjet sig i stridigheder og hellig sted, vil ikke finde plads med de forløste. . . . . De ønskede at gøre nogle gode store gerninger, så de kunne beundres og smigres af mennesker, men deres navne var ikke skrevet i Lammets livets bog. ”Jeg kender dig ikke”, er de sørgelige ord som Kristus giver til sådanne. Men dem hvis liv blev gjort smukke af små venlige handler, ved venlige hengivne og sympatiske ord, hvis hjerter veg tilbage fra strid og kamp, som aldrig gjorde noget stort arbejde for at blive æret af mennesker, disse står nedskrevet i Lammets livets bog. Selv om verden fandt dem ganske ubetydelige, er de anerkendt af Gud for det samlede univers.