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The train of eternity
By Finney Cherian
Switzerland

            It was a cold winter evening two years ago, when I boarded the number Two Train from the Wall street station in New York City. Looking around I saw the usual crowd if Wall Street Station in New York city. Looking around I saw the usual crowd of Wall Street executives, traders, analysis- some of the best financial professionals in the world, all going home after a long day's work. But what was unusual about this evening was there was a preacher on board. Initially no one took notice of this man of about forty with a Jamaican accent and graying hair, saying something aloud, because in New York City virtually every day you'll find some body announcing something in train cars. But this man was different, he started to analyze the people in this car. He was saying, "Yes many in this car are millionaires, managing directors, vice presidents and professionals of financial institutions, basically movers and shakers that you have the world in palms of your hands".

             By this time the train reached the next station which was the Park Place Station, and many other professionals boarded the train which by this time was getting full and the preacher kept analyzing the crowd. And the train reached the busiest station of this journey- Chambers Street - World Trade Center station and the train was jammed packed , like sardines. Many were clearly annoyed at the preacher, some rolling their eyes, some looking at each with a mocking smile, some with face you could read the word "disgust" written all over it. But the preacher kept on preaching with greater intensity. He started to say " We are all on the number- Two train and most of you are headed to Pen Station, but one thing you must know is everyone of you is on another train, and that is called the train of eternity.

             Many looked puzzled and some laughed aloud, but the preacher kept at it. He said "Many of you are on the train whose destination says "HEAVEN" and many of you are on the train with the destination "Hell". However, the train headed with destination heaven is pretty empty, but the train headed to hell is packed just like this train. Because I (the preacher said) was just like some of you a few years ago,I was on the train that headed to hell, I was into drugs, sex, booze, I did everything that felt good and I thought I was on the top of the world. I considered myself a good person, help out people whenever I can etc. You see, I thought every one else was doing it, but I never realized that, every one that was doing "it" was abroad the same train that I was bound for hell. But one day God showed me the final destination of this train, and it was only death and misery for eternity. So, God having mercy on you has sent me to this train to tell you that if you do not know Jesus Christ, the son of God, who died for you, you are in fact on your way and your final destination is hell. So get off this train and get on the train bound for heaven and Jesus Christ is your only ticket passage. In fact he is the only ticket to heaven and he has already paid for your passage with his own life.

               By this time no one was mocking this preacher, everyone was somber, as if all the eyes were focussed internally analyzing themselves. The No 2, train pulled up to pen station and every one got off with a deep sense of conviction

               What this man has done goes beyond just proclaiming the gospel, he has shown that he loved his neighbor as himself. We all lead busy lives. We hardly have time to sleep six hours a night; we are all in the process of living. It is what Jesus called in the parable of the sower found in the gospels the " the routines of daily life". Once people get caught in the "routines of life" we tend to put off things that matter the most things of God and doing good for our fellow man. You ask why do you say those are the things that matter the most? Because God says that the two commandments that capture all the others are these -love the Lord your god with your might, and secondly love your neighbor as yourself. You see in God's eyes routines of life are only for love of self, and loving our neighbor as ourselves is doing the work of God. Because that Jamaican man loved his neighbor as himself, did not mind the looks and taunts of the angry onlookers on the No.2 train but stood there boldly and proclaimed the gospel; because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son; because Jesus did not think that holding on as the second person in the trinity of the Godhead was something to be grasped he humbled himself to the point of death even the death on the cross.

                All those who think that you need a special anointing to do the work of God, here is profound yet simple truth; find a person in need and help that person with time or money and you have just done a work for God. Go to a train platform or a bus station and hand out tracts or go to a hospital and speak words of encouragement to ten people and you have just done work for God and have shown love for your neighbor as yourself. That is truly divine. whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren that you do unto me.