Have you ever had an eye injury? This is one of the scariest injuries you can have, especially when it happens to a child.

Around eleven o’clock that night, the mother called her sister who works for an optometrist. Her sister went immediately to check the little boy’s eye.

When she arrived, the mother was frantic. She had considered taking the child to the emergency room, but the child refused to go. (I know what you are thinking. Pick him up and take him! But then I wouldn’t have an article.)

The little boy told his mother, “I’d rather die and go to heaven than go to the ER.” What a statement!

There are some interesting lessons in this statement. First, heaven is preferable to him than the emergency room where he would receive medical attention. In his mind, the medical help was going to be painful, and he just wanted to go where he wouldn’t experience pain.

Second, the child believes that if he dies, he will go to heaven. He expressed no doubt that dying would send him to the Father. Can we make that statement?

How can we be sure of our salvation? Can we know for sure that heaven will be our home?

We know that the child was correct. He would indeed go to be with the Father. Jesus told His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

In the Sermon on the Mount we read these words, “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’” (Matthew 7: 21-23 ESV).

Following this passage, Jesus tells the story of the two builders. The wise man is the one who builds his house on the rock. The rains and floods come, and the winds blow the house; but it does not fall. Why? It is built on rock.

Jesus says this is the man that hears His words and obeys them. He is like this wise builder.

Then there is the foolish builder who builds his house on the sand. The same set of circumstances occurs; rains, flood, and wind. This house will fall because it is built on sand, an unstable foundation.

The foolish builder is like one who hears the words of Jesus and does not do them. For him, there is no hope.

Doing the will of God is the determining factor. “Whosoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (I John 2:4).

The only way we can be guaranteed of a home in heaven is to be obedient to God’s commandments. No man-made creed and no opinion of man can save us. Only obedience to the Father will save our souls.

How can we know the will of the Father? How can we know what He wants us to do? Only by reading and studying His word can we know what is expected of us. Only by searching the scriptures to see if what we are told is the truth can assure us of a home in heaven.

We know from Jesus’ story of the sower that not everyone who hears will be saved. Not everyone who believes will be saved. Read the story and its meaning in Matthew 13.

Jesus told the disciples that if someone hears the word and does not understand it, the evil one (the devil) will snatch away what has been sown.

The person that hears the word, obeys it, but does not continue in the word will only endure for a while. Trials and persecution will come, and he will fall away.

There are those that hear the word but let the cares of the world choke it out. These will be unfruitful and will not continue in the faith.

Then there are those that hear the word. They understand it, and they teach others. They continue to study and learn, and they remain faithful to the Lord. These have a place of reward waiting for them.

If we are like the seed that falls on the good soil, we too can say, “I’d rather die and go to heaven than go to the ER.”

Sandra Oliver