THE ROOM
Posted on February 28th, 2008 by joebib into the joebib writes categoryMy sister up in Oregon sent this story to my wife, and I thought it might encourage some of us. I know it did me.
17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was, What Was Heaven Like? Brian later told his father, Bruce: "It's the best thing I ever wrote." It also was the last.
Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teary Valley High School. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of his life near them…notes from classmates and teachers…his homework.
Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life. But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of Heaven.
"It makes such an impact that people want to share it…you feel like you are there," Mr. Moore said.
Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed, but stepped on a downed power line and was instantly electrocuted. The Moore's framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room.
"I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it," Mrs. Moore said of the essay.
She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. She said, "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in Heaven. I know I'll see him."
Brian's Essay:
THE ROOM
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in The Room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that lists titles by author, or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read: "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one! And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was…
This lifeless Room with its small files was a crude catalog system for My Life.
Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories, others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird: "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled At My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done In My Anger," and "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath At My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.
Often, there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes, fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the Life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands, or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each one was written in my own handwriting. Each was signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I Have Watched," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file! I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.
I felt sick to think that such moments had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them! In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards! But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Feeling defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it…the title bore "People I Have Shared The Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on just one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room! I must lock it up and hide the key. But then, as I brushed away the tears…I saw Him.
No! Please! Not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus! I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.
Why did He have to read every one?
Finally, He turned and gazed at me from across The Room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word…He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of The Room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His Name over mine on each card. No!, I shouted, rushing to Him. All I could find to say was No! No!, as I pulled the card from Him. His Name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive.
The Name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His Blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file, and He walked back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of The Room.
There was no lock on its door.
There were still cards to be written.
-joebib
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February 28th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Wow. That’s probably the most profound description of salvation I have ever read.
February 28th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Sorry, Boejib.
That post/story is fiction. From this article on the web:
February 28th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Wow so Josh has his own urban legends already? I’m such a slacker.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:13 am
OK, correct me if I’m wrong in this — but if I understand you — the basic facts of the story still remain true, though the source cited, as well as the opening quotes, etc., may be inaccurate. Right?
Furthermore, is not the story equally as motivating in regard to us having a greater appreciation of what Jesus has done for us through His Blood?
(Changing to humorous mode)
Umm…just a thought here, ‘Scrupe. The noble Samaritan would never have caused all the heart-felt tears — even now welling up in the eyes of readers — to suddenly and without warning be dried.
All due to your preoccupation, yea, your obsession, with a miss-guided sense of “journalistic accuracy,” and fancying yourself as some sort of half-baked “caped crusader” — on a self-appointed mission to combat so-called urban legends wherever you may find them. Sheesh.
And hey! By the way! Who you calling boejib, sucka?
-joebib
P.S. Yes, I pride myself on the number of literary clichés I can use per post.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:25 am
well yea, it’s a great story and i feel for brian’s family who did not know that their son had plagiarized the story.
the point is, that what is touted as an inspirational story becomes discredited because the young man lied. It sucks, but he lied. So now it’s not a inspirational story, but one of morality.
Even if it’s a great story with a great takeaway.
I’m with scrupes.
Don’t feel bad Joe. We’ve all had moments of fuzzy warm feelings from emails that turned out to be less than accurate. That’s why Snopes is bookmarked on my pc. I love that site.
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/room.asp
And if anything, this post betrays your soft, tender side Joe! I hope you’re not getting “feminized.”
(apologies, could not resist!!!)
February 28th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Joe-sephina-bib. I like it, Pam.
Joe, I also admit to having trouble with the notion of Jesus keeping a card-file system in this age of database management systems … surely Jesus, Inc., has migrated that old legacy index card system to a MySQL server? Sheesh, indeed! Surely you know, Jesus is a great programmer?
February 28th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Somehow I don’t see the King of Glory — eyes like fire, voice like rolling waters, face like the shining sun — having any kind of an argument with satan.
As for the story of the room: it was well-written. Ignore the surrounding facts and it’s still a good story. If it’s true that it was plagiarized and the boy lied about it, it meant enough to him that he truly understood grace. He just had not progressed beyond “shall we sin more than grace may abound? — God forbid!”
February 28th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Seriously ’scrupe, that joke hurt.
Hey Anna, what about that whole thing in the bible with poor Job and “holy bet”?
February 28th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Yabbut … but … but … is there any difference between the joke, which is just a flight of fancy, the punchline of which is true: “Jesus saves” and the card-file room story that has been manipulated by tying it to the tragic story of a boy’s death, in order to manipulate people into feeling something?
My discernment felt the manipulation of it and I checked it out with the UL sites … honestly (and I love you, Joebib) - I read it, felt the slimy tug of manipulation, then checked it out as an urban legend, which upon confirmation, made me feel bad. Honestly, why can’t people just relate their 1st hand testimonies while others listen and are edified? Do people make up stories like that because they don’t have a real / truthful testimony of Jesus work in their life? How miserably sad that is! Pam is right - that story becomes a sad tale of morality …
Concerning the card-file room story - what is the discernment on that? We claim to have the scriptures and generally hold to the belief that they are authoritative and foundational in our discernment of things spiritual - is there any indication in scripture that the judgment scene will look at all like that?
John 1:29 says He will “take away the sin of the world” … Romans 4:8 says “Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord” … Romans 6:18 “And being made free from sin you have been made the servants of righteousness” … Romans 6:22 “But now, being free from sin, and having been made servants to God, you have your fruit in that which is holy, and the end is eternal life” … Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death … 1 John 1:7 But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, we are all united with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son makes us clean from all sin.
There are so many verses which speak to sin - that the blood of Christ Jesus covers me even now - blots out my sin - makes my sins as ‘white as snow’ … even ol’ ‘Scrupe is made righteous by the blood of Jesus … so why is it that we have this picture of going to the Lord, whereupon he takes us off to the proverbial ‘wood shed’ to show us what miserable sinning schmucks we all were in this life … if that’s the scene, I’m sure there’s a veritable warehouse of index cards waiting for me …
What bugs me about this from the ‘discernment’ perspective is, IF our sins are indeed forgiven, blotted out by His blood - if we are indeed righteous and saved even now - residents of the kingdom of Heaven - our names written in the book of Life before the foundation of the world, then WHY OH WHY must the purchased of His blood have to pass through the “let’s revisit what a jerk you were” room, before we hear the Father say to us “well done, good and faithful servant?”
I think the whole index-card room imagery is, well, not in keeping with the preponderance of evidence in scripture …
Sorry to dump in your thread, dear Joe, but that story just bugs me …
‘Scrupe
February 28th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Scrup said: “surely Jesus, Inc., has migrated that old legacy index card system to a MySQL server? Sheesh, indeed! Surely you know, Jesus is a great programmer?”
SQL… no way…
Jesus would be using a MAC as all people in the CREATIVE ARTS do.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
(offended look)
Yeah? So? Yeah? So? What if I am?
Look, if a certain YP can allow a gayish photo of himself — posing limp-wristed in yellow, no less — to appear in the mighty P-I, who am I to try and come off as joe-macho? So yeah, sure, I’ll be a girly-man for Jesus, no problem.
(Pamela, I was gonna try and say I found your comment “sexist and separatist,” but I knew nobody would buy it.)
You mean your innate negativity. Where’s the faith, baby?
Oh sure you do! Easy for you to say after making a fool of me and my story!
OK, seriously now…in the name of truth and honesty, what do y’all think I should do? Remove the post?
-joe
February 28th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
No-Um,
Today, while trying to compile a video under WinXP using Microslop Movie Maker and rebooting from the umpteenth crash - I could certainly wish for an iMac with iMovie … note that I have an old tangerine G3 downstairs I really enjoy - but because of the music stuff I do and the plethora of software mixing/mastering tools for Windows, my main machine is a PC …
February 28th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Good one, Joe!
No way! And kill this rousing discussion? The story’s been on the net a long time. And we’ve clearly established the origin of the tale. I vote for leavin’ it right where it is.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
No, Joe. I hope you’ll let it stand as a testament to how the Church should work - i.e., we can talk honestly without offense, get to the truth and still love one another.
Also, it’s about fun … imagine a year from now, some twit is gonna sign up for the blog and rip ya a new one before reading all the follow up posts - perhaps we can get a side-bet going for how many times you are gonna get ripped by this time next year …
February 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
And another thing …
(Lord, does that sound like “mother” or what?!?)
This thread brought an encouraging thought to mind, Joe.
The scriptures seem to distinguish between our flesh, which is carnal / sinful, and the Spirit which the Lord has re-birthed and redeemed in us … Paul laments that he can’t help but sin, while the Father has provided a final solution to the sins of the flesh: our physical death which liberates our re-born Spirit to join our Savior in His Kingdom …
So I pictured this - liberated finally from this sinful body, we stand with Jesus as spirit-beings - made whole / perfect … do we really stand there and look down upon our old dead bodies and recount all the sin we were slave to because of the flesh? Or do we forget about our old bodies and simply embrace our new being / home?
What came to me in pondering this, is a butterfly - emerging from its cocoon … does the butterfly lament the ugliness / confinement of the cocoon or does it simply embrace the new life?
I don’t know for sure, but wonder if perhaps we have a very limited, fleshly perspective on the Lord’s judgment - in that scripture seems to differentiate between flesh and spirit, sin and righteousness …
February 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Brian, you got me there. But even the story of Job is a study in God’s sovereignty. Rather than a conversation of peers, it’s more like someone having a talking dog — and how long will God make the leash. KWIM?
February 29th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Sorry, I missed the party, but I remember reading Josh’s story when it first came out. In fact, I think he read it aloud once during a young adult’s meeting at CBC if I’m not mistaken. Still a great story, but it’s a shame people can’t even credit the author properly.