Want a Guarantee?

Nearly every day people call me complaining about how difficult it is to trust other people and to have faith in the power of the truth and love. What they want is certainty in their lives. We want an immediate reward for taking any steps forward. We want a guarantee.

Let me tell you about an old episode of the Twilight Zone, a television show from the 1950s.  

A man named Rocky robs a store, then is shot to death when the police arrive. But he is awakened by a man dressed all in white—Mr. Pip—who takes Rocky to a luxury hotel room, filled with food, drink, money, and beautiful women. At the casino he wins every hand of cards, every spin of the roulette wheel, and every pull on the slot machines. At the pool table he sinks a ball with every shot. He realizes he’s died and gone to heaven.

Rocky loves this place, but after a while he becomes bored with always winning and getting what he wants. When Mr. Pip reappears, Rocky says it’s no fun anymore, and he wants some real excitement—some surprise. “I don’t belong in heaven,” he says. “I want to go to the OTHER place!"

Mr. Pip laughs and says, “You ARE in the other place."

We think we want guarantees in our lives, but if we had them, we still wouldn’t be happy. Real joy comes from learning and growing, which necessarily involves risk and uncertainty. In short, faith is fun. Let go and enjoy your life.