There may be a few unexpected surprises in Heaven. Someone years ago, wrote a poem about this very thing.

“I dreamed God came the other night,
And Heaven’s gate swung wide.
With kindly grace an angel welcomed me inside,
And there to my astonishment
Stood folks I’d known on earth:

Some I’d judged and labeled,
Unfit, of little worth!
Angry words rose to my lips,
But never were sit free,
For every face showed stunned surprise,
None there expected me.

One lesson that Jesus taught the world was that much of the Kingdom of God is made of strangers who became friends. Consider the twelve that He called to be with him. Some would have never met if Jesus had not called them to be together with Him.

Even the old prophets had visions of days with unusual friendships: lions and lambs rest side by side, children and cobras play on the same ground unafraid and unharmed. Why are we humans so slow to learn?

Saul wanted to destroy Ananias; and Ananias didn’t want to pray for Saul. Like a parent who orders the children to “make up,” the Lord puts the two of them in the same room together. Ananias said something that he never thought that he would ever say; and Saul heard what he never expected to hear: Ananias said, “Brother Saul.”

It is a wonderful world; and it can be even more wonderful when we all get together in the Lord. “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.”