When heaven disagrees...

"Learn this, my little friend, no man may burn a label into flesh and make it stay when heaven disagrees." - Calvin Miller, 'The Singer'

One of my favourite books is 'The Singer', by Calvin Miller. It's a poetic allegory of the gospel and i think it's written in a really beautiful way. The above quote is taken from the scene where the Singer (representing Jesus) is talking to a little girl whom He previously healed. He has just been raised back to life and the girl asks Him why it is that He still bears the scars from when He was killed, but the words that were written on His face are gone..... He explains that the scars were left, so that men would not forget what it costs to love..... but He goes on to explain that the words written on Him were lies... and so simply could not remain. He then says to the girl: "It may be hard to give me all i ask. Not long ago, in the name of love, i gave you legs. Yesterday that very love demanded mine. But the Song is all that matters. It may be you will have to sing it where the crowd will shout you down and demand your legs or life. But it would be better to give them both than to surrender up the music in your soul. Some will hate you for the song you love. They will seek to stop you singing. But no matter how they treat you, remember that i suffered everything before you. And if they should brand you with a name across your face... It cannot stay, if heaven disagrees."