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REFLECTION
by Karen Gleason –
“Guess who is in hell?” a recent blog headline screamed, addressing this year’s to-date biggest news story.
It’s easy to look at Anna Nicole Smith’s life and make judgments—to belittle or condemn her.
After designing herself as a sex object, what an object lesson—on many levels—she became. On the surface, this woman, determined to get out of her small Texas hometown, lived the American dream—totally remaking herself and achieving celebrity.
Ultimately, though, the dream proved hollow.
In her final interview, she told the reporter that everyone she knew had “stolen a piece” of her.
Would you condemn her to hell?
In March 1999, at a party after the 71st annual Academy Awards, Anna Nicole Smith made the following statements to interviewer Randy Nein: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and will always be and I pray every day, and I prayed tonight that he would have his angels by me….Jesus makes you very, very happy. When you pray and you ask for forgiveness, and you ask for angels around you, things just happen—you ask what’s going on, and it’s the Lord….Believe in the Lord, love the Lord, and pray.”
“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels” (Luke 12:8, NLT).
So imagine the scene at the pearly gates: Anna Nicole—still looking good—waiting as St. Peter’s computer churns out page after page of her misdeeds. After a while, frustrated at the delay, Anna exclaims, “Enough! Why are we wasting time? Everybody knows all about my outrageous behavior—my life was an open book. Just let me see the big guy. I want Jesus! You know, I can’t even figure out my own heart; I was so messed up. But I believe Jesus will understand. He knows I suffered, and he’ll know the true intent of my heart.”
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, NLT).
St. Peter shoves the papers aside, opens the gates, and escorts Anna Nicole to the one who truly knows her.
This is the only one who can stand in judgment—the one who can read our hearts.
Rest in peace, Anna Nicole Smith, child of God.
View Randy Nein’s interview with Anna Nicole Smith on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVILZlvc-pE