If God were like Donald Trump.

There is no mistaking Donald Trump for anyone else.  From his swooping, reddish gray hair to his stern demeanor, it is impossible to accidentally mistake him for another.  He is one of a kind.

He has become a pop culture icon, not for his business savvy or his political ambitions but for his lack of mercy in a camera filled boardroom.  It’s here where he puts ambitious young business men and women and celebrities through the ringer.  He asks tough questions like: “Who is your weakest player?” or “Who would you fire if you were me?”, all intended to make the contestants squirm.

Two words have made him famous.  The two words that the contestants never want to hear but the millions watching at home can’t wait to hear.

You’re fired.

What if God was like Donald Trump?

When I was a child, I imagined God was like this.  I imagined a stern older man sitting in a big, cushioned chair with Gabriel and Michael seated on either side in equally as cushioned but slightly smaller chairs.

I imagined walking into the middle of a smoky, white room and standing directly in front of God.  I could feel all the residents of heaven looking at me, sizing me up, determining whether or not they could predict what God would do with me.  Let me in or fire me?

God would look me over for a second before He would speak.  And then came the poignant questions:

“What were your weakest moments?”

“Why should I let you into Heaven?”

After I gave my response, He would confer with Gabriel.  Gabriel would give him a long list of reasons why I should be allowed in and why I shouldn’t.  Mostly the latter.  Then God would stare at me again while He rubbed his chin, pondering my fate.  In or out?

He then turned to Michael and asked for his opinion.  It was much of the same.  The two arch angels at God’s side were not helping my cause.  I was sure that I would hear those two fateful words and be asked to leave the boardroom and Heaven for good.

But thankfully God isn’t like that.

As I grew older the message changed.  People stopped teaching that God was all about fire and brimstone.  The message changed to who God really is.   He is loving and full of grace.

God doesn’t want to fire us and send us to Hates.  He takes no joy in that.

He doesn’t want to scare us straight.  He wants to love us and have us love Him in return.  He wants a relationship.

Now could you imagine Donald Trump saying, “I love you.”, instead of , “Your fired”?

Weird isn’t it?

How did you imagine God growing up?  How do you see Him now?