There's a story about an optimistic and cheerful lady who was, nonetheless, a shut in, bedridden in an attic apartment on the fifth floor of a run-down building. There was no elevator in the building and here she was, lying alone in a shabby room of this run-down apartment building. One of her friends came to see her one day and brought with her another friend. The second friend was of a wealthy family. They wanted to cheer up this bedridden lady, but as you are aware, sometimes these things work in reverse.

As they entered the building, the wealthy lady was struck by the austere and depressing surroundings. As they mounted the stairs to the second floor, it was almost more than she could handle. "Such a dark and filthy place," she said to her friend.

Her friend responded, "It's better higher up!"

They climbed the stairs to the third landing. "It's even worse here," she said.

Her friend responded, "It's better higher up."

Finally they got to the fifth floor and entered the apartment, tiny and run-down, of this dear lady. But the lady's face was glowing to see her friend and she was radiating with the love of Christ in her heart. The wealthier woman could not ignore the awful surroundings and she said in a sympathetic way, not wanting to be mean, but kindly, "It must be difficult for you living here like this."

The lady smiled knowingly and said, "Yes, but it's better higher up."