Teachable moments

This morning around the breakfast table we had a rare moment. Usually everyone but myself is in a bit of a tizzy trying to get ready for school or work between 7 and 8 in the morning. I usually let the kids hop on the bus before I leave for my daily routine down at the local gym so I'm in no hurry. But this morning, by some mini miracle, there were five Nichols gathered around the table chatting about the days events and who was going where and when and how they were going to get home and at what time etc. And that's when I asked a question that I had been mauling over in my mind. "Why are you a Christian?" I asked everybody around the table. They responded like good Sunday school parrots, "So we can go to heaven!" they unanimously exclaimed! When I told them were partly right but mostly wrong I had their undivided attention. Yes it is true heaven is coming but is that really the main reason we are Christian? The two greatest commandments Love God with every ounce of your being and love others in the same way we love ourselves don't mention heaven or hell. We are Christian so that we can show the love of God to the dying world. We are Christian so we can bless others even when they curse us! We are Christian when we demonstrate to our neighbors our faith in Christ by loving and caring and blessing them. So I summed it up, we are to pursue God with every ounce of fiber in our being and then we are take what he blesses us with in that pursuit and give it away to others. Strictly for their benefit and for their good ( and we will be blessed in the end).
What a great little teachable moment and I am glad I didn't miss it!