A Moment-by-Moment Thing

Salvation is a gift from God. Our actions and behaviors do not earn us salvation. There is no gold star chart in heaven to track our good habits.

The scales of justice with weights of good versus evil is not how God’s system works. I visited a friend and his family not long ago. His six-year-old son reminded me of him at that age. Have you noticed how we often mirror our parents and relatives unconsciously? The more time we spend with them, the more alike we become.

Likewise, as we grow closer to Jesus, we desire to know and imitate Him. It does not happen in the blink of an eye or the snap of a finger.

Day by day, moment by moment, we decide: choose Jesus or not Jesus? A few years ago I accepted a new job. After twenty-eight years of teaching everything from kindergarten-age children to adults, I would begin teaching at a university.

I looked forward to the privilege of teaching teachers how to teach. I arrived at the university two years before my daughter entered as a student.

After a few weeks of freshman classes, she told me this story. “One day in my PE class, I was chatting with a new friend. As we talked, a strange look came over her face. I stopped in mid-sentence. “ ‘Are you OK?’ I asked. “ ‘What’s your last name? Wait, don’t tell me. You’re Dr. Laughlin’s daughter.’ ” My Kaiti Ann smiled. “ ‘Yes, yes, I am. Guilty as charged.’ ” She did not become like me in an instant. I believe it happened over time, unconsciously, as we lived and worked together. Nature and nurture blended together.

It is a moment-by-moment thing.

What will it take for people to stop us mid-sentence to ask if we are a child of God? Can they see our Father in us? Is there a family resemblance? In word, in deed, in action? Do we need to spend more time with Him? Talk to Him on the way to run errands? Hey, Jesus, want to ride along while I get the oil changed? Next week I am driving over to see my daughter, Lord. Would You like to ride shotgun?

Faith Ann Laughlin