Heaven as a reward?

If you grew up Christian, you were most likely taught that Heaven is your reward for believing in Jesus Christ, doing God's work and living a life that Christ would live. That message is everywhere, including scripture. But I always had an issue with it. When I was little I never received an allowance like my friends. I think that at our house there was no belief in getting a reward for what you should have been doing in the first place. Clean your room...here's a buck...what!?!? If I needed money for a movie with a neighbor kid or to buy a birthday present for a friend's party, I would just ask and get money for that event. So when I thought about heaven as a reward, it didn't make sense to me either...it just didn't follow.

When I think about 'doing the right thing' or trying to live my life as Christ would have me live it, I still don't really think about my 'reward'. Actually, I'm already receiving a reward now...in this life, as I experience the peace of trying to keep my life in order or in learning more about the kingdom of God through study and prayer. What is our motivation is serving God and God's purpose anyway. So we can get a prize like at a Halloween festival?...if you throw the fake fishing line over the sheet just right you get a pack of Sweedish Fish on the end of your clothes pin? It just doesn't seem right. It seems to me like we should be serving God in complete response to what Christ has done for us and in response to that pure love we experience. Don't get me wrong, I look forward to the mystery of 'heaven' being revealed to us all. But Heaven as a Reward??? Makes my faith journey seem less than genuine if I'm acting like it's all about me and what I get for my efforts. My prayer everyday is that I'm looking beyond myself toward the needs and wants of others and in doing that am serving God for the sole reason that I should be doing that anyway...not for my reward.

Packing a bag for a place you've never been

Some of you know that I'm a HUGE fan of U2. I love their way of making me think about faith and social action. One of my favorite lines is, "You're packing a bag for a place you've never been". It seems like each day we are packing that bag...in the way we interact with others, the ways in which we serve others and in the way we help others. We are building our own character as we build our understanding of selflessness and concern for someone other than ourselves and those beyond our own families and our own culture.

Yes, serving others feels good...we all know that. But what if we serve sacrificially? Actually serving when it's not comfortable or convenient. The holidays are coming up and we will see numerous opportunities to serve Thanksgiving dinner to people who wouldn't normally have one and to buy Christmas gifts and take them to that little tree in the middle of the mall. Please do these things; but this year maybe we can see that it doesn't end there. After the prime giving season, make a commitment to continue these acts. Visit a retirement community on a Thursday night. Serve meals at a homeless shelter over your lunch hour. Become a Big Brother or a Big Sister. Make empathy an integral part of your suitcase and let the service flow out of you year round.

I once knew a family who went once a month to a nursing facility...the whole family. The guys took checker boards and challenged the men to a game. The girls took nail polish and gave manicures while listening to the women tell about their lives and their experiences. No talent needed for this friends...just a willingness to turn off the TV, get in the car and do it.

San Francisco - Day 3

Okay...so now I'm getting the hang of being on vacation. slept till 7:00, was at the Starbucks by 8:30 and on a trolley going to the Aquarium on the Bay by 9:00. I was a little disappointed in the aquarium. I was totally expecting to see and learn everything about sea otters (which are one of the most adorable creatures God could have some up with). However, it wasn't a total bust since I got to touch a ray and a leopard shark...After that we took a nice long time at Fisherman's Wharf where we saw some great seafood (which we'll eat later), the sourdough factory and then it was off to the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory. Now we are resting a bit before our 6:00 p.m. ferry trip and tour of Alcatraz. That is what I have been looking forward to the most. The trip should take about two hours after which I'm sure we are going to be STARVING...Conveniently we have another walk planned to Little Italy where we will eat at The Stinking Rose...in the 'garlic room' of course. We've walked to Little Italy both nights and I completely expect Tony Soprano to pass me on the street. In my mind he would remove the cigar from his lips, give me the Latin head tip/chin point and the grin and then just keep on walking his cool walk right on down the street...probably to get a canoli (Oooo! I know a great place for those). Being on vacation is an unusual feeling. I'm tempted many times to think that it would be wonderful to have nothing to do but discover, eat new things, wait around in an airport (wait, not that part). But then what would be my actual place among society? Would I actually lose my sense of being a part of God's world? Would I become so self absorbed in what will entertain me next that I could no longer be a servant? To be honest, that sounds kinda good. I know it wouldn't work though and I'd start to take the state of 'being on vacation' for granted. Okay, that's all for now. I'll write again in the morning some time...whenever I decide to get up.