The Hard Questions

Yesterday during school, I was playing some music (the boys and I all had a song in our heads that I was trying to replace).  A song was playing that references 2 Corinthians 5:17, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."  Caleb asked me, "what is a new creation?"  We talked about how Jesus changes you after you decide to follow Him, and then Caleb asked, "Will I have to leave this house to follow Jesus?"  He was confused about whether or not he would have to move out and leave us if he decides to be a follower of Jesus. His question was about the immediate, but I had a hard time telling him "no," since we never know what our Christian faith will require of us.  God wants us to completely rely on Him for our provision and for our future, but, thankfully, He always goes before us and will never leave us nor forsake us.

Our kids know that just because Mommy and Daddy are Christians does not automatically mean they are Christians.  It is a decision they will have to make on their own, and Caleb understands this.  He said to me, "I'll decide that when I'm 18."  I just smiled and looked at my 6-year-old who is beginning to understand what it means to be a Christian.

Later in the night, we were all sitting on the living room floor, and I was telling Justin about Caleb's questions.  Caleb had more questions for his Daddy.  "Is it hard to be a Christian?"

Whoa.  I think we both sighed a little because how do you explain to a 6-year-old that, yes, it's hard but it's worth it?  We told him that life is hard because we live on earth, but that as Christians we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and comfort us and give us peace.  Then he asked a question that was really hard to answer.

"Can people who are Christians decide not to be Christians?"

Yikes.  He certainly wasn't asking for, nor were we wanting to get into, the once saved, always saved debate.  :-)

In his childlike way, he's questioning what it will cost him to follow Jesus.  And it will cost him.  I'm so glad he recognizes that already.

But it is so worth it.