A rabbi once queried, "When will you Christians understand that Judaism is not a religion but a way of life?"

We probably have such trouble with that because we see Christianity as nothing more than religion. Nothing more than just one aspect of our all too complicated lives. Something we do on occasion and turn to in crisis but don’t think all that much about the rest of the time.

It is not until we recognize that following Jesus means living a life of compassion that we will ever begin to mine the depth of riches that God has waiting for us.

Read, study, argue, memorize, debate...until we reach out to others in compassion, we don’t know anything about Christianity.

On occasion, someone will ask me about death-bed conversions.

"What about that crotchety old bastard who, seconds before he kicked the bucket, accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior? Does he get to enter the pearly gates just like us?"

An interesting question that may reveal more about the questioner’s faith than anything else.

I usually respond with this: "If that guy hated serving the poor and feeding the hungry, if he hoarded his money and turned his back on the oppressed, then heaven is going to be hell for him because that is precisely how Jesus describes life in eternity."

We don’t have to die to find out about heaven. We don’t have to study books and map out all kinds of bizarre apocalyptic plans. Jesus says we can experience heaven today. Right now. Forgive an enemy. Love your neighbor. Feed the poor. Give your money away.

This is heaven.

This is the abundant life.