Men will wrangle for religion; write for it; fight for it; die for it; anything but live for it. Colton

It's one thing to have a belief, but another thing entirely to live it. How many of us have seen parents drop off their children for Sunday school, but never enter the doors of the church building themselves? Or have their kids recite their bedtime prayers, while rarely taking the time to humbly entreat their Maker in prayer themselves?

Anyone who has ever flown has likely heard a stewardess give this speech prior to takeoff. "If there should be a change in the cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop down. If you have small children, be sure to put your mask on first, then your child's."

At first this seems strange to parents who used to looking after the safety of their children before their own - but the logic can be quickly seen: The reason parents are to put their masks on first is for the safety of the child. If the small child should panic while you are attempting to take care of him, you might pass out due to a lack of oxygen. Then, who will take care of your child?

It is the same in our service to God. If we have no real relationship with Him, how can we ever hope to look to the spiritual well being of our loved ones? There will be "changes in pressure" in our daily lives and we will need to be prepared for those emergencies - as will our loved ones. God loves us and has made all of the arrangements for us to spend an eternity with Him, but this eternity is available only for those who are prepared to live a pure and undefiled religion in the way that He has specified. This world really will end someday and we and our loved ones really will appear before Him in Judgment. Will those we care for so much be prepared? We can only help them be prepared if we put our spiritual masks on first!

How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye", when all the time there is a plank in your own? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:4-5, NIV