An important person came running, knelt in front of Jesus and asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk.18: 18-30; Mt.19: 17-30; Mk.10: 13-26). The Synoptics agreed that the question was asked of Jesus and not of one of his followers. It is also a question that everyone should ask, "What must I do?" And what did Jesus tell the young man or Ruler? Just how impossible was it to get what he was looking for?

The word instantly makes us think of Christianity or the faith in a Supreme Being. The dictionary does not concur with our ready presumption. The word "religion" includes all beliefs and ideologies. The belief in a tree is just as much a religion as believing in a Creator. The atheist's belief in science or in nothing is just as much a religion as a Christian that believes in Jesus Christ. Every ideologue that believes in something or someone is religious. Being religious simply implies that we all adhere to something.

I am grateful that we have freedom of speech and can argue and debate. I have lived in countries where we could not make public our thoughts. Those that were made public were deliberately twisted to misguide us. The Germans interpreted the American News Media that the U.S.A. would bow out of the conflict and that prolonged the suffering for us for two more years. We were on the verge of ending the war with three mysterious bombs. We know where they ended up with their scientists. We had Ghettos in Poland, but you would not think they already had them in Chicago and New York City. I could tell you a lot more only arguments are fruitless and deceptive.

The dictionary defines "rehabilitation" as restoring, re-establishing and even renaming. I was in a fire and it took 18 months to restore me to health and another seven years to train me so I could live and compete in this world. When I faced death, I became keenly aware how brief this life is and how long eternity is going to be. I have accepted Jesus' promise that if I were to die for Him by a hand other than mine, I shall be rewarded in eternity. Jesus came to give His life and not to take life and so should I? This has been my reformation and it has helped me to understand when politicians talk about rehabilitating religious terrorists.

Love is abstract or merely an idea that we must put into practice or use. It is like a body without hands and feet. It speaks but unless we put meaningful action into it, it remains mysteriously abstract. For that reason man has defined love as sensual and as charitable. We define love by our actions, behavior and civility (I Cor.13). No one has illustrated love in action better than Jesus our Lord (Jn.3: 16).

At the National Prayer Breakfast the President said, "You can question my policies but do not question my faith." How can this be when Jesus wants His followers to be seen in public for their deeds (Mt.5: 16)? How can there be a Christian prayer meeting without Jesus? Jesus demands to be acknowledged (Mt.10: 32-33).