Romans 10:10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
As he got older, my father’s hands became a trifle arthritic, and he loved it when we gave him hand massages. In fact, he extorted them. Parental favors were magnanimously granted in exchange for hand rubs, over which we would talk, sometimes about religion. My father was a priest who was magnificent at raising Christian children because he allowed and even encouraged us to voice doubt.
Most sources agree that belief is the major requirement for Christians. So when I first questioned my faith, it was frightening. My father taught me that in a skeptical world filled with thousands of religions and anti-religions, it becomes acceptable, even necessary, for strong Christians to question their faith sometimes. He gave me room to figure out what it means to believe. I can think of no better way to help a child grow into a mature Christian.
I would have rubbed his hands without borrowing the car. He would have loaned me the car without the hand rub. Probably.
