Why not be a better person, as of now?

I was about to pull out of my driveway with my 4-year-old granddaughter when I heard a little voice from the back seat.

"Papa, you forgot to buckle me in."

I got out of the car grumbling and fastened her into the car seat.

"Humph! When are you going to learn to buckle yourself?" I mumbled, none too happy with the delay.

"Oh," she said with a big grin, "About five years ago!"

Remember now, she was but 4 years old at the time. Her answer caused me to laugh and to settle down a bit.

I also thought about what a good answer it was. When do you think I should control my temper? When do you think I should spend more time with my family? When do you think I should get back to church?

The answer to all would be, "Oh, about five years ago!"

When I was a teenager, we had a preacher who ended every sermon with the words of the Apostle Paul in Second Corinthians 6:2: "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

He then added his own words, "Tomorrow for you may never come!"

Hmmm, it makes me think that maybe I need to answer those questions with a big "NOW!"

• Bruce Henderson is pastor of the Airport Road Church of Christ in Carson City.