My oldest gets in the car from a day spent at his enrichment program at the local school. Turning to his brother, he shares a joke he learned on the playground. Overhearing the joke, I tell him it is not an appropriate joke and explain why. We talk about how the Bible instructs us to only use words that build up and bless other people and I point out to him how the joke fails to do that.

Then my youngest says, “Because you want us to be in heaven with you, right mom?”

A gospel moment, right there in the car.

“Buddy, as believers in Christ, we will be in heaven whether we say bad words or not. We are saved by faith in Jesus, not the good things we do. We obey God, not because it gets us into heaven but because we are so thankful for what he has done for us. We obey because we love him.”

Gospel moments are everywhere: at the dinner table, at the playground, in the grocery store, and in the car. The opportunities to disciple and lead our children to the truth of God are endless. While many times I talk to my children about the gospel during planned times of instruction, there are even more opportunities that occur just in living out our daily lives.

And especially in the car. The questions I hear tossed to me from the back seat are unlike the ones I hear anywhere else. Driving down the road with less distractions, my boys seem to ponder and consider the realities of life more than they do at home where toys, tv, and other activities keep their minds busy.

I’ve been asked questions about life, death, heaven, world views, Satan, evolution, and more while driving around town. My prayer is that I would be aware of those opportunities and that God would prepare me to speak the truths of the gospel to my children’s heart.

What kind of car conversations have you had lately?