Experience or Trend?

I heard of a story when i was a child that made me to think what i believe is from my experience or a trend carried down from my forefathers.

There lived a devotee in a certain village with his wife and a son who, on a daily basis, without fail, carries out his religious rituals. They even had a small black cat as a pet. The devotee would prepare a small table, about knee height, which would hold 3 items - a coconut, an egg and a chicken's head. Keeping these ready, he would pray to his god.

On a particular day, when he finished praying, he opened his eyes only to find the chicken's head vanish into thin air. He could not understand what happend to it. Initially he simply ignored it. But then this happened continuously for about 4 days and he decided to fins out what happens to it. He then installed a CCTV in his room.

Next day again he continues with his usual routine. He prays, finishes, opens eyes and finds the chicken's head gone. He goes through the recording captured by the CCTV and to his surprise he finds his black cat sneaking in while he prayed and snatches the head and makes for it. The following day, when time came for him to.pray, he readys his things and when done, he would go in search of his cat and on finding it, he would tie him to a nearest tree and peacefully continues his ritual.

Seeing this, his son grows up and a time comes by when the devotee breathed his last and the rights of rituals fell on his son. At the time of praying came, his son would recollect what his father used to do. So he started off by setting his table holding a coconut, an egg and a chicken's head. But he was missing one more thing which his father used to do - a black cat tied to a tree. When the son could not find a black cat, he went to the market, purchased a black cat, tied to the tree, and then began his prayer. Why? Because his father used to do so.

Many of us are just like this son; not know why. Let me ask you this - why are you a Christian? Is it because your father was one? Or because you are forced to be a Christian? What is that 'x' factor in you that defines you a Christian? Don't other religion show more spirituality and loyalty towards their gods more than we do to ours? Don't the hindus read their Geeta or muslims read their Quran a lot more times and with devotion than us? Many a times we, ourselves, do not know why we worship or why we go to church. We just simply do for the sake of doing and because our fathers used to do so.

Let me tell you this - Christianity should not be a trend, but an experience. It should not be a 'right' handed over down to children, but a truth to be self known. We worship almighty God not for namesake but out of experience and love towards God because of His unfailing, unconditional, indescribable love, mercy and compassion towards us. Thats is a sign of a true Christian. And mind this that God looks at the heart.

Again i ask you - why are you a Christian?