Right way or Best way?

Does it make a difference? You bet it does.

What am I talking about? The Christian life(style). Righteous living (to sound more religious about it.)

If we think of living a holy, righteous, godly life as the 'right' way to live, we see it as something less than desireable (at least to us.) It becomes something we 'have to do' to get to heaven, to get God to accept us, or to keep from getting 'disciplined.' It becomes like Buckley's cough syrup - good for us, cures the 'sin' problem, but is rather unpleasant.

If we see living a holy, righteous, godly life as the 'best' way to really live, we see it as something desirable, like ice cream. We want more of it. We can't get enough of it!

Seeing a righteous lifestyle as the 'right' way becomes a means to an end - living a less than desirable lifestyle so we can eventually get to heaven (which by all accounts is more of the same!).

Seeing it as the 'best' way is the end - life now is joyful, blessed, delightful, free, victorious, meaningful and to be desired. Heaven then is just a bonus! More of the same joy, delight, significance, etc.

So? How do you see living a Christian lifestle? Do you view living righteously (following Jesus example of what words to speak, what ways to walk, and what work to do.) as a means to and end (heaven) or an end in itself (a great life here and now)?