BookPastor >> "God is Not Fair and Other Reasons for Gratitude" (Daniel P. Horan)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Nov 28th, 2016.

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TITLE: God Is Not Fair, and Other Reasons for Gratitude
AUTHOR: Daniel P. Horan
PUBLISHER: Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media, 2016, (144 pages).

This is a Christian book with a strange title. Using a counterintuitive title to draw curiosity, it is also about learning not to see things from the eyes of individualism but through God's eyes. As long as we wear personal subjectivity and egoistical lenses, we will accuse God of being unfair for the most part. The key thesis of this book is that we need both open minds and open hearts in order to grow in faith. Gratitude is that key to cope with the harsh realities of life; the complex cultures around us; and to unlock the mystery of faith. Through a series of reflections from cultural symbols to modern icons of the world, readers are invited to reflect on what it means to live in a world that seems so unfair. For Christians, it is about living in an intersection of theology, scripture, culture, and relationships. Part One focuses on the Christian faith in the modern world. What do we make of the movie depictions of zombies and World War Z? In a world flooded by negative media depiction of priests, can we still find dignity in the priesthood? What are we going to do about slavery? Can nonviolence and the abolishment of capital punishment bring about greater good in the world of violence and evil? What about failures? Who and what is a saint all about? These issues and more are looked at from the eyes of faith.

BookPastor >> "No Perfect People Allowed" (John Burke)

TITLE: No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-as-You-Are Culture in the Church
AUTHOR: John Burke
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005, (336 pages).

Is there such a thing as a perfect Church? No. Then why are some people Church shop in such a way as if they are actually looking for one? I have often advised people who are looking for a perfect Church with the following advice: "Don't. If you ever find a perfect Church, do NOT join it, because if you do, you will render it imperfect." If there is no perfect Church, surely we need to learn to accept imperfect people as we ourselves are imperfect people. That is why we need to create a culture of acceptance, so says John Burke, author and pastor of Gateway Community Church in Austin, Texas. Burke calls it the cultivation of a "come as you are" culture which is vital if the Church is going to grow and to survive through this postmodern environment. He begins with some honest and painful assessment of the current skepticism of Culture, Church and Christianity. He calls the Church in modern America as "First Corinthian Church" living in a culture which is pluralistic, messy, and suspicious of anything religious. At the same time, five major impediments are hurting the acceptance of Church and Christianity. The first is the high lack of trust that Church is any helpful or meaningful. Second, there is a growing demand for tolerance from a Church that is increasingly unable to shake off its judgmental label. Third, the struggle for truth in a relativist culture is pervasive. Fourth, many live broken lives one way or another, and this contrasts sharply with Christians, especially those who live as if their lives are perfect. Fifth, the level of aloneness has reached new heights. All five of these challenges are dealt with before the author proposes a model for creating a culture of acceptance.

Prayer for Peace - Beginning with Ourselves

Today is Sept 11. We are reminded of that fateful day back in 2001, where terrorists attacked the United States and our lives in many ways have been affected. From travel to security measures, from suspicions to preventative wars on terrorism in different parts of the world, many have felt that the world instead of growing safer has become even more dangerous by the day. Today is a Day of Prayer for many people. This week's Midweek Meditation will be on prayer for peace, beginning with ourselves. Let the following prayer of St Francis of Assisi be your guide. Watch a beautiful rendition of the prayer here.

May there be peace on earth. We can all play a part, beginning with ourselves. conrade

Midweek Meditation: "For Grace and Peace" (Sandra Wilson)

The Amazing Story of Chuck Fenney

Many of us have heard of the philanthropy of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. The former is a technological billionaire while the latter is a financial tycoon. Both have one thing in common. They are now in an ongoing campaign to give away as much of their wealth as possible to the needy. Ever wonder who inspired the two of them? The answer: Charles F. Fenney. At 82 years old, Fenney has given away a bulk of his fortune, supposedly around $7.5 billion, earned from being a co-founder of the DFS empire. Very few people on earth can have that much money. More than that. In a world where investors are all looking for opportunities to make money from, Fenney looks for worthwhile opportunities to give. Forbes magazine calls Fenney as "The Billionaire Who is Trying to Go Broke." 

Unlike Gates and Buffett, Fenney actively avoids the spotlight, keeping his giving in secret. In a world where people like to get something back when they give, Fenney bucks the trend, observing the biblical way of giving in secret, and without expecting anything in return. Educational institutions, hospitals, and charity organizations have reported receiving millions of dollars from him, anonymously. He is a major donor to Cornell University, his alma mater, the beneficiary of nearly $1billion. In fact, Fenney has been in the business of giving away his money for more than 30 years already, after setting aside some amount for his family as a dutiful father and husband. He is planning to shut down Atlantic Philantropies by 2020, once all his wealth has been given away.

Recently, reports have surfaced that Fenney's wealth is only about $2 million. It was even said that he does not own a house or a car.  Is that true that Fenney will die broke? No. I think he will die rich, far wealthier than all the money that he ever had. What he has done is priceless.

Inspiring!

Estimated as of 2012

Here is a brief video of his life.



Here is a longer documentary on him here.




conrade

BookPastor >> "Grace Notes" (Philip Yancey)

TITLE: Grace Notes: Daily Readings with a Fellow Pilgrim
AUTHOR: Philip Yancey
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009, (434 pages).

I observe a pattern. When an author has written a number of bestselling books, or if the author himself has gained a fair amount of popularity, publishers will want to continue to milk the author's fame by putting out re-prints of classic portions of the previous works. "Grace Notes" is one of them. It is a collection of writings by the very popular Christian writer, Philip Yancey. Called "Daily Readings with a Fellow Pilgrim," this book is essentially a daily devotional to last an entire year.True enough, the publisher initiates this project to encourage the author to leaf through more than 20 books and articles, written over a span of 30 years, in order to put together 366 pages of readings. Seasonal themes help move the reader along the four seasons of the year. Significant events like 9/11, elections, and memorable dates are considered when the daily reading is considered.

Philip Yancey's writings have long been known to be clear and provocative. These notes, though short are often windows into some of Yancey's scintillating analysis and brilliant insights. Each daily reading begins with an interesting flashback or an observation of ordinary life events. It asks questions. It analyzes ordinary struggles of faith. It raises issues of faith and spirituality. It typically concludes with some form of pointing toward the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  There are at least four ways to use this book. The first way is to read it based on sources, like all the collections from any one particular book. This method allows readers to follow the sub-themes accompanying that book. The second way is by looking at the titles of each day's readings. For example, February 16th's reading of "The Hardship Ladder" offers five short quips on the different approaches to suffering. May 22nd's reading of "Why I Don't Attend a Megachurch" may appeal to people asking questions of small, large, and megachurches.  The third way is essentially to read the book based on the day we read. Of course, there is a fourth way. Straight through.

Whichever way, or ways you choose, some of the articles in this book are bound to trigger a reaction in readers. For those of us who loves Yancey's writings, this book is definitely a collector's item.

conrade

Wonder

One of the reasons why our worship is delinquent is simply because of our lack of desire to wonder. We are proud of our ability to solve problems. We revel in our capacity for ready-made solutions. We aim toward mastery so much that we are unable to appreciate the mystery of everyday life. Gayle Erwin's book, "YHWH Style" has this core conviction, that we can only know God according to what God says about Himself.  Watch creation. Watch people. Watch the weather. Watch. Then slowly but surely, as we seek to look for God, we will gradually realize that God is already looking at us.

"If one eats the bread of harvested grain;
If one plucks and eats a sweetened fruit;
If one watches wounds heal;
If one gazes at a distant star;
One can know the grace of God."
(Gayle D. Erwin, YHWH Style, Cathedral City, CA: Yahshua Publishing, 2001, p172)

conrade

Why We Serve

Exhausted. Burned out. Running on empty.

Yesterday, I shared during my weekly office meeting about the fifth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit: Kindness. What is kindness? One way to understand kindness is to ask about the opposite of kindness. It can mean cruelty. It can also mean unkindness. Being nice is not necessarily kind. Being kind does not mean we have to be nice. One book I have been following is "The Fruitful Wife" by Hayley DiMarco. Though written primarily for wives, it has lots of application and tips for non-wives and men in general too. She writes about kindness as follows:

"Kindness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me." (Hayley DiMarco)

Think about that. Like porcupines living close together, our prickly edges can hurt. It is the willingness to be hurt and hurt over and over again that keeps us together, regardless.

1) Distinguishing Kindness from Niceness

Kindness is about doing whatever we can in order to glorify God. It is in asking how can I exemplify the life of a disciple in my kindness? How do I show my best kindness so that Christ can shine through my acts and deeds? I have read somewhere that there is a difference between boys and girls. When boys fight or quarrel during a game, they let their anger flow easily into fists and punches. They fight openly. After the disciplinary actions, and the reprimands, they continue the rest of the game.

The same is not true of girls. When girls quarrel or fight, the anger does not simply end in fight-kiss-makeup manner. The  emotions can linger on. The hurts continue. The pain persists. The game ends abruptly.

While I do not want to stereotype boys and girls, there is a lesson here to remember. Men and women are made differently. They need different ways in which to resolve any differences. When men or women are hurt, they deal with the pain in very unique ways. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we all agree that we ought to be serving one another in love. What we fail to agree is the extent in which we follow through what we believe. That is why, from time to time, we need to ask ourselves why we serve. More importantly, we need to be reminded about Who we are serving.

Kindness is not niceness. Kindness is in essence another way to demonstrate grace. True authentic believers will let their kindness flow not out of societal expectation of niceness, but Christ-formed grace. See how DiMarco writes about kindness.

"Grace, as we probably all know, is the unmerited favor, divine mercy, or selfless lovingkindness shown by God to his sinful children. It was a kindness shown to us even while we were still enemies of God, dead in our own sinfulness (Eph. 2:1–5). This extreme grace, given with the aim of receiving nothing in return, is the ultimate example of kindness and the model of what it should look like in our lives." (Hayley DiMarco, The Fruitful Wife, Crossway, 2012, 107)

2) The Two Kindness Killers

For DiMarco, the opposite of kindness is "mercilessness." This is also described through the two major "kindness killers." The first is a "sense of justice." Many people have a strong sense of justice and fairness. We can easily see it in our children. It reflects a tit-for-tat culture so prevalent in our society. Unfortunately, the idea of grace goes against anything tit-for-tat. Jesus has said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42)

Impossible? That is why we need the Holy Spirit to help us.

While the Old Testament law has its place, true justice is always fulfilled beautifully with grace. It frees ourselves from being trapped by self-righteousness and a judgemental spirit. It frees us to letting God decide how to deal with those who have hurt us. One reason why a sense of justice is problematic is because it is less about a battle for holiness, but a fight for self-protection. DiMarco writes that our natural tendency toward hurts is either "fight or flight." From Jesus' teaching, instead of fight, we ought to turn the cheek. Instead of flight, we need to follow with a second mile, and not turn away from the need. The key thing is to learn to see the law from the eyes of grace. Kindness is a great way to demonstrate that. Kindness is a profound way to demonstrate love to others, the giving up of any personal right to retaliate. Jesus is trying to teach us to live counter-cultural.

The second "kindness killer" is more sinister. It is a "fear of rejection." It is an emotional tendency to be so self-conscious that we fail to see the opportunity to do good. Imagine if Jesus has this fear of rejection in the first place. He will not have walked into the trap set by Judas Iscariot. He will run away and hide in a cave for safety. No. Jesus prays. He asks to do God's will rather than to obey any human tendencies. Grace comes through in his kindness to people in words and in works.

"Mercy is rooted in kindness, because mercy, like grace, is given not on the merit of the one who messed up but on the unearned favor of the God who forgives." (Hayley Dimarco, The Fruitful Wife, p112)

Respond to any fear of rejection by accepting one another, just as God in Christ, accepted us.

3) Why We Serve?

This article has touched on the fruit of kindness as a reason to serve one another. When we serve one another, getting hurt or hurting others becomes a common occurrence. If I can prescribe one cure for not ever getting hurt at all, it is this: DO NOT SERVE.

If we are fearful of rejection, do not serve.

If we are always on a lookout for justice, do not serve.

If we are always calculating how much we can gain, do not serve.

If we are serving out of people's wishes, do not serve.

If you want to be servants of the Church, seek not a reason why you need to serve. For every reason you can think of in serving, there is always a counter-reason why NOT to serve.

If you want to be servants of the Church, seek not a method about how you serve. For every good method you can think of, there is always a corresponding method that is BETTER than how you are serving.

Instead, if you want to serve, let it flow out of your love for one Person. Let not the "why" or the "how" determine your reason for service. Let your motivation and convictions for serving be your pursuit of that Person of Jesus Christ. The 'why' reason can provide you answers. The 'how' reason can give you methods and strategies. For us as a Church, the WHO trumps the 'why' and the 'how.'

Let me close with the following from Thomas Kelly's classic book on devotion.

"Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is in our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us. It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all." (Thomas R. Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, HarperSanFrancisco, 1992, p3)

Christ is within us. Let us share His glory in our life, through our service.

Why do we serve? Let it be because of this one Person Jesus. Let it be because we want to honour the Son of God. Let it be because service is a privilege.

The moment we move our eyes away from this Person, toward seeking other kinds of reasons, for self-fulfilment, or obligations, we will become distracted. Serve not because you are asked to, or because you have to. Serve because you love to. More importantly, serve so that the Christ that is in you, will be made known to all in your service, in your works, and in your kindness.

Remember the parable about the man who found a great pearl in the land? Let them remind us all over again, how much we love that great pearl in Jesus Christ.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

For those of us who are serving, we need to be reminded from time to time. How valuable is the pearl that you have found? Who is that pearl in your life? May your desire to serve illustrate that very finding.


conrade

Working Together Graciously

The WWII martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words remain so insightful for many Christian communities. Written to encourage believers to take heart amid the intense hardship who are standing up against the despicable Nazi regime, Bonhoeffer urges believers to love one another more and more.

“Christians need other Christians who speak God’s Word to them. They need them again and again when they become uncertain and disheartened because, living by their own resources, they cannot help themselves without cheating themselves out of the truth. They need other Christians as bearers and proclaimers of the divine word of salvation. They need them solely for the sake of Jesus Christ.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, Fortress Press, 2004, p32) 

As many of us know, the Church of God has endured many schisms throughout history. Go to any church, and it is common to see how a single disagreement can lead to a big time split. It seems like while many people call themselves children of God, they put on childish behaviour that puts one’s own interest above others. Working together may mean living together for a period of time. Living together means learning to work together graciously for a lot of time. Grace is not an option but a specific evidence that we ourselves have been saved by grace. Ungrace is a rude slap on the gospel of Jesus. Leaders of churches must be quick to address any ungraciousness, not in a tit-for-tat manner, but in grace. 


 As we prepare to serve our fellow believers, be prompt to listen to needs, but be even more prompt to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Cultivating a sensitive ear to God will give us gentler spirits and gracious listening to people around us. When someone complains, what is our default response? Do we criticize the complainant for insisting they are right? Or do we graciously listen and understand them first?

When one is stressed, it is easy to become negative about many things. When one is well rested, it is easier to give others the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps, times of challenges are also opportunities for us to exercise faith in God. Truly resting in God is not about doing nothing in a sound-proof or activity-less world. True rest in God is about trusting God under all circumstances. Here is my take on trusting God when working together.

Working together in grace means firstly, we do not be calculative about who does more or who does less. If Jesus has said that the old lady’s two copper coins have outgiven all of the rest, who are we to comment about the gifts of other people? Grace means being able to recognize we all have different levels of gifts and capabilities. We all contribute what we can, without regard to how much or how little people have done. We can only talk about our own.

Secondly, working together in grace means learning to communicate in grace. When schedules are tight, and when expectations differ, it is easy to give in to negative emotions. Hold our negative words. Think of how Christ would have us communicate the truth in love. See in what manner you can assist. This is especially when groups are large. When groups are large, expectations differ by huge proportions, compounded by interpretations of other people’s interpretations. Remember Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians?

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29) 

Note the words "building others up according to THEIR needs." Wow! That's how grace looks like. May our words be filled with wholesome words of truth, spoken out in gentleness and love.

Thirdly, come together often to worship. There is no greater expression of unity in the body other than worship. For in worship, we need to have settled our grudges before we can bring our gifts to the altar of the Lord. In worship, we need to be truthful in our lips and in our hearts. The bishop William Barclay reminds us that our Christian living ought to flow out of a vibrant worship life. He writes, “Real worship is the offering of everyday life to him, not something transacted in a church, but something which sees the whole world as the temple of God.”

Perhaps, living together in church is our laboratory of living. If we want to make a difference in the world outside, may we learn to make a difference first in our Churches inside.

One more thing. Ever wonder why God places certain individuals that are so different from us? Maybe, it is a way to help us become better persons of grace. Perhaps, they are God's mirror to us, that we may learn to reflect back on ourselves, whether we have done to others what we want others to do to us.

 conrade

An Encouragement for the Day - 12 July 2012

Here is an encouragement for today.

May your day be filled with joy and purpose, and hope. Let Christ shines from within you.

 conrade

Science is Reductionistic

In our world of electronic gadgets, an Internet era of smartphones and social media, we elevate science and technology through the latest and the greatest paradigm. What's new today will be old tomorrow. Tomorrow will be outlived by the day after tomorrow. Technology when we look forward is poised to turn our present existence and possessions into an artifact, relegated to a small memory in history.

As I was reading the late Chuck Colson's daily devotional (Week 17, Tuesday, p101) in A Dangerous Grace, I was struck by how reductionistic science can be. Colson was reflecting on an article in the Boston Globe that was trying to explain tragedy from the standpoint of science.

• Presumption: The bloodbath in Bosnia is because of something in our genes
• In biopolitics, politics can be explained by the scientific branch of biology
• Since biology can explain politics, it must be able to explain evolution.
• Biopolitics justify the need to exist, by ethnic conflict and aggression (natural selection)
• Aggression is actually an "evolutionary advantage."

Colson was apparently appalled at the way the journalist tries to explain violence and aggression through evolution in a manner that is distant, impassioned, and impersonal. No moral dimension was discussed. People become victims due to their genes. What is right or wrong is simply blamed on natural phenomenon. By linking warfare, violence, and ethnic cleansing to something as normal as our natural food chain and evolution, the whole idea tries to reduce man into a helpless pawn in the universe of human selection.

One of the basic tenets of science is the law of thermodynamics. In the second law, it states:

"Heat does not flow spontaneously from a colder region to a hotter region, or, equivalently, heat at a given temperature cannot be converted entirely into work." (Reference: Britannica.com)

In other words, there is a reduction of heat from a hot to a cold region. There is no such thing as an increase of 'cold' for cold is simply a loss of heat. Trying to use science and evolution to explain human behaviour or morality is simply not using science correctly. Science after all depends on assumptions. It does an excellent job in explaining how things work, but is like a fish out of water when it attempts to explain morality, philosophy, and even the arts. My point is, science and morality are completely different domains of understanding. While morality can be used to explain the use of science, science cannot be used to explain the human morality. Is there an evil gene? Is there a happy gene? When such things happen, the homosapiens species will have been reduced to a gene or a scientific piece of data. Not only is it reductionistic, science when used this way will eventually reduce the human being into a zero, just like the person who dies, and the body decays and ultimately perishes into the ground. It is appealing but the whole idea is downright deceiving.

Atom

Is there a "freedom" gene? Is there a "criminal" gene? By identifying and subsequently blaming one's behaviour on genetics, one faces even greater questions of life. What then controls these genes? What is the intelligence behind the genes? If the reductionistic feature of science is extrapolated to the intelligence arena, man will be somewhat less and less intelligent over time!

The logic is mindboggling. Colson then brings up his alternative. Call the violence and aggression as sin. Call the overall purpose of living as not reducing the whole explanation into a theoretical premise, but to see it as an opportunity for redemption of mankind. Science reduces matter to the lowest entity, like the half-life constant decline of chemicals. Science reduces a machine into its parts. Science when used on human behaviour is ultimately reductionistic.

Christ came to earth to redeem the world. He comes to give us life and life abundantly (John 10:10). Science is reductionistic. Christianity is redemptive. If one uses science to interpret human behaviour, the goal is eventually an atom, a molecule, a gene or a DNA. If one looks from the eyes of faith, and from Creation of God, the human person is not only redeemed, the human person is free to achieve his/her highest potential, as God has made us to be.

conrade

Why No Revival?

We all want to grow. We like to see our Church be vibrant. We enjoy being among people who are energetic, passionate, and happy. Unfortunately, a vibrant, passionate, happy Church is not as common as we have hoped. Why? Erwin Lutzer presents this as one reason:

"To be candid: I believe genuine reconciliation to be the stuff of revival; because once our souls are unclogged of bitterness and hurt, the Spirit of God has freedom to move and heal. The body of Christ today includes countless bitter, hurting, and wounded people - bound by the power of a personal offense. Yet where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty - and liberty brings revival." (Erwin Lutzer, When You've Been Wronged, Chicago: IL: Moody Publishers, 2007, 13)

Remember the words of Jesus. Falsehood binds. Truth frees. Falsehood deceives toward wrong ways. Truth receives the right way. Falsehood pretends. Truth faces reality.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."  (John 8:34-36)

Do you want to be in a Church that is enslaved by sinful behaviour, or liberated by God's grace? May we seek the latter, to give of our selves. Let go of any arrogance. Seek forgiveness by first learning to forgive one another.

conrade

Three Difficult Words

TITLE: THREE DIFFICULT WORDS
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 17 Feb 2012

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Gal 3:16)

How do we distinguish the differences between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit? In this article, I want to deal with three difficult words that will shed light over the nuances and subtle differences between flesh and Spirit.

1) 'Concerns' vs 'Worries'

(Credit: mudpreacher.org)

Last week's edition in Sabbathwalk deals largely with the question: "Is worry a sin?" In that article, I argue that we do not need to rush to label all worries as sin. However, behind every worry, there is sin lurking nearby. Distinguishing legitimate concerns from unhelpful worries can be a tricky thing. There are no easy formulas.

One of the most popular gospel stories about a worry is the story of Mary and Martha. In that incident, Martha was busy rushing to get things done inside the house. The presence of a distinguished guest only made it worse. It came to the point that she could not take it anymore. She had to pressure Jesus to tell Mary off.

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40)

Instead, Jesus responded:

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

In this case, note Jesus' comment about 'many things.' One sign in which a genuine concern has deteriorated to unhelpful worry is the pervasiveness of it all. One thing leads to another. Instead of focusing and keeping things in perspective, Martha has allowed the need to get things done to dominate her thinking and feeling. Worse of it all, Martha has allowed worry over chores become more important than her relationship with her sister. Just think about it. Instead of talking nicely to Mary, Martha performs a double-whammy. She uses a third-party (Jesus) to communicate to her sister. She refuses to call her sister by name. When one becomes frustrated to the point of putting tasks above relationships, something has gone out of whack!

Paul writes to the Romans as follows:

"that we should no longer be slaves to sin." (Rom 6:6)

As long as we are in the flesh, we sin. As long as we are sinners, we are slaves to sin. Is our 'concern' or 'worry' enslaving us? If it is, disregard the semantics. The flesh can easily transform a 'concern' into a 'worry,' and 'worry' into an endless cycle of anxiety and distrust. Joanna Weaver gives us some tips about distinguishing concerns from worries. She says that concerns tend to be on a legitimate problem, while worries often hype up unfounded cares. Concerns are specific but worries are fleeting. Concerns address the real problems while worries is 'obsessed' about the problem. For Christians, the biggest marker is WHO we are directing our concerns toward. Are we directing it to God? Are we directing it to self-wisdom?


2) 'Confident-in-Self' vs 'Confidence-in-God'

We can either continue to live in the flesh or to live in the Spirit. We have to choose. Not choosing it is already a choice of the flesh. One question that I like to ask is when is 'self-control' a legitimate one? My SabbathWalk article this week talks about the character of spiritual leadership. Apparently, one of my readers have pointed out that the table that I quoted from J. Oswald Sanders tends to be oversimplified. The disagreement is over the flesh-led 'self-confidence' versus a Spirit-inspired 'confident in God.' What I have failed to include is that Sanders is comparing and contrasting the 'differences' between natural and spiritual leadership. He is not directly throwing away the baby with the bathwater. Sanders acknowledges that while everyone of us has a natural ability to become a leader, spiritual leaders do not REMAIN in their natural skills. They progress to becoming more led by the Spirit more and more. At the same time, they become less reliant on the cleverness of the flesh. This is the crux of spiritual leadership that is confident in God.

Self-confidence is a tricky thing. I understand that there are legitimate desires to do something well. Yet, many Christians begin well but fail to end well. When we are confident in self, we may start well. We may not end well. Instead, we may end up prideful about our competencies. Worse, we may end up attributing all achievements to a humanistic glory rather than acknowledging that we have accomplished so much because God has first enabled me and blessed me with skills.

This is the case of the Babylonian ruler, King Nebucchanezzar during the times of Daniel. See how self-deception engulfs the arrogant king.

"The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’" (Dan 4:30)

God humbles the proud but elevates the humble. The choice is not ours but God's. Self-confidence in the flesh, directly or indirectly, puts the self on the throne, and uses the name of God for self-fulfillment.

Jesus says:

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11)

The great English preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon says it well:

"Humility is a right estimate of one's self."

Ditto.

3) 'Self-Control:' Flesh or Spirit?

The third thing about the flesh and the Spirit is about who is sitting on our throne. Is it us or is it God? This is admittedly a tough one. From Paul's letter to the Romans, we see how sin controls us. Sin tries to master us (Rom 6:14). Sin enslaves us to make us serve its whims and fantasies (Rom 6:16,19). Sin remains in the flesh (Rom 7:18). Sin ties to disturb our spiritual contentment in God with an unholy discontent in keeping the law (Rom 7:23). We can only be set free when we confess we need help (Rom 7:24).

What is even more confusing is that self-control is labeled a fruit of the Spirit in Gal 5:23. The Greek word 'egkrateia' means mastery of the self. It is refusing to let the flesh control us, and to let the Spirit of God lead us, willingly and lovingly.

Self-control in the flesh has to do with the reverse. Instead of mastery of self, it unwittingly allows self to become master and dictator of the flesh. One simple way to discover this is the age-old saying: "Only time will tell." Indeed, spiritual things do not always happen at an instant. King Saul started well, but ended tragically when he set himself higher than God. When sin is in control, it aims for the next level: Cruise control. In other words, sin is like a Trojan horse, entering our bodies and minds with an innocent premise. When the time is right, it will grow and take control over our complete selves. White becomes black after multiple layers of gray.

Norm Wakefield teaches us the need to be connected to the Spirit. He writes:

"One of the most important aspects of this new you is the way your Spirit has been connected to the Spirit of our Lord. The power to confront the sin in our flesh resides in this new, mighty, invincible power that has been bonded to our spirit. So now we can begin to understand our Lord's strategy. He doesn't change our flesh; rather, he unites our spirit with a force that is greater than the evil force in our flesh. His intention is to defeat this persistent power by bringing a new greater power through our spirit. A crucial key is to discover how to join forces with the Spirit of God in a way that allows his unlimited power to be unleashed against the enemy that occupies our flesh." (Norm Wakefield, Who Gives a Rip About Sin?, Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002, 97)

When we see 'self-control' in terms of who is behind the wheel, we can understand who is in control. We all like to be steering the wheel ourselves. There is a saying that if Jesus is sitting in the front of our cars next to us, swap seats! Let Jesus do the driving.

When we live in the flesh, we indoctrinate ourselves into thinking that it is all about us. When we live in the Spirit, we humbly acknowledge that it is all about God. Flesh will continue to war against the Spirit. We have to choose. Even for those who have confessed Jesus as Lord, they are still living in the flesh.

Christian Spirituality is how we allow the Spirit of God change us from behind to become more Christlike.  Fleshly control not only refuses to cede control to God. The flesh seeks to put itself on the throne, and unwittingly becomes victims of the devilish forces of darkness and deception. William Farley makes this insightful comment in his recent book, Gospel-Power Humility.

".. the proud man thinks he is humble, but the humble man thinks he is proud." (William P. Farley, Gospel-Powered Humility, Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2011, p26)

Be careful. Many activities start off honourably with a declaration that they are serving God. Eventually, they end up becoming a self-serving enterprise.

conrade

A Simplistic and False Dichotomy

Currently, there is a video that has gone viral. It hypes up the age-old maxim of "Religion is Bad, while Jesus is good." Made by a young online evangelist called Jeff Bethke, it contrasts and compare the traditional understanding of religion with the desired brand of Jesus faith. This is remarkably similar to the "I'm not religious, I'm spiritual" movement. According to the Christian Post, the video has generated more than 66000 comments on the Youtube page alone. As of today, it has surpassed the 10000 mark to reach 102,167 comments.



A) Some Online Responses

Many responses have been posted on social media like Facebook and on blogs. Bloggers like Elizabeth Esther highlights 8 erroneous claims in the video, calling it a 'thinly disguised anti-Catholicism.' Others like Morgan Guyton prefers to probe the reasons behind Bethke's rant. Unwittingly, Guyton too performs a dichotomy. Instead of religion-is-bad-and-jesus-is-good argument, Guyton elevates 'what-jesus-has-done' over 'what we believe.' My friend, Joshua calls the dichotomy as plain 'stupid'

Other notable responses include two postings by Kevin deYoung. The first is a disagreement that triggers a brief exchange of emails between Bethke and DeYoung. The second is a followup that is more reconciliatory. DeYoung labels several parts of the video that are 'unhelpful and misleading.' He takes pains to dissect the statements to point out the mixed bag of both helpful and unhelpful stuff splashed out unabasedly on the video. The crux of DeYoung's argument is that one should not try to hype up a religion-free 'Jesus' at the expense of downplaying religion. Otherwise there will not be much 'Jesus left.'

The underlying tone is that of a cautious handshake. While trying to correct each other, there is a tone of reserved self-control on both sides. Whether we call it humility or speaking the truth in love, in a social media era, it is important to recognize the limits of e-communications. A video can speak a thousand words. The clarifying emails and comments may contribute a few more words. It is the face to face conversations that build bridges much clearer and more lovingly.

B) A Simplistic Portrayal

Videos like this is to me an overly simplistic portrayal of faith. While it appeals initially as a rhetoric or a creative rant about doing something right in a culture that contains some things wrong, it fizzles out when we probe a little deeper.

Some of my friends at Regent call this video a simplistic portrayal of a false dichotomy. Simplistic because people do not understand the contexts behind the historical events of wars and culture of Jesus. False dichotomy because the Bible does not condemn but redeems religion. See how James talks about 'true religion.'

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26-27)

Will Jesus hate such a 'religion?' What if the position that is advocated by Bethke adopts the very religious flavour that they are arguing against? If I were to refer to 'Jesus-only-ism' as the anti-thesis of religion, we get all kinds of confusing flavours. Flavours like:

• Hypocrisy: Can your version of 'loving Jesus' only-ism become a religion in itself?
• Church: Can your version of Jesus only-ism become an institution too?
• Tradition and Doctrine: Can your 'Jesus only-ism, and all things 'love' become a dogmatic statement in itself?
• Religion: Are you debunking all religion just because of a few bad apples?
• Love: What makes one think that Jesus only-ism is able to hold both truth and love at the same time?

C) We Need Both

The truth is, both traditional religion and Jesus only-ism needs each other to clarify, to convict, and to co-operate in the realm of truth and speaking the truth in love. The moment we do a dissection in such a simplistic way, we are effectively planting the seeds of our brand of belief into a dogma. We need each other. We need to utilize our strengths to help our communities. At the same time, we need to let others speak and encourage us in our weaknesses. False dichotomies are unhelpful, and often too simplistic for any good. 

May our Church and various Christian communities learn to accept one another's differences without the need to be dogmatic about our various positions. Who knows? How Christians treat one another on the social media stage is how the world at large is seeing how Christians love one another. We can love one another without having to compel ourselves to compromise our own stand. Likewise, we can speak the truth in love, trusting the Holy Spirit to help us to have the humility to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to let ourselves be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.

conrade

Teresa Hsu

India has Mother Teresa. Singapore has Teresa Hsu. Both are Roman Catholics. They have contributed so much and given the world lots of wisdom. Teresa Hsu died last week as the oldest woman in Singapore then. She was 113 years old. This video (5 & a half minutes) gives us a glimpse of her generosity to give, her willingness to help, and the constant lookout for people less fortunate than herself. She is a model, an example for the rest of us. As you watch the video, look out for the words of wisdom coming from Teresa Hsu. She may be old, but you can see how strong she is inside.

"More than 100 years old, Teresa still spends the time reading, learning, meeting people, gathering, and distributing food and money to help the needy." 

Amazing! Also very humbling.




[Thanks to Net T. for sharing this.]

conrade

Between Calling and Employing

TITLE: BETWEEN CALLING AND EMPLOYING
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 10 Dec 2011

"Adonay Yahweh is coming with power to rule with authority. His reward is with him, and the people he has won arrive ahead of him. Like a Shepherd he takes care of his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them in his arms. He gently helps the sheep and their lambs." (Isa 40:11, GW)

One pastor says this: "I know what to do. I know who to visit. I know what to preach and to teach. But I just don't WANT to do it anymore."

Discouragement. No amount of training can ever prepare anyone for this dose of reality. Years of experience cannot eradicate this. Neither can rest and relaxation prevent this state of emotional despair from ever occurring. This pastor says it very well. He knows exactly what needs to be done and what can be done. When it comes to personal motivation, there is no clear answer. My pastor friends tell me that the average number of years a pastor shepherds any congregation is about 3-5 years. After 3-5 years, they will venture into a newer parish and start the countdown all over again. Perhaps it is due to the lack of energy to continue with their existing parishes. Perhaps, they feel no longer as effective as before. Perhaps, they sense a change in God's calling for their lives. Maybe, all of these are related to this one word: Discouragement.

Pastors are not super-spiritual people. They are human and very vulnerable. I remember one particular time when I had an issue that I could not resolve with a pastor. Aware of the impasse, the senior pastor gently says this to me: "You need to trust me."

Of course, as a young church member, I let the stubborn side of me dominate: "Trust? Trust has first got to be earned."

The Fine Line Between Calling and Employing

One of the biggest differences between working for non-profit and for-profit organizations is simply between 'calling' and 'employing.' All organizations need both. However, the sense of calling is more necessary in non-profits where there is minimal monetary benefit. Those in profit-based corporations often remain with the job happily as an employee because of the money they are making. I have spoken to many people in various places, and one of the most common reasons why they stay in their 'crappy' jobs is because they need the money.

Not the paid minister. Very often, the pastor has given up his cushy job in the corporate world, so as to answer the call to serve God in a full-time capacity. The pay is minimal. The hours are maximal. There is no such thing as a union based 40-hour only workweek for the pastor. There is no way the pastor can forget about work in the office after 5pm. Sometimes, his work actually starts after dinner time. There are meetings to attend, and visitations to make. Small groups meet in the evenings, and weekends are perhaps the busiest times for the paid minister.

For paid ministers in Church, the line between 'calling' and 'employing' becomes very thin the longer the pastor serves in the same Church. One pastor begins his ministry, high on 'calling' and low on 'employing.' He ends his ministry low on 'calling,' and high on 'employing.' Steve Harper of Asbury Seminary makes this observation.

"I am surprised how many pastors lack confidence. They approach their lives and their work more as employees than as beloved sons and daughters. The most extended and deep period of spiritual dryness I have ever experienced occurred when I lost this sense in my own life and settled for a kind of 'mechanical' faithfulness." (Steve Harper, 'A Pastor's Approach to Spiritual Formation,' in The Pastor's Guide to Personal Spiritual Formation, Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2005, 8)

This lack of confidence as described by Harper has a lot to do with trust, or the lack of it. When the trust factor is missing between pastor and the congregation, the road to spiritual dryness has begun. When one is walking along in this condition, his sense of calling becomes less and less. The expectations to discharge his work responsibilities as an 'employee' becomes more and more.  Let me share what are the finer differences between 'calling' and 'employing' so that we can get a better sense of what I am saying.

Firstly, calling is from above, which motivates the minister from the inside. Being merely employed is from the expectations of people, which attempts to move the minister from the outside. Moses is called by God to go to Pharaoh and plead the case on behalf of the Israelites. Time after time, Pharaoh hardens his heart and refuses to let the people go. Each sign from God seems to be matched by Pharaoh's magicians. It can be downright discouraging. Moses finds his strength from the LORD, who shows him each step of the way. It is the LORD who empowers and instructs Moses in the way he should go. On the other hand, a mere employee is motivated more out of a sense of duty, even guilt. One member in a church I know says this to a church worker: "You are paid to do your job, so do it!"

Honestly, when I hear that, my heart goes out to this worker. I can see whatever remaining motivation and joy drain out from her face.

Secondly, calling is a journey of learning to trust. Employing is a posture of earning trust. The Patriarch Abraham has long been called the man who trusted God so much that he is willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, in obedience to God. This act of faith is demonstrated through trust. Abraham trusts God to lead the way. He trusts that obeying God's will is much better. This calling as an act of learning to trust has a lot to do with grace. In grace, one learns to initiate giving more than mere receiving. In grace, one gives out more benefit of the doubt. In grace, one learns about growing a big heart.  In contrast, 'employing' has to do with earning the right to be trusted. This employer-employee relationship is basically an Employer driven relationship that basically says:

• "I pay you to do your job, so you'd better do it."
•  "You are an employee of the Church, so you are responsible to fulfill all the obligations of the contract."
• "Your primary responsibility is to the Church."

Personally, I do not have a problem with pastors doing their jobs. Neither is it unfair to expect the pastor to fulfill all of his stated obligations according to his job description. My point is, when the relationship between the pastor and the congregation becomes an 'employee' rather than a 'calling,' the whole situation becomes very mechanical, very impersonal, and even very discouraging. Instead, calling is one of graciousness.

• "I trust you to do your best. The pay you are getting is our way to encourage you to do your work better."
• "Although you work for us officially, we will work with you to do Church. After all, the Church belongs to God and the people of God."
• "Your primary responsibility is not to the Church but to God. We trust that God will help you do the best for the people of God."

Finally, calling has a lot to do with the giftings of the pastor. 'Employing' has more to do with the needs of the church. In other words, 'calling' begins with asking God what is God's gift and how these gifts can be used for the better of the Church. The Apostle Paul has the gift as a lawyer. He argues his case very well and we see him writing epistles to churches against false teachings, against disunity, and against all manner of dysfunctional behavior in the churches. With these gifting, he does not need people to tell him what to do. He takes initiative to do it. 

On the other hand, 'employing' begins with the needs of the church. If the Church has a lack of worship leaders, they hire a worship leader. If they lack a Sunday School Superintendent, they hire one. If they lack a Bible teacher, they hire one. It begins with a need. The employing process comes next. 

Conclusion

It is not easy to make a distinction between calling and employing. We have to try. For the sake of the Church and for the ministers, we need to. We need to remember that calling is from above, and not be distracted by all kinds of expectations by people.While it is important to minister to people's expectations, it is more important to listen to God's calling. After all, it is God who has the big picture. Calling is one that promotes grace and trust. Employing is one that prefers to reserve any trust until proven otherwise. Finally, calling has more to do with giftings from God and less to do with expectations of people.

Let us endeavor to help one another discover our calling for one another.Let us not let money or the pay element distract us from the kingdom of God. Let us learn to give one another the benefit of any doubt. For the sake of Christ. May this be the prayer of everyone, not just the Minister. Remember, all of us are first and foremost sons and daughters of God. Do not let money or pay make us forget that. When calling becomes the primary motivation instead of 'employing,' pastors will 'want' to serve better instead of 'have' to serve all.

Let me close with this Wesley Covenant Prayer.

Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what You will. Rank me with whom You will.
Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You,
exalted for You or brought low by You.
Let me have all things. Let me have nothing.
I freely & heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am Yours. So be it.
(John Wesley)

Amen.

conrade

Noticing Life Outside and Inside

This is a wonderful video. Last week I have been reflecting on beauty and the art of noticing. I even wrote an article to express the need to observe more of life. Most of my thoughts were centered on noticing life outside. This video makes me notice life INSIDE my heart and its appropriate response: Give Thanks.

"Just by your presence Let your gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. Then it will really be a good day."

Take your time to watch the video here. Do not rush it. Enjoy it.



Let us not to take life for granted. Let us not to treat any day too mundane or too ordinary. Let us develop eyes to gaze at dimples of perfection, not stare at faces looking for pimples of imperfection. Let us grow ears to listen to people for who they really are, and not hearing in order to find loopholes in their arguments. Let us taste the beauty of relationships, instead of leaving it alone, only to pick them up when we find a use for it.

Appreciate life. Cherish people. More importantly, respond by cultivating an attitude of gratefulness. With a heart of thanksgiving, we can make this world a better place, a more beautiful place. The ABCs of stewardship is essentially to increase our level ATTENTIVENESS, the appreciation of BEAUTY, and the cultivation of CREATIVITY.

conrade

Behind Every Digital Facade is a Person

TITLE: BEHIND EVERY DIGITAL FACADE IS A PERSON
DATE: 2 Dec 2011
Written by: Conrade Yap

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor 5:16-17)

The world is changing. Everyone knows that. The world is changing fast. Most people know that. The world is changing us too. How many of us know that? Most importantly, in a world where people are increasingly becoming virtual, we can easily forget that behind every digital presence is a person that Christ died for. Before I get into that, let me address how the digital new has come to dominate the conventional old.

A) Changing Technological Landscape

The new has come. The old has passed away. Those who pooh-pooh away mainframes and open systems by trumpeting the rise of the PCs, are now grappling with the rise of a new tablet and smartphones era. Those who swear by Microsoft 10 years ago, are biting their tongues as they see Google sweep the search engine crown. Companies that rely heavily on traditional modes of marketing are doing catch-up to the rise of the new social network environment that is fast changing the way people do business. What is new yesterday is commodity tomorrow. What is breakthrough today will be ancient within the next few days. Social media is changing the world. More particularly, it is changing our lifestyles, and even us personally. In a changing technological landscape, we need to be on our guard, that when we try to get into the world of digital breakthroughs, we do not lose ourselves. We do not let the new technologies define who we are. It is God who defines us, not us.

Implication: It used to be man trying to make technology behave like man. Now the tide seems to be reversing. Loving God means letting God define who we are. Not technology.

A) Changing Language

We speak in a language that is also changing rapidly. A three-word 'I love you' has been replaced by a three-letter 'lol' (lots of love, in short).  A 140-word email has been outgunned by a 140-character Twitter message. What is paid subscription yesterday, is free today. Take a look at the people who are catching up on news. The elderly, the older adults read printed newspapers. Younger ones read news feeds on their smartphones, tablets, or portable computers. The old takes time to read, to enjoy, and perhaps to reflect their thoughts on what they read to their buddies sitting opposite them. The young zips through their reading by scanning, by rushing, and by quick forwarding to all their friends digitally to their buddies sitting halfway across the world. As our world becomes more digital, more Internet-driven, people becomes more virtual in their interactions, and perhaps more driven to discover the next big thing. A decade ago, there is this popular phrase: "We live in a world where it is no longer the big that eats up the small but the fast that outruns the slow." Even the venerable face of the Internet, the EMAIL, is now being threatened into extinction by Facebook and Twitter.

Implication: Loving our neighbour means learning to speak the language of our neighbours.

B) Changing Influence Mediums

With the rising popularity of the social media networks, even this phrase has changed. It is no longer the fast that outruns the slow, but the ones with the largest following, the most connected, and the most read that are marginalizing the strong, the fast, and the powerful. It is no longer a world of relationships, but a world of NETWORKS of relationships. Welcome to a viral world. It is a world where traditional boundaries of command, control, and conquer disappear. It is a world where what is private today becomes public tomorrow. It is a world in which both truths and untruths are disseminated at such an alarming scale and rate, that both are tolerated in a crucible of free speech and liberal expression.

The catchphrase used by Vegas marketers, 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,' has been replaced. What happens anywhere is now distributed speedily and staying indelibly in cyberspace.  Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are more popular (based on their follower numbers) in the social network than the most powerful President on planet earth.

Implication: Do not be distracted by the lack of followers on your Twitter or too few friends on your Facebook account. A few good friends who know you are more invaluable than thousands of faceless individuals.

C) Changing Method of Engagement

I believe that the Christian community needs to be aware of the changing climate. The new name cards are becoming less of 'telephone/fax/address/email' but more of 'Facebook-Twitter-cellphone' social media instead. While the methods and networks are changing, people are not. Though people's communications pattern may alter, their personality and basic needs are not. After all, it is one thing to grow your cow population in Farmville. It is yet another to bite into a real, beefy, juicy hamburger complete with lettuce on a sesame seed bun, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. It is one thing to silence computer speakers. It is yet another to try to keep our lit on our current emotional state. Regardless of how fast the world is changing, humanly speaking, our needs are the same. We need friends. We need hope. We need love. No amount of digital connectivity can claim to be the do-all, be-all, and become-all. Hug a computer and you will see what I mean. The warmth that you can may be due to the radiation from the computers, but that contributes nothing to emotional intimacy. The key to being intimate is in Christ.

Paul writes to the Corinthian Church, all pumped up about his new identity in Christ. It is a transformational experience too good to keep to himself. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul tells of his hope in the heavenly kingdom. He speaks of being clothed and readied for a heavenly dwelling It is God who guarantees what is to come. This is the essence of hope, a hope in God. It is this hope that causes him to be willing to let go of the old selves, and to take on the new person, in Christ. The new has come. The old has passed away. This kind of newness can never be outlived by the digital titans of the world. Chances are, technologies will be outgunned by one another in a never ending race of being better so as to survive a little while longer. In a digital world, the stark fact is this. Stop development and your work will die. Maintain development and your work will not die so quickly. Continue innovation and perhaps your work will live a wee bit longer. The point is, the things of this world will die. They will pass away.

Implication: We live in a world where technology is rapidly outlasting itself. We are in the digital world but not OF the digital world. God will always outlast anything, even technology.

D) Behind the Digital Facade....

Not the things of God. Not Christ. Souls are of bigger concern to God. That is why Jesus came. That is why God continues to keep His Promise, His Covenant. In a digital world, this has not changed.  Behind every Twitter account is a person. Behind every Facebook address is an individual. Behind every presence on the Internet is a person that Jesus has died for. Forget about those electronic robots and spam spiders. Do not be distracted by those Internet marketing gimmicks and messages. Even behind these innovations, there is a human person just like the rest of us. Behind the digital facade, the needs have not really changed. Knowing that behind every digital facade is a person reminds us that loving our neighbour extends also to the digital platform. Technology may change fast. People do not change as fast. Technology may become obsolete. Not people. Technology may be new, but there is something that is newer every morning. It is the steadfast love of the Lord. It is the love that is newer and better than any social media network or technological brilliance. Looking with eyes of love is better than loving the eyes of technology.

May we all remember that behind every digital facade, there is a person. We may always be called to invent new technologies. We are always called to love people, both in the real world, and in the digital world. Let me close with John Ortberg's words, from his book, "Everybody's normal till you get to know them" simply because everybody is weird, one way or another. More importantly, everyone has a common need as follows:

"The yearning to attach and connect, to love and be loved, is the fiercest longing of the soul. Our need for community with people and the God who mad us is to the human spirit what food and air and water are to the human body. The need will not go away even in the face of all the weirdness." (18)

Do not just read the person's digital profile, or Facebook page. Know the person personally. Do not just twitter to the thousands of faceless individuals. Talk with people to know them more.

Turn off your computer once in a while. Have coffee with a friend. Buy lunch. Chat without your computers or phone. Be available offline as you disconnect online on a periodic basis. That way, we remind ourselves on a regular basis, that behind every digital facade is a person who needs Christ. Like us.

conrade

Missing the People Forest

Title: Missing the People Forest
Date: 26 Nov 2011
Written by: Conrade Yap

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Matt 9:10-11)

Missing the Forest for the Trees?

Matthew, the tax collector is in cloud 9. Feeling on top of the world, for once, he is accepted as a real person instead of being looked down. He has just struck a spiritual lottery: Dinner with Jesus! Not only that, it is the Rabbi, the Lord that everyone is talking about who has initiated the whole thing. It is an invitation too hard to refuse. It brings out a joy, and a generosity in him.

“Wow! Dinner with Jesus. I’ve to invite all my tax friends to celebrate together!”

A) Jesus’ Grace Promotes Open Generosity

So he gathers his friends. True joy is being able to share one’s happiness with people he knows and loves. He invites his tax collector friends to join in. He invites other ‘sinners’ to come. He displays a spirit of open generosity amid a climate of judgmental religiosity.

The guest of honor is Jesus. Let the party begin. Better than meeting top powerful kings and princes. Better than shaking hands with movie stars and pop singers. Better than crashing a party where everyone toes the same line or adopts a patronizing stance. After all, nice words are not necessarily true. Truthful words are not necessarily nice. The best thing is to be one’s true self, and to be accepted. Jesus’ big heart of grace makes it all possible.

B) The Pharisee’s Un-Grace Caps the Fizz of Joy

However, there is a problem. Like throwing a spanner into the works, the keepers of the law turn party poopers. Not wanting to disrupt the gathering, the watching Pharisees take the sly approach. They ask the disciples in an accusatory manner.

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

I wonder why the Pharisees didn’t disrupt the whole gathering like a religious policeman bashing through the door. Maybe they are afraid of rankling the ire of the tax collectors. Maybe they just want to be nice and to avoid an embarrassing confrontation with Jesus. Understandably, they have a bad track record for losing arguments with Jesus.

It is a known fact that tax collectors are despised in society then. After all, they make a living by charging an additional interest on top of everything else. Like collecting a few percent more on top of each person’s regular tax liability. Maybe for every $1, they charge $1.20. For every $99, they collect a few more dollars for themselves. It is not illegal. Just distasteful. After all, tax collectors are making the Roman Empire rich by taxing their fellow Jews. The normal thing is to shun such ‘traitors.’ Don’t eat with them. Don’t patronize them. Don’t play golf with them.

Why then is Jesus eating and drinking with these scums of society? This infuriates the Pharisees. Perhaps they are caught in the middle, like between a rock of the Law and a hard place of Jesus’ popularity. That is why they whisper. They speak softly, not to Jesus, but to his disciples. They want to play it safe. Their hardened hearts have blinded them to put principles before people, law before grace, and convictions before conversions. E. Stanley Jones speaks of such ‘negative’ people as follows.

“They came all the way from Jerusalem to meet Him, and their life attitudes were so negative and faultfinding that all they saw was unwashed hands. They couldn’t see the greatest movement of redemption that had ever touched our planet – a movement that was cleansing the minds and souls and bodies of men. All they saw was a ritualistic infringement. Their eyes were open wide to the little and marginal and blind to the big.” (E. Stanley Jones)

C) Beware of Small Minds

Jones reminds us about the dangers of having a small mind. When we become fixated on the ‘I,’ we tend to miss the forest for the trees. When we are consumed with obeying laws, we tend to miss the spirit of the law. John Ortberg reminds us about missing the bigger picture.

“I do not see how it would be possible to find a meaningful life in a meaningless universe. The only purpose that is worthy of life is something bigger than life itself.” (John Ortberg, Know Doubt, Zondervan, 2008, 33)

Beware of small minds that suffocate. Embrace a big heart and open mind to free ourselves from hypocrisy. Free ourselves from burdensome expectations that sees principles before people. Learn from Jesus, the man who comes to earth to save, but to punish. See Jesus’ considered and open response to the Pharisees secretive words.

“On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

Yes. Let those of us who are sick, not call others ‘sick.’ Let us instead call upon Jesus, the Doctor and the Healer. Often, when we try to prescribe Jesus for others, it is us who need Jesus more. Big hearted faith comes only after we meet Jesus. Like Matthew the tax collector.

conrade

Only One Thing is Needful

I shared this prayer with some people last week. Based on the feedback I have received, it has touched a raw nerve. It makes me suspect that there are more people out there who feel the same way. Taken from my review copy of Jesus Calling Devotional Bible (see my review here), the prayer is from a person named Wanda.

"All of life seems foggy lately. I think I can pinpoint the source of this fog: I feel disconnected from You, Jesus. There's no telling just how many days have gone by without a thought of You. I can't remember the last time I read my Bible or told someone about You either. But I'm here now, on my knees, needing You to lift the fog. I wish I could blame my current state on those around me. But I chose to shut You out. I chose to give up the habit of praying daily. I chose to hang out with people who don't know You, people who don't encourage my relationship with You. How do I find my way back? How can I erase the distance between us? Somewhere in my past I remember that You promised to never stop pursuing a relationship with me. Well, I'm taking You up on it. Please, Jesus, restore me to You and make us close again." (From: Jesus Calling Devotional Bible, Thomas-Nelson, 2011, p1582)

God Is the Prime Mover

What I like about this prayer is the deep confession of one's foggy faith, and an earnest hope to be renewed and restored. Most importantly, it is a recognition that it is God who is the Prime Mover. Whenever Christians feel down, one way is to attempt to dig out past treasures from our diaries of spiritual success stories. For some of us it may be our needed booster to bring us back. For others, it may be another attempt to kick-start our faith without guarantee that it will be sustained over the long haul. For anyone who wants to draw on our past histories or our present reserves, my advice is: "Don't." Whenever there is any 'Martha-like' activism that threatens to usurp the place of a 'Mary-like' needful spirituality, remember the Lord's words:

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-39)

Only One Thing Is Needed

Perhaps, the confession of one's foggy faith is due to worry and being upset about many things. If one cares to ponder about it, often it is not the object of worry that is the problem. It is the worrying disposition that is the source of anxiety. This prayer puts a stake on the ground of faith, amid winds of  distraction, disappointment, and discouragement. It sets our hearts to acknowledge that by ourselves we are weak and helpless. With God's help, we can be strengthened, be helped that we too may help others. Alone, there is only so much faith we can garner.  With God, faith comes free-flowing, and it is the shape and volume of our ability to receive that is the limit. Depending on ourselves, we see more problems and doubts. Depending on God, we see more than solutions. We see an opportunity to exercise our faith. If anyone believes that becoming a Christian means more money or better health, or greater wealth, he/she is badly mistaken. That is a worldly and deadly quickfix tablet disguised as 'gospel.'

No. Only one thing is needful whenever we feel our life is foggy. Keep our eyes on Jesus. Let us focus on seeking out God to meet our legitimate needs. Let God focus our one thing. Let God help us address the source of our discouragement. Let God be our answer.

It Begins With Prayer

For Christians, we know that life is not a bed or roses. Believing in Jesus does not mean it any easier. Contrary to what some preachers assert, life can be harder. Ask the prophets like Jeremiah or Hosea. Ask the martyrs like Jim Elliot or John Wycliff. Ask anyone in the Third Word who have suffered for their faith.  Let me end with a prayer by the great Methodist missionary, E. Stanley Jones. It is a prayer that combines the best of one's earnest desire and one's honest acknowledgement of a need for God to help.

"O Christ, do not give me tasks equal to my powers,
but give me powers equal to my tasks,
for I want to be stretched by things too great for me.
I want to grow through the greatness of my tasks,
but I shall need your help for the growing." (E. Stanley Jones)

My readers, whatever the stage of your spiritual life or condition, the moment you stop, look up to God, and to ask Him for help, you are pointing in the direction of the kingdom of God. You will be empowered by the Spirit of God. You will be accompanied by Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Seeing our clouds of doubt lifted by the breeze of faith, we are ready to go and grow.

conrade