Every Life Has a Story: Don't Judge

This short video is a nice way to put across the teaching of not judging people. It's from the video posted on Dan Cathy's vimeo account. Cathy is President and CEO of Chick-fil-A, an American fast food restaurant.


Every Life Has a Story from Dan T. Cathy on Vimeo.


c

Midweek Meditation: "Like a Precious Stone"

A monk in his travels once found a precious stone and kept it. One day he met a traveler, and when the monk opened his bag to share his provisions with him, the traveler saw the jewel and asked the monk to give it to him. The monk did so readily. The traveler departed, overjoyed with the unexpected gift of the precious stone that was enough to give him wealth and security for the rest of his life. However, a few days later he came back in search of the monk, found him, gave him back the stone, and entreated him, “Now give me something much more precious than this stone, valuable as it is. Give me that which enabled you to give it to me.” 
(Anthony De Mello)
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Let our faith be like that of a pilgrim who gets enlightened to seek after the One who made the precious stone? As we pray for our needs in this world, remember not the gifts we seek after but the Giver who provides all that we need.

conrade

Midweek Meditation: A Moving Story of a Nigerian Pastor

I came across this amazing testimony by a Nigerian pastor from the blog of Mark Meynell. It was so good that I just had to repost this.  Credits as indicated below.

conrade

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The story concerns a young Baptist pastor, Sunday Gomna, who had been a student of Professor McCain’s, and led the church attended by him and his family. The church building and the pastor’s house were located in an area of Jos which was badly affected by the recurrent outbreaks of violence, and there had been much loss of life and destruction of property there. Danny McCain relates the story:
On the second Sunday of the crisis, which was the first Sunday we could go to church, pastor Sunday [Gomna] assembled his congregation in a little mud wall community center about one kilometer from the burnt church . . . The service was all in Hausa and my Hausa is very poor. However, I understand enough Hausa and the pastor slipped into English enough that I could understand what he said.

He said, ‘First, I am grateful that no one in my church killed anyone.” Certainly many Christians had blood on their hands. However, Pastor Sunday said that he had gone around through the community and some of the Muslim people said, “Pastor, thank you for the way you taught your people. Your people helped to protect us.’ So Pastor Sunday was proud that his people did not kill any Muslims. ‘Second, I am grateful that they did not burn my church.’ We all looked at him a bit incredulously. We were meeting in this little uncomfortable place because the church building had been burned. But Pastor Sunday continued: “Inasmuch as no church member died during this crisis, they did not burn our church. They only burned the building. We can rebuild the building but we could not bring back to life any of our members. So I am grateful that they did not burn my church.” He continued, “Third, I am grateful that they burned my house as well” He had been living in the parsonage [which] was burned with everything in it. Pastor Sunday continued, ‘If they had burned your house and not my house, how would ! have known how to serve you as pastor? However, because they burned my house and all my possessions, I know what you are experiencing and I will be able to be a better pastor to you. So I am grateful that they burned my house as well.’ To me these were amazing statements coming from a young pastor. And they were an illustration of the true spirit of Christ. Who can find fault with this kind of Christianity? This is not just a veneer of Christian faith over evil thoughts and attitudes. It is a true reflection of Jesus’ teachings. (Danny McCain, To the Ends of the Earth (Calabar, Flourish Brands 2010) 164-5)

Story of the Three Trees

This story has been going around the Internet for years. It is a good one, and is worth telling and retelling for this generation as well as generations to come. The take home for me is that we need to keep our dreams alive, and be ready to bear fruit for God when our time arrives. It does not matter how the world treats us. It matters more how we let ourselves be vessels for God. There is a Youtube video (20 mins) animation of this story.

Note that the story in the video is a little different, but the gist is pretty much the same.

conrade

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STORY OF THE THREE TREES

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" 

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!" 

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said. 

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!" 

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell. 

The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..." 

Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world. 

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth. 

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world. 

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

*********

Touching Story of Appreciation

This story is widely available on the Internet. I am not sure of the original source, since it has been posted so many times on social media. Let me know if you have the author's name, and I will add credit accordingly. This story touches on how a prospective candidate was hired, not on the basis of his achievements or qualifications, but on the basis of something much more personal and simple.

conrade 

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One young man went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the initial interview, and now would meet the director for the final interview.

The director discovered from his CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "no".

" Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"

"My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.” he replied.

" Where did your mother work?"

"My mother worked as clothes cleaner.”

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

" Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"

"Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."

The director said, "I have a request. When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back home, he asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced when he touched it.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fees. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, when he asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered," I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
“I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, I would not be who I am today. By helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done on your own. And I have come to appreciate the importance and value of helping one’s family.

The director said, "This is what I am looking for in a manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life.”

“You are hired.”

This young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and worked as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop an "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, they may be successful for a while, but eventually they would not feel a sense of achievement. They will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying our children instead?

You can let your child live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch on a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your child learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

****

conrade

Choose Wisely

As the Chinese New Year season approaches, it is good to start taking stock again what is most important. This little story is simple, but points to a need to learn to choose wisely in life. As I think of Matthew 6:33, it is even more applicable. When we choose Christ, Christ will give everything we need.

Click here or below.


conrade

"A Cup of Coffee on the Wall" Story

I received this lovely story in my Inbox today and thought I can share it with you my readers, as we prepare for Christmas Eve and Christmas. The Spirit of Christmas is not simply about giving. It is about living in a way that reflects loving our neighbour as ourselves. In our society, it means serving one another.

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A CUP OF COFFEE ON THE WALL
I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice, the city of lights and water. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat on an empty table beside us.

He called the waiter and placed his order saying, Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall. We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying, "A Cup of Coffee."

"A Cup of Coffee"

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying, "A Cup of Coffee."

It seemed that this gesture was a norm at this place. However, it was something unique and perplexing for us. Since we had nothing to do with the matter, we finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

After a few days, we again had a chance to go to this coffee shop. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not match the standard nor the atmosphere of this coffee shop.

Poverty was evident from the looks on his face. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, one cup of coffee from the wall. The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity.

The man had his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dust bin. Now it was no surprise for us the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town welled up our eyes with tears.

Coffee is not a need of our society neither a necessity of life for us. The point to note is that when we take pleasure in any blessing, maybe we also need to think about those people who appreciate that specific blessing as much as we do but they cannot afford to have it.

Note the character of this waiter, who is playing a consistent and generous role to get the communication going between the affording and the needy with a smile on his face.
Ponder upon this man in need. He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.

conrade

A Touching Memorial Service - Lokomotiv Yaroslav

On Wednesday, the hockey world was devastated by one of the world's most horrific air crashes which virtually wiped out a top hocky league in Eastern Europe, the KHL. The plane was carrying 45 members of the team, Lokomotiv Yaroslav. Only two survived but are in critical condition. Thursday was supposed to be the opening match against their opponent, Dinamo Minsk. Instead of a hockey game, spectators turned up in droves. The entire team from Minsk turned up in full hockey gear. Every player who perished from their opposing team was represented by a large placade placed on the ice, complete with photo, names, and the colour of the team. As the choir sang, the people stood up in respectful silence and tears. Each Minsk player stood in front of the picture of a player who died, and paid respect. Afterward, each team slowly skated with a puck to put the puck into their own net in honour and remembrance of their dead comrades from the other team. The entire ceremony is touching. Watch it here.




If you want to watch the full 30 minutes ceremony, click here. It is never easy to hear about tragic news, especially this year. The hockey world has been rocked with several deaths recently. For all the passion and competitiveness in sports, it is important to remember that we are all humans in the first place. We hurt. We cry. We mourn and we will weep together. May God grant peace and comfort upon the families and loved ones.

conrade

Book: "The Blessing of Adversity"

TITLE: The Blessing of Adversity: Finding Your God-given Purpose in Life's Troubles
AUTHOR: Barry C. Black
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011, (256 pages).

This book is gentle, encouraging, and a pleasure to read. What strikes me is the steadfastly persuasive way in which the author overcomes trials and tribulations; pain and suffering. Backed by more than 27 years as a military chaplain, and the current chaplain of the US Senate, Black serves up dish after dish of encouragement. Using brilliant stories to illustrate his points, Black's style is like a devotional. It is also inviting, not forceful. Firm and not fiery.

The thrust of the book is easy to follow. This book is not about positive thinking. It is about keeping our focus on God despite the negativity. The Blessing of Adversity does not mean constantly needing to stay positive in a journey peppered with one adversity after another. Far from that. It prepares one for adversity. It equips one before adversity. It encourages one during adversity.

There are three key audiences Black wants to address. The first audience is for those currently going through adversity. He helps them to see hopeful possibilities in the midst of impossible hopeless situations. For example, he says that there are benefits when one learns from suffering and brokenness. Similarly, suffering should not be 'wasted.'  Secondly, he writes to those yet to encounter adversity. By 'Avoiding the Sources of Trouble' one can avoid piling unnecessary hot coals upon one's own head. Thirdly, he addresses to those who are able to turn things around, to turn adversity into advantage. This last part is possible when one learns to 'supersize' one's faith and to build a 'storm-proofed' life.

My Comments
I appreciate the way Black harnesses his own life struggles to illustrate faith, hope and lessons for the purpose of teaching others to endure and to learn from adversity. This reflects an authenticity that modern readers deeply appreciate. He supports his points strongly with his wide repertoire of Old and New Testament examples from the Bible. He points a way out for those who seems lost and discouraged.

I like the structure of this book. Beginning with a big idea, the author explains the reason for the need to cling on to God. At the end of every chapter, he summarizes his main points with a 'action plan.' The chapters are short, and easy enough for anyone to finish a chapter in between meetings in the office, during lunch breaks, or pockets of spare time throughout the day. If adversity is your struggle right now, along with the Bible, the Blessing of Adversity can accompany your daily bread.


conrade

Disclaimer: Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. This review is freely offered without any obligation to give a positive reply.

Out of the mouth of Babes

A good story is hard to resist. A good story well delivered is even more appealing. This little girl captivates my attention with her innocent and very effective re-telling of the story of Jonah. May it encourage you as it has encouraged me. I understand that she tells the whole story by heart. Amazing! You can click here or the embedded video below.



The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.


conrade

Book Review: "YHWH"

TITLE: YHWH (The Flood, the Fish and the Giant - ancient stories retold)
AUTHOR: G. P. Taylor & Paula K. Parker
Published: London: Authentic Media, 2010.
Reviewed by: Conrade Yap

A) WHO SAYS OLD STORIES CANNOT BE REFRESHING?
This book is a refreshing re-telling of the biblical stories in the Old Testament. From the creation story at the Garden of Eden, to the amazing experience of Isaiah the prophet, Taylor and Parker masterfully crafts modern story-telling skills with vivid imaginations that could instill attentive listening for jaded ears. In twenty short chapters, the authors capture the essence of the story by heightening the effects through conversations, and makes the scene comes alive with props and scenes that reflect a modern Hollywood drama.

In fact, the book can be used directly as a Sunday School play. With very little editing, the fast movement in the story line can bring a fresh understanding to these ancient stories, retold from a contemporary mindset. I am impressed by the way the authors communicated their belief in timeless principles by drawing a lot of meaning for our time-based culture. One example is the chapter on Noah's Ark and the Great Flood. Faith being the timeless principle, Noah explains his decision to his children as follows:

"The ways of the Creator are not our ways. Our minds cannot understand. In faith I take all that is said as the truth and in that I put my trust." (25)

One thing that modern readers of ancient Scriptures struggle with is the effect of how the Israelites of old feels when they hear the spoken words. Thus, sometimes we tend to read Scriptures without feeling the actual effect. The authors of the book fills in this gap with a livid imagery, to reinforce the scary effect of the size of the descendents of Anak. A few times, there were statements of how scary these Canaanites are.

"... these giants eat children who do not do their work." (150)

B) STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
With repetition and clever play of emotional effects, Taylor and Parker makes the biblical stories virtually come alive. Below are what I feel are the strengths of the book:

• It gives a very fresh look at the biblical stories without seriously compromising on the original content;
• It keeps people awake from otherwise a very monotonous reading;
• It communicates strongly the emotional impact of the narratives;
• It makes the stories fun to listen to;
• The stories are very suitable for ready-made plays in Sunday School performance, Church Camp Fun nights, acting out the biblical scene, as well as communicating biblical truths clearly.
• It is a powerful preacher's and teacher's tool for giving a wide repertoire of telling the stories.
• It communicates without becoming 'preachy.'

Here are some cautions to take note of.

• There are some parts which are not recorded in the Bible, but added in to increase/decrease impact.
• Certain names and characters are invented.
• Some of the conversations made are entirely fictional. 
• If we were to read the book by itself, we may even be mistake to think that the Bible contains all these material. 

In order to maximize benefit from reading the book, and to minimize wrong perceptions, I will strongly encourage readers to read the book with the Bible next to it. The authors give us a helpful text note at the end of the book (p306) to tell readers where the stories are taken from. If you read the Bible together with this book, not only will your reading be richer, you will feel motivated to read more of the Bible, and perhaps, do your own retelling in your own unique manner. I strongly recommend this book to preachers, teachers, Sunday School classes, Bible teachers and those who work a lot with youths and children.

conrade

"Book has been provided courtesy of Authentic Media and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller." 

Heart-Warming Story of a Lion

This is a very heart-warming story of a lion named Christian. We need friends. Friends need us. Why not get in touch with someone you have known long ago, to simply say 'Hi.'The message at the ending reads as:

"Love knows no limits and true friendships last a lifetime. Get back in touch with someone today."

Thanks Albert for this.



conrade

Story: "The Ant and the Contact Lens"

I came across this story as I was researching for a talk this week. It is first shared by author, Elisabeth Elliot, in her book, "Keep a Quiet Heart." Whether it is true or not, I will simply take it at it is. It is a heart warming story. Snopes has verified it as true.

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Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry." 

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." 

She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me." 

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" 

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it! 

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption,

"Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You." 

I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."
 
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

 [photo credit: edevotions.org]
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The Olympic Spirit

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games end this Sunday 28th February 2010. In terms of gold medals, this third attempt is the best ever by a Canadian city. Montreal (Summer 1976) and Calgary (Winter 1988). So far, the host country Canada has raked in 7 golds, and more are expected to come. Of course, for a die-hard hockey fan, none of these really matter if Canada fails to bring in a gold in Ice-Hockey. In fact, many are already preparing for the gold medal game this coming Sunday noon. Some churches have even prepared large screens for their members and friends to capture the historic occasion. Even though Canada is not officially in the gold medal game yet, anyone walking in downtown Vancouver is confident that Canada will be there. Having swept past Russia 7-3 last night, Canadians all over are preparing and hungry for a rematch between Canada and the USA. After the surprise upset last week where Canada lost 5-3 to the USA, this time, Team Canada will be ready.

The Olympic Spirit

This is one Olympic moment to remember. It is a moment in which we cherish our beloved hometown heroes. It is a moment where we marvel at history being made. It is a moment in which we experience the ecstasy of human achievement. In a competition that is highly contested and sometimes results disputed, everyone plays to win. Even though some are there for the experience, the fact is that, to be an Olympian is already an accomplishment in itself. What exactly is an Olympian? What exactly is the Olympic Spirit?

Baron Pierre de Coubertin has been credited as the founder of the modern version of the Olympic Games. His famous words ring true to this day. With regards to the Olympic Spirit, he says:

"It is not about winning but taking part, not conquering but fighting well."

This is important. In a winner-takes-it-all world, sometimes, we can allow our infatuation with medals and results overwhelm us to the point that we miss out the 'participation' aspect. There has been many cases where athletes behave in an unsportsmanlike manner. Take the victory of Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau for example. After winning the first gold medal for Canada, others grumbled about his win. One Australian daily reported that the silver medalist, Begg-Smith representing Australia should have won. Geoff Lipshut was quoted as saying:

"My own opinion is that probably Alex is not capable of a 4.8 or a 4.9 (on his turns) ... because 5 is a perfect score." (link)

Is this a case of sour grapes? Probably, it is a spur of the moment comment as a result of heightened emotions. I believe that the Australian officials will take a more reasonable stance once the results sink in.

True Competitor

Personally, I believe that sportsmanship is a mark of a true competitor. Whether one wins or loses, one should be proud of having been part of the sports to spur one another on toward achieving their best. A healthy competition is only when all athletes give of their best. It makes it worthwhile. It motivates each athlete to compete and fight well. It encourages the public to see that dreams can come true. I like what the Canadian skier, Jennifer Heil says about her silver medal. She said:

"I really don't feel like I lost gold, I really feel like I won silver." (link)

While she may have felt let down by her failure to win gold, I think this should be the attitude of all competitors. The joy is in participation. The reward is in knowing that one has tried the best. If there is a medal won, great. If there is no medal, give thanks for the privilege of being able to compete in the first place.

More Than Gold Within Us
Truly, a thankful heart goes a long way. As a Christian, I believe that this is where Christian athletes can shine for God. With a thankful heart, be grateful for the privilege to compete. For the Christian, if winning is important, there is something else that is 'more than gold.' In fact, this is precisely why a group of Vancouver churches have banded together under the umbrella, "More Than Gold," to remind all of us, that winning is not the end of it all. It is competing for something that is more than gold.

We may not know the extent of the influence of More Than Gold. However, I must say that the words 'More Than Gold' (MTG) captures the Olympic Spirit in more ways than one. It is helpful to contrast "Just Gold" vs "More Than Gold."

Firstly, there can only be one gold medal winner. In MTG, we are all winners in the name of Christ. Secondly, in the medal race, some people use all kinds of ways to win. Some use cheating, like drugs. In MTG, there is no need to do any cheating. One seeks to give more than to receive. Thirdly, a 'Just-Gold' mindset tempts one to try to win at all costs. A MTG mindset reminds us that winning is just not the only thing in life. Whether one wins or loses, one can be proud of the fact that they have tried. Finally, in the MTG website, there are many different athletes whose testimonies reflect a common faith in Jesus. They come from diverse ethnicity, different nationalities and various other backgrounds. They may compete under the flag of their respective countries. However, all of them know that something else is at stake: their witness for Christ. Their stories can be found under the "Beyond the Ultimate" website. Some of their quotes are worth repeating here. Reading them warms my heart. I pray that you experience the same too.

Quotes from Olympians who are Christians:

• "The way that I conduct myself could be seen around the world. In the heat of competitions, emotions run high. It can be easy to lose tempers, get mad, or argue with officials or opponents. But the person that keeps Christ as a priority throughout the competition seems to be the winner no matter what the score is in the end. A great Christian can remain calm in pressure situations, upbeat in the face of defeat, and even content with not winning. It’s important to be consistently reminded that winning and losing are not the most important things in life. The bigger picture is serving God the right way. I pray that I will always compete as a man with a strong apparent faith." (Curt Tomasevicz, Bobsled, USA)
  
• “Having Jesus in my life makes a big difference. Even if you fail, God can make the best of it. He stands behind you and carries you through the difficult times. I don’t know how I would survive without God, knowing that whatever I do in competition is good enough and doesn’t affect what God thinks of me. To get to the top in the world of sports there is so much pressure. People may think you have everything in life but I have learned that knowing Jesus and being loved by Him is the only thing that can really satisfy me.” (Ursula Bruhin, Snow Boarding, Switzerland)
  
• "My courage comes from my faith, and I don’t know any other way of thinking about it. It’s engrained in me and I can rely on God and know that He has a plan for me and things are in His control, not mine. That’s where my courage comes from." (Lyndon Rush, Driver in Bobsled, Canada)
  
• “There are great pressures – having spent so many years of effort just to get there. The expectations of your team and country and your own expectations, the coach is under pressure and passes that pressure on to athlete. If your race does not go well everything seems to collapse and you don’t know how to deal with it. As a Christian if I knew I had done all the preparation I could then I was able just to leave the rest to God.” (Katya Antonuk, Cross Country, Russia)
  
• "Whether the suffering is large or small, many people believe they will feel joy only after their circumstances get better. Actually, it’s the other way around. Making time and choosing God’s joy when your circumstances are at their worst gives you the energy to face those difficulties and truly effect change. The secret is to allow God to continually clear out the old cobwebs and make room for new joy in your life." (Bonnie StJohn, Paralympic, USA)

Sob. Sob. I think these are true Olympians in the Lord. One more thing, as light of the world and salt of the earth, how are we training for the spiritual Olympics?

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Tim 4:7)

May we be true Olympians in the Lord, not just in name but in the heart. All of us can be.

conrade

'ON' Our Hearts

"You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead." (Deut 11:18, NAS)

A Hasidic tale describes a Rabbi who told people that if they studied the Torah it would put Scripture on their hearts. When someone asked him why he always used the word “on” instead of “in” he said, “Only God can put Scripture inside. But reading sacred text can put it on your hearts, and when your hearts break the holy words will fall inside.” [Anne Lamott's Plan B - Further Thoughts on Faith, (NY: Riverhead Books, 2005), p73]

I encountered this story twice this week; from Anne Lamott's "Plan B - Further Thoughts on Faith" and Parker Palmer's "A Hidden Wholeness." I prefer Lamott's version. Many English translations of Deut 11:18 miss the subtle difference in the preposition. The meaning is correct, but the preposition misses the timing aspect. In this sense, I think the literal translation works well. The Hebrew preposition (עַל) 'al' can be translated as 'upon, over, above.' However, some modern translations miss this.

• "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds ... (NIV)
  
• "Fix these words of mine into your mind and being..." (NET)
  
• "You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul. . . " (NRSV)
  
• "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul..." (NKJV)
  

The NASB hits it right on. The translators of NASB that adopt a word-for-word literal translation hit the mark for this passage.

"You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul.." (NASB)

Every English translation is in themselves a form of interpretation. That is one reason why serious Bible students ought to take interest in going a little deeper into the original languages. With the availability of electronic tools, every layperson should be able to get some idea. Of course, having a trained person in the original languages to guide him will help tremendously. When this option is unavailable, the next best step is to do it yourself humbly and earnestly like the Bereans. Another option is to use several English Bible translations. There is much wisdom in the Jewish outlook. Man's heart is essentially rebellious, especially against the things of God. God encountered repeatedly the walled resistance from his people. Frequently we read about the hearts of Israel that gets hardened.

• "Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?" (1 Sam 6:6)
  
• "Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble." (Prov 28:14)
  
• "But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate." (Ezek 3:7)
  
• "Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?" (Mark 8:17)
  

Scriptures declare the hardness of heart that rebels against the will of God. Hardened hearts will refuse to respond positively to the best reasoning. We do pray that the hardest of hearts will eventually break. When that happens, may there be the presence of the word of God, on, upon and over that shattered heart to fall in and renew the soul.

I think about those of us who teach Sunday School each Sunday. The kids does not seem to listen attentively enough. They parrot the 'right' answers without showing evidence that they have truly understood it. There were even jokes about Jesus being the answer to everything. Another story tells of a teacher trying to liven up a monotonous Bible class of young kids. The teacher asks:
"What is small and brown and comes with a bushy tail?" After a while, a young boy meekly raises up his hand: "Teacher. I know the answer is Jesus, but it sounds more like a squirrel to me."

Yes. Jesus is the answer to the world. However, we need to recognize that we are not to literally plaster Jesus's name all over the world's problems and assume that the name itself will do the magic. Jesus is the answer. More importantly, he is love and if we claim to love him, we will obey his entire word, even though we may not understand it at the present moment. Be continually immersed in the Word. For the time will come, when the heart breaks, the Word will enter and change lives.

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Hebrews 4:7b)

kianseng

Yours Generously

In my previous posting, I have argued that the oft-used phrase: ‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’ is something that has been overused, overstated and in dire need of a major overhaul. It is something more easily said than done. The best it has done is to force an intellectual truce or a verbal armistice. I assert further that ‘loving the sinner’ is unconditional, and it is not helpful to tie it to ‘hating the sin’ in such a way that that ‘loving’ and the ‘hating’ are to be uttered in one and the same breath. Instead, I propose an alternative toward accepting one another as Christ accepted us, so that God can be praised (Romans 15:7).

In the New Testament, Jesus’s desire to do good, colours all his actions. The NIV translates the adjective (αγαθος ) ‘agathos’ in Matthew 20:15 as ‘generous.’ It can also be translated ‘good.’ Together with 'ego eimi' (εγω ειμι), the (I AM), it reads I AM GOOD or I AM GENEROUS. The works of God cannot be separated from the person of Christ. It captures the works of Jesus that arises out of the character of God. It is the essence of God’s goodness that leads to the generous acts. In that passage, Jesus shows us that he is able to summon the overwhelming power and resources of God to issue edicts of goodness to the world. In the light of the discussion of loving the sinner, will God love the man who sinned only rarely MORE than the man who committed 100 sins? God chose to give the same reward to all who worked for him, regardless of their start time. Martin Luther consistently argues that we are saved by faith through grace instead of good works. The path to any goodness in us is faith through grace from God. In his preface to his commentary of the New Testament, Luther writes:

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures.” (Martin Luther, Faith & Freedom: Invitation to the Writings of Martin Luther, ed. John Thornton et al, NY: Vintage, 2002, p95)

Jesus was able to do good works because of his steadfast faith in the heavenly Father. All good works flows from this unshakeable belief. The working out of such wonderful deeds emanates boldness, joy and happiness. No grudging feet dragging. No complaining attitude. True faith is evidenced in good works. Jesus’s ability to show generosity stems from a thankfulness to God, and the desire to glorify the heavenly Father who gives faith through grace. I like the word ‘generous.’ It showcases a goodness that is delightful externally and warm internally. Audrey Hepburn, the English Emmy award winner gives a brilliant illustration of generosity.

“You will discover that you have two hands. One is for helping yourself and the other is for helping others.” (Audrey Hepburn)

This simple statement expresses very well what it means to love self and to love neighbour. Whether it is the left or the right hand, it is the heart that moves the limbs to help. Another Englishman, the remarkable WWII UK prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill offers another great statement on generosity.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." (Winston Churchill)

This is the strange paradox. We become better people not by grabbing stuff for self but giving things away to others. Generosity is a Christian virtue that if practiced more, will touch more hearts than years of mere tract distribution to meet a quota. Such charity is more effective than hellfire-and-brimstone forms of preaching that strikes fear into the hearts of the unbeliever. Decisions made out of fear will fail to see the light of love. When we give of ourselves to the good of others, we are living in faith. When we welcome people from different walks of life into our community, we are recognizing in them a person made in the image of God. When we generously offer others the benefit of the doubt, we allow space for people to open their lives up to us so that we can understand each other more.

Generosity Does Not Mean Affirming
When we welcome another person of a different sexual orientation into our midst, it does not necessarily mean we agree to their lifestyle of choice. Stanley Grenz, on the gay issue, puts it very well in suggesting: “Welcoming but not Affirming.” This is less confrontational. We can welcome believers who are gay into our fellowship, yet not affirm their behaviour. This may be difficult for some people as they find it impossible to detach the ‘sin’ from the sinner.

A generous HAND means that one is willing to give away the extra coats in our closet, or the best meals we have cooked. A generous EAR enables us to listen more intently even though it may mean we lose the opportunity to speak our mind. A generous EYE helps us to see matters and various issues from another party’s standpoint more willingly. Even though one may smell something fishy, a person with a generous NOSE will control self and seek ways to bring the truth of the matter out in love. A generous LEG is ever-ready to run the extra mile, beyond the standard requirements or obligations. A generous MIND is open to the different viewpoints, and allows dissenting views to surface in the spirit of conversation and grace. A generous FACE gives an authentic smile that reassures the other person(s) that it is ok to agree or disagree. Gregory Jones, a professor at Duke Divinity School says it well.

“We can learn to be generous regardless of our situation in life. Indeed, I have encountered generosity both in spirit and in sharing resources among the poorest of the poor as well as the richest of the rich. I have discovered that the two kinds of generosity are often linked: those who are generous with their time and energy, those who have capacious hearts and hospitable spirits, are also generous With their resources. Similarly, those who are stingy financially tend to be rigid and bitter in their relationships with others.

How can we help people learn to be generous? One key way is by intentionally teaching certain practices, especially in families. A familiar problem in family foundations is that children and grandchildren often lack the generous spirit of the founding family members and want to clutch onto the resources for themselves. We must help children cultivate both the habits of giving and the interior dispositions and capacities to sustain those habits over time.” [Jones, L. Gregory. 2007. "Be generous." Christian Century 124, no. 20: P33.]

Generosity can be transmitted to our next generation. Happy is the family that produces generations of generous people. Behind a generous person lies an intricate family practice of bountiful favour extended to one another. One need not have big wallets in order to do big things. One can be poor financially, but rich in heart. All it takes is a generous heart, extensive enough to hold the love of people inside, with care oozing continuously on the outside. Incidentally, the heart is a very strange organ. A heart has 4 lobes and it pumps blood physically only to the body of one person. A person can give blood via transfusion or by donation at a blood bank. A generous heart can pump limitless love. It can move mountains of emotional debt that is accumulated by years of selfishness and stingy living. How do I know? Ask Zacchaeus, the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10).

A Story of Generosity
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me something more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone. "

Author Unknown

In the example of welcoming people with gay/lesbian sexual orientation, if we practice generosity of the heart to love these people through welcoming but not necessarily affirming, we pray that they will be more attracted to the God of love. No longer will they simply ask for sympathies for their homosexual tendencies. No longer will they accuse conservatives of being homophobic. No longer will they be constantly bickering about the law and the gospel. Instead, they will desire Christ, so much that they are willing to choose a non-homosexual lifestyle in the spirit of "Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

May God raise up people with generous hearts, that the kingdom of God will prosper abundantly.

kianseng

LTSHTS - An Overplayed Statement

“Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin.” (LTSHTS)

This statement is often flung as a catch-all statement to ‘resolve’ any dispute surrounding homosexuality perspective in the church. Unfortunately, those who inflict it are usually against any motion that supports homosexual practice. Like a plane trying to fly on one wing, one wonders that if this statement is so true, why aren’t the other camp more pro-active in endorsing this statement? I guess no one disputes the first part of the statement. It is the second statement that is more controversial. Not everyone agrees that homosexuality is a sin, especially when one claims their sexual orientation is a gift or something they cannot help it. Indeed, the gay issue is one of the most divisive issues of the 21st century church. It cuts across virtually all denominations. The results of any effort to resolve this controversy are pathetically ambiguous. For the Methodists, from April 22 to May 2nd, 2008, at the general conference of the United Methodist Church, the motion to ordain homosexuals, gay marriage and reword the constitution were all defeated, thanks to the votes from the more conservative Africans. A small victory for the pro-gay group was the agreement to renounce homophobia and any forms of violence against gay people. According to the UMC report, the sensitivity of the issue makes people more careful about the statements they make. One UMC representative, Kent Millard said:

“The truth is, we are divided. Let’s just acknowledge that it doesn’t say one is right and one is wrong. It just says we disagree.”

A refusal to state what is right or wrong. This shows how difficult it is to make any strong stand these days, simply because the world has changed. There is greater individual awareness and courage to speak out one’s mind. Any ‘strong’ statements can be branded judgmental. Hence, anything that can ‘soften’ the blow is a welcome relief. However, not making a statement can be worse, especially in a society paranoid about ambiguity. A society that lacks maturity finds it more difficult to swim the waters of ambiguity. The Singapore Methodist Church took a step further. They put up an official statement that tries to anchor itself back on history and tradition. They re-affirm the belief that:

"We consider the practice of homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teachings. However, we do recognize that homosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. They need the ministry and guidance of the Church as well as the spiritual and emotional support of caring fellowship."

This address to the Methodist population in Singapore can be found here. Alas, it is another statement of LTSHTS advocated mainly by those arguing against homosexuality sympathies. ‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’ is a summary mantra that aptly describes this stance. Advocates for gay rights hate this statement as it seems to be a popular blanket used in the name of ‘biblical’ to smother any flames arising out of the gay controversy. It is often the ‘conservative’ circle that unleashes this statement. Like a broken record, the words ‘Love the sinner, hate the sin (LTSHTS)’ gets played to the point of annoyance. What does that actually mean? Is this statement biblical?

Conversion Instead of Conversation
I like what Eugene Cho writes in his blog about the gay debate. He says: “The church can be so obsessed with morality and conversion that it loses out on the beauty of conversation.” That is something that we must take note as we discuss on the gay topic. Any impatience to make a statement can prematurely end any conversation, and as a result effectively burning the bridges of understanding. It is my sincere wish that there be a spirit of openness and conversation instead of moral judgment and antagonism. One can say all the right things, but if it is uttered in the wrong way, all credibility goes down the sink. Before going any further, I will like to take another look at LTSHTS and contrast that with Romans 15:7.

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

The first chapter of Romans is a popular portion of Scripture used to call homosexuality a sin. I think the intention of Romans 1:18-32 is not meant to be a summary judgment against homosexuality. In other words, it is not to be interpreted as Anti-Gay 101. The symptom must not be seen as the main disease. It is meant to showcase the depravity of unrighteous people who do not live by faith. They suppress the truth. They become godless people. Romans 1:21 refers to these people as:

“..they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…”

We must be careful that we do not simply read one or two verses from the passage and diminish the rest. The entire context has to be considered. In other words, it is not the homosexual act that is the specific sin. It is the act that LEADS to worshiping the partner as an idol. The Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138AD) was grief-stricken when his lover boy, Antinous drowned mysteriously in the Nile in 130AD. He was devastated and later decreed that Antinous be worshiped as a god. This is the extent of the dangers of homosexual behaviour that made Paul’s letter to the Romans a warning not to let homosexual acts lead to acts of idolatry.

I think LTSHTS is more easily said than done. Firstly, it cannot be done in our own strength. Overstating it is downright risky as it puts one almost immediately on the seat of judgment. I do not condone homosexuality. What I am concerned about is the use of high-handed behaviour that tries to silence honest dissenting voices. Richard Mouw of Fuller Seminary, made an observation of the current evangelical landscape. Calling Christians a ‘spiritually stingy people,’ he says:

“A recent Barna Group survey, for example, offers evidence that many young people in the larger society think of evangelicals primarily as "judgmental" types, hostile toward folks in other religions and mean-spirited in our attitudes about homosexuality. Even many young evangelicals share some of these assessments of the older generation.” Richard Mouw, An Open Handed Gospel in Christianity Today , April 2004).

The second reservation I have is that when we overstate LTSHTS, we will soon find it very difficult to separate the sin from the sinner. One may hate the sin so much that one gradually becomes more willing to discard the baby with the bathwater.

An Alternative – “Accepting one another”
My point in this article is that LTSHTS is an overplayed statement. It becomes unhelpful when it is used mainly as a vehicle to suppress non-conformists. Like a silencer used on a revolver, the gunshot may be muffled but the damage is equally deadly. A spiritually stingy people do the cause of Christ no special favours. One can be theoretically right but practically wrong. We must keep the doorways of conversation open, simply because we are still trying to grapple with the rising consciousness and expectations of different people in different generations. There is a time to make dogmatic statements. There is a period where doctrinal declarations are followed to the letter. Without followers, no amount of leadership rhetoric can help.

Mouw asks the question: “How do we convey our Christian convictions while displaying a spirit of generosity in our relationships with others?” He calls for spiritual generosity. I think Mouw is right. True acceptance of one another in Christ has to be generous. We do not love conditionally. Love must be done with no strings attached. In fact, LTSHTS should not be used all the time. It tempts one toward greater spiritual stinginess. LTSHTS can be superfluous as well. If one is intending to love the sinner regardless, then ‘Love the Sinner’ should be a universal endorsement. Why pair it together with ‘Hate the Sin?’ By twinning it, does it mean that we love the gay person less if he insists on his homosexual ways? That is why we need an alternative. That alternative is ACCEPTING ONE ANOTHER, AS CHRIST ACCEPTED US.

Romans 15:7 is one that is more reflective of spiritual generosity.
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Rom 15:7)

Let me make myself clear. I assert that I do not condone homosexual acts. Homosexuality is something that is unnatural and not according to the divine intention of God. I believe that we ought to use LESS of LTSHTS and use MORE of “Accepting one another, as Christ accepted us.” It is less intimidating and exhibits greater spiritual generosity. One note of caution. We cannot read Romans 1, and then jump to read Romans 15:7. We need to follow the flow of Paul’s letter to the Roman church. It is from Romans 12:1-2 that helps appreciate the new perspective in Christ. When our minds are renewed, our bodies offered to God as a living sacrifice and our lives totally conformed to Christ rather than the world, accepting one another becomes more doable. Without the work of Christ in our lives, we cannot authentically accept one another. We will always attach conditions to our ability to accept one another. The Greek verb (προσλαμβάνεσθε) ‘proslambanesthe’ is an imperative (a command) which consists of ‘pros’ (to/toward) and ‘lambano’ (accept in addition to oneself). Its preceding clause ‘dio’ is translated therefore which implies that the context of accepting one another where the strong will need to bear with the failings of the weak. It calls one to treat one’s view as important as the others. There is no room for any kind of chauvinism. If there are, then we need to seek God for forgiveness, and to ask him to teach us acceptance. True spiritual generosity must be cultivated in a land of harsh words and tough statements. I will take the plunge to assert that ‘accepting one another in Christ’ is much more beneficial than plainly declaring LTDHTS. We cannot change people. Only God can do that. We are but vessels of testimony to carry God’s grace and love to all.

Everyone needs love. No exceptions. When LTSHTS gets used like homophobic bullets against gay-rights proponents, it can be extremely unloving. Love is not love until it is given away lovingly. If one insists on using LTSHTS, let me suggest that all parties reserve the right to use it. Make sure that it is not used as a projectile to force others into conformity, but a mirror to teach us humility. Let all who sing the tunes of LTSHTS obey the same rules they trumpet.

In summary, let me say that LTSHTS is a statement that becomes unhelpful when overplayed. It becomes less inclusive when used exclusively only by any one side. It becomes downright unpleasant when its purpose is to 'silence' any dissent. I propose that we do away with this and adopt the attitude of accepting one another, just as Christ accepted us. We must be so Christ-centric that we refuse to allow any inner chauvinism to impoverish our levels of spiritual generosity. We must have big hearts. Let me end with a story told by Mark Buchanan, a pastor in British Columbia. It is a beautiful story of accepting one another. It is taken from ChristianityToday’s Leadership journal here entitled ‘This is It.’

A few years ago, a friend assembled a weekend work party to lay sod in his yard. The sun was shining. He had fresh coffee and cinnamon buns. And the crew he'd called together were all good friends. We liked each other immensely.

Then Al said, "Guys, do you realize something? This is it! This is it!" We stopped.

"Al, this is what?"

"This is community."

We all murmured our assent and congratulated one another. Yes. This is it.

But then I said, "Al, this is great, but I don't think this is it. I like you all too much. Add a person or two to this company who lacks social graces, who looks different, who's needy, smelly, and irritating. If we truly loved a person like that, then that would be it."

Silence. Then one of guys said, "Uh, Mark. We've accepted you, haven't we?"

We all laughed, but they granted my point.

We're always tempted to turn the church into a club. With our kind of people. With a strict decorum designed to keep up appearances and keep out the, shall we say, undesirables. But Jesus said it's no credit to us if we love those who love us – our kind of people. We don't need God to love them; natural affinities are sufficient. But you, Jesus said, are to love the least of these and the worst of these – losers, enemies. That takes God: a supernatural subversion of our own prejudices, and a heaven-borne infusion of God's prodigal love.

I preach that. I try to live that.

A year or so after our sod-laying party, Wanda arrived. Wanda was not our kind of people. She was thirsty alright, for beer, port, rum, vanilla extract, whatever. She had only one way to pay for that. I'll let you guess.

But she was desperate, and thirsty for something else. She called the church one day, wondering if she could see a pastor, and now! Two of us met with her. She told us her troubled story. I told her about the woman at the well whose life, like Wanda's, wasn't going well. But she met Jesus and he offered her living water. I explained what living water was, and asked Wanda if she'd like some.

"Oh yeah!" she said. We prayed. She confessed, repented, surrendered. Drank deep.

The other pastor said, "Now, Wanda, this Sunday will be your first time in church. Don't feel you have to fit in right away. You can sit at the back if you like, come late, leave early. Whatever is comfortable."

Wanda looked at him sideways. "Why would I do that?" she said. "I've been waiting for this all my life."

That Sunday, Wanda was the first to arrive. She sat at the front, and loudly agreed with everything I said. She was the last to leave. The next Sunday, same thing, except she brought a friend, one of her kind of people. I preached on servanthood. My main point: if you've tasted the love of Jesus, you'll want to serve. It was Communion Sunday. In those days, we called our elders The Servant Leadership Team. I asked the Servant Leaders to come and help with Communion. That day only two of our team were in church. They straggled to the front.

All Wanda heard was the word servant. And she had been listening intently to my sermon: if you've tasted the love of Jesus, you'll want to serve.

She walked straight up to serve Communion with the other two "servants."

I flinched.

Then I remembered Luke 7, Jesus' words to Simon the Pharisee as a woman, not unlike Wanda, washed Jesus' feet: "Do you see this woman?"

Do you see her?

I leaned over to Wanda and said, "Since this is your very first time doing this, do you mind if I help?"

So Wanda and I served Communion. The best part was watching the faces of the people I love and serve and pray for and preach to.

Not one flinched. They saw her.

This is it.

kianseng

A Grace Observed

“There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.
There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”
(Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997, p70)

I like Yancey’s rendition of what grace means. It is a down-to-earth definition. It is beautifully captured in God’s love. It removes from us the burden of having to work for something in order to be affirmed in our humanity. It is given to us freely. Grace is something that is more easily conveyed than explained, as Yancey would attest. How can we ever define what an act of grace? There are far more expressions and nuances of grace than one can ever know. It is one of those things that is better felt than thought, better practiced closely than observed at a distance; better lived out in the present rather than stored up for a future which may never come. Of course, one cannot be overly dogmatic about grace. The arms of grace must be long enough to embrace the people from all walks of life. It is wide enough to make room for people of different shapes and sizes. It needs to be deep enough for people with much more profound needs. It ought to be tall enough to encourage people to pursue the heights of their vocation. Grace is like water which freezes in order to retain the freshness of people; which steams up to reawaken the coldness of society; which eases itself into liquid form under conditions of normality. It is like what Yancey writes, ‘the last best word.’

Living in Grace in a World of Ungrace
Some learns grace by actively doing good works. Some exercises grace best when they are in a giving mode. Others know grace instinctively when there is a need to let people show kindness to them. Some needs to be introduced to grace via a classroom approach. Others prefer to be educated in the school of hard knocks.

In a broken world, it is a constant ordeal to live against the backdrop of an environment where ‘ungrace’ seems more prevalent than true Christian grace. Sometimes in Christian organizations, there are more instances of ungrace than anticipated. Christianity Today has an article about the state of ungrace in the Church. This is sad. Perhaps expectations have been painted too unfairly. Those who work in non-Christian places seemed to be under a different expectation ruler compared to people working in churches and Christian based societies. The work might be the same, but the expectations are different, too dissimilar for comfort. For example, it seems to be ok to have disputes in a business being fought out in the law courts. Yet, when church conflicts get publicized openly in the media, people shake their heads even more. Sometimes, the world seems to think that ‘Christian people’ ought to be sinless in their behaviour. The fact is that all people including Christians, still belong to the human race that has sinned. “For all has sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” writes Paul in Romans 3:23. Believers of Jesus may not be sinless, but they are called to sin less. Biblically, the word ‘grace’ is an oft-mentioned word. In the New Testament, the word ‘grace’ is used in every one of Paul’s epistles. Each time it is used, Paul acknowledges the source: God. The word χάρις (charis) is a noun that can be translated as grace, favour or simply ‘goodwill.’ It is not merely to be analyzed or admired but to be received with open hands. Like a bottle of vitamins, merely holding up the bottle and analyzing the ingredients on the label will not provide additional nutrients to the person’s physical body. The bottle has to be uncapped, the number of required capsules to be taken out and swallowed via the mouth often with water. Grace cannot be simply studied for itself. It needs to be accepted with gratitude. It takes grace to receive, grace to give. Like air, grace is not something that is an object that is visible in any one specific form. It is only seen through acts of love. When a person listens carefully to a grieving party, that person is showing grace in desiring to comfort the anguished. When a driver slows down to let another car on the shoulder join a busy highway, grace is demonstrated. When one gives up an entitlement for the sake of another, grace is illustrated. When a wife refrains from comment when her husband is in a foul mood, grace is lived out in love. In an electronic age, when one is offended by an email, one can choose to give the sender the benefit of the doubt with an attitude of grace. Sometimes, it may be necessary to do a reply to clarify certain things. A gracious answer will be one that is sprinkled with grace. It will be one that is honest to God, self and neighbour. When placed under the care of God’s grace, it will be measured with considerable quantity of self-control.

THE GARDEN OF GRACE
Grace tilts the balance between the left and the right unto truthful talking. Grace saunters the tightrope of gentleness between two opposing viewpoints unto graceful walking. Grace tiptoes across the garden of roses to avoid trampling the roses while shunning the thorns. Grace navigates the ship gently when caught amid the stormy waters of disputes and conflicts. Human grace is never complete without God. The grace of God is the best fertilizer, the perfect sunshine and the most hydrating fluid in the garden of humanity. Grace extends through all kinds of human relationships. Luci Shaw paints a beautiful portrait of God as the Gardener and our struggles as parents.

“Just as young parents learn, from the experience of having children, a great deal about the Parent heart of God – his delight in our growth and success, his disappointment and yearning when we ignore him or rebel against his guidelines – so the illustrious and creative gardener learns much about the God who wants to make of us a garden, where with abundant water and sunshine, with heat and cold, with sowing and growing he can see the fruits of his loving labors.” (Luci Shaw, Water My Soul, Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1998, p45)

As friends, grace is also shown in terms of the willingness to let our friends be who God has made them to be. True friendships are usually seen in rocky moments of life. Jesus failed to find any friend among his disciples when he was arrested and tried for crimes he did not commit. All his disciples and all who knew him deserted him in his darkest hours of need. It is important here not to become too absorbed in the sufferings of Christ, that we forget about the purpose of his suffering: To bring us closer to one another in Christ.

“But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” (CS Lewis, The Four Loves, Harcourt, 1991, p89)

Only in Jesus, who is fully man and fully divine, can we learn true grace. The late American playwrite, Eugene O’Neill describes the relationship between humanity and divinity beautifully as follows.

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.” (Eugene O’Neill)

Let me end this article with a lovely blending of friendship and grace in the garden of love. Essentially, let us all start by planting this garden, and over time, the flowers will bloom and we obtain the sweet fruits of God's love. Credit goes to this website.

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A Garden Just For You

For the garden of your daily living plant three rows of peas Peace of mind Peace of heart Peace of soul

Plant four rows of squash: Squash gossip Squash indifference Squash grumbling Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful Lettuce be kind Lettuce be patient Lettuce really love one another

No garden is without turnips: Turnip for meetings Turnip for service Turnip to help one another

To conclude our garden we must have thyme: Thyme for each other Thyme for family Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden because your reap what you sow.

May the Lord be blessed as we observe grace more frequently in our lives.
ks