NEW BEGINNINGS, SEPTEMBER 1-30, 2023
A famous author said that good writers should remain anonymous because the recognition should be about their work, not of them personally... However a good name sells more readership and subscriptions... Likewise it seems in our story today: our efforts for the kingdom shouldn't shine more than the glory of the King whose love, salvation and eternal plan we are proclaiming; our zeal and passion shouldn't cloud His truth and logic, His light and grace... May we teach, encourage, enlighten as much as our intellect, efforts and days allow; but may people instead see how good our God is, how great is His wisdom, and how beautiful a life is that is lived for Him; that especially in the service of our families and others, only reflects His love, acceptance and understanding, honor and glory...
Beyond what's nuclear... Some careers are
lucrative, but rife with insecurity, hypocrisy and intrigue, with political
machinations, with nepotisms and the cut-throat, rat-race, ladder-climb; while
some pay far less and still take a lot of work, sacrifices, and a toll on time
and body... Yet the more satisfying one seems to be the latter, in which one
has to give more; for indeed, generosity itself is its own reward, even if
people don't acknowledge it or return the favor... Because the heart that only
takes, accumulates, hoards to self, focusing only in the nuclear connections,
is sad, and soon implodes... While the heart that gives abundantly, even beyond
its physical and normal capacity, is truly blessed and happy, secure and at
peace...
Issue management is anticipatory and
strategic... Is one of the recent school lessons, and seem to be appropriate to
the Word today... In our life journey, may we not sleepwalk; that is, may we be
mindful of those things that destroy our minds, bodies and souls, and stay far
away from them... And in our relationships with one another, may we also
discern whatever it is that destroy hope and spirit, discourage and damage
respect and our esteem for each other, and not flirt with them nor edge too
close in their vicinity; for much as we must always pray to be kept safe from
harm, to resist and keep away from temptation, and to be given strength and grace
to always be faithful and hopeful, it is our responsibility to stay away from
that line of fire too; and nurturing the ability to keep ourselves sane, free
and steadfast always a call on us any time...
Not in company with straight jackets... Life's
stresses and pressures often weigh us down, sometimes they overwhelm us; but
that is not enough reason to be rude and disrespectful, to lash out at people
who only care about doing their best, who snarl like wounded animals at anybody
who seem to follow us up, or question about the way we do things... Just as
God's people throughout history may have made a lot of mistakes in their
relationship with others, yet are still subject to the call to obedience and humility,
likewise we in our time, in our ever-challenging-by-the-day age, are called to
the same mandate to respect and care for each other, to courtesy and humility,
to consideration and understanding - - simply because He who called us to
proclaim His kingdom and share His love brings His Name, and calls us each by
first-names too... We are called to sanity and sobriety, to tact and virtue - -
character traits of people with discernment, maturity and good breeding, not
people who are in league with the straightjackets, people who are better off
restrained from society due to their toxicity, rage and violence... May we
truly live up to the Name of the faith by which we are called, be worthy of His
mercy and grace, and reflect His image in our everyday dealings...
Who's your teacher... It's within teacher's
month; but I observe that for many of our youth today, we treat our teachers
like figureheads: they are there to guide us through school lessons and give us
grades, but come time to learn, and we basically ignore what they say and just
listen to and consider what we want to hear and believe, ignoring the wisdom
that is in analysis and critical thinking, not realizing that we too need to
absorb the insights they have gained through their years of practice and experience...
Maybe we believe in ourselves too much, confident that because we are tech
savvy and digitally active, we are better... But as our Word today says, that
belief surely leads to tragic consequences... May we learn to be humble and to
listen, to pay attention to what is being said and between the lines, to
perceive well, that we may learn some more and gain more insights for living,
and be more disciplined; because such humility and knowledge may preserve our
minds, our lives and souls yet all our days...
Neither bully nor be bullied... Seems to be a
recent thread in the air these days... For bullies, those people who hurt and
offend others to assert their supremacy, are actually cowards, unable to find
confidence in themselves, in their ability to deliver and to get their message
across... While to remain humble is virtue, to respect others in spite of
differences is noble, to understand that each of us are given talents and
abilities with unlimited potential is wisdom, and to give and share is the
perfect image of our Heavenly Father... May we always uphold what is right and
just, be kind and patient, be faithful and true...
License to be kind... On this what many of us
consider our Sabbath day, may we take our Saviour's heart to be kind and
merciful toward others... May we not take His promise to be with us, that we do
whatever we want even if cruel and unkind, just because we believe He is for
us; because such is not faith but anarchy... But rather, may we practice the
license to be generous and understanding, to love, to care, to respect, to
share...
The light and life within... Is what we
radiate to the rest of the world when we allow the love and grace of our
Heavenly Father to indwell in us... These do not impose, do not throw their
weight around, do not seek to impress, are not judgmental and coercive, but
only bring the same love and mercy, and peace that results from wisdom,
discernment and understanding... May we always be comforted by His Holy Spirit,
calmed by His presence, encouraged and driven by His will and guidance; that we
may share them with others too...
Kintsugi and Mottainai... One often
misunderstood concept about kintsugi is that according to one expert
practitioner who was interviewed in a documentary, the teacup, once restored,
will actually not be filled with liquids again, because the liquid will leak
through the broken parts, destroying the glue and gold... Often they are used
decoratively, or are filled with solid objects... In effect, the old vessel now
has a new, albeit simpler and less stressful use... And we tie this up to our
knowledge of "Mottainai" too, the habit of wasting nothing, but to
always find a second or third use, a different purpose... Yes, especially and
even broken people shouldn't be wasted, and their potentials rightly developed,
with the restoration of their hope and faith, their belief in themselves, their
abilities, and self-esteem a cooperative effort of those around them who
care... May we take the lessons of kintsugi and mottainai so that, short of
hoarding, we see the true value of things, rightly sort those that must be
discarded and let go, and those that we must upcycle and keep for a long time,
even for life...
Life is a process, not a promise... That is,
one input from a recent school lesson is that everything is not within our
control; and no matter if we do our best, there are some issues that we could
not solve by our own efforts and machinations alone, but we need divine
intervention... And so it is but a clear proof of faith that as we trust in our
God's promises, but on our level, we try not to make promises we can't keep, we
don't enter into situations and connections that we can't fully handle, nor
should we subject ourselves into experiences that destroy our minds and bodies
and souls... May we therefore strive each day to give our best, to pour out as
much love and care as we can, that we may be gifted with our God's love and
discernment, His mercy and grace, His wisdom and truth...
The power of the introvert... As some
psychologists say, is in staying low-key, being keenly observant and
analytical, easily finding peace within themselves and often, because they
don't let their mouths run too much, avoid saying things that are proven false
later or are shameful and awkward... There is more trust in them too, for being
tactful and for keeping secrets... Yes, we have to be bold in sharing our
truth, in facing life's challenges; but we certainly can take a page out of the
introverted personality in being humble and meek, in being mindful of our words
and deeds...
Faithfulness is its own reward, not when it is
verbally declared but when it is diligently done... And so, it is not loud manifestations
of conviction nor unexplained but often orchestrated outbursts of passion that
truly matters, but the everyday small things that show people we care, that we
are there, that even if the rest of the world has changed and abandoned their
prior preferences, we still go back to our first love which is of God, and
second which is of our brethren... May we spend the rest of our days being
silently yet stubbornly faithful to Him, that we radiate the same faithfulness
in all our other dealings too...
May we have less wardrobe malfunctions...
Seeing as what we wear is who we are, and we are being objectified and judged
based on what people think are the quality of our clothes... And instead of beautiful
and body-shaping apparel that calls attention to the carnal minds and
perceptions, may we strive each day to be modest, humble, loving, generous,
kind and wise; that our efforts for His kingdom and glory be not wasted, and
that our lives be filled with meaning and hope...
To proselytize, or to evangelize... It seems
there is a big difference, seeing as how one attempts to open and change one's
mind, versus the latter that presents Christianity as the only option...
Whatever way we wish to spread the gospel, it should always come from a heart
of love and understanding: that people may be hostile, or reject our person and
what we say, or be disgusted because we are only up to our words but we do not
match it with our lifestyle, motivation and actions... May we instead live our
faith so that, sans words, our actions will be the greater witness to the hope
and confidence we profess, and that the same peace and mercy that we fully acknowledge
and receive each day, be poured out on others as living waters for the soul
too...
Starting with our thoughts and motivations,
then our words and actions... If we can be different than the systems of the
world, silent and quietly declaring truth and love where the rest are screaming
to be heard and to have an impact; slow, low, and steady, while the rest run
and hop fast and brash like racing rats and rabbits; and faithful and enduring
while others come alive and on fire intermittently, but whose outbursts
actually cause more burnouts and down times... Then we are well on our way to
becoming more of the image our God and Savior means for us to be: ones who
radiate His light, ones who pour out His love and wisdom to a world in darkness
and need, and ones who live each moment with hope and purpose, with peace,
confidence and joy...
Anything that does not lead to humility and
kindness, is not worth emulating... As the prophets of old have spoken, and as
we see around us today, failing to read the moment, being unable to analyze the
times would render us obsolete; listening only to what validates our prejudices
and biases and not accepting the truth, and doing things that only make us feel
good without considering the consequences, could lead to our destruction and
even death of our souls... May we have discernment to understand people, the
world, and the times we are in, that we may always do what is right and just,
what is good and fair..
Here lies true love... And not in any
glorification of what is bad and tragic, nor in the rewriting of history for
the gullible and impressionable new generation; but in the faith and confidence
that we are taken cared of, our needs are met each day, and that we are given
grace and strength to face every day's challenges... May we always discern the
love and mercy we are given, which are new each morning, which we need to
sustain us this life and beyond...
Everybody's a stranger, even the person who
lives at home with you; and life a journey or pilgrimage, where we are all
transient travelers... That is probably why the Word records our God telling us
to be kind to others (especially since we can never fully know the other
person, even our own family), be hospitable and understanding, compassionate
and gracious, even if at times, we don't feel like it... For indeed,
familiarity breeds contempt; that is, the more we know someone, the more we
don't like the faults that we see in them, often forgetting that we may have
worse faults too... And we are often outspoken about what we feel and think,
thinking that any criticism is helpful... But the Word again speaks only about
open rebuke (Proverbs 27:5-6), that is, only calling out behaviors blatantly
immoral, but to do it lovingly; that we might not kill souls, that we might not
destroy hope and spirit... May we spend the rest of our days being mindful of
our words, being generous with our deeds and provisions, not to take what we
see at face value and always try to put ourselves in the shoes of others, and
always, to extend others the benefits of the doubt; that we might embody the
same kind of love, generosity, wisdom and understanding that our Creator so
graciously gives us each day, and that we might fulfill His will here on
earth...
Congestion charging is key... People complain
about traffic everyday, without realizing that because they're on the road,
driving their own private vehicles with a passenger often of one, they are a
direct contributor to it... Which is why in a rich city-state we try so hard to
emulate, congestion-charging worked towards traffic-free roads, more funds for
outstanding public transportation, and with a strong political will and far
less corruption, resulted to healthier and more accessible streets to one and all...
Strangely, this mirrors our lives too... We try to fill in our hours and
moments with adventures and experiences, with statuses and degrees, with things
and stuff, thinking that if we could have more, if we follow 'The Dream', we
have succeeded... We often fail to realize that a life much simpler yet more
grateful and vertically aligned, more attuned to the will of our Creator, more
at peace in stillness and in His presence, gives us the grace, humility,
patience and confidence to weather any storm, to meet life's challenges head
on... Anytime we are tempted to fill ourselves up, may we learn to let some
things go, give up and give and share; that we may live this life physically
exhausted but unburdened; pressed to meet deadlines and obligations but not
crushed by the weight of hopelessness, fear, doubt and uncertainty; struck down
at times by physical pain and suffering, but spirits never destroyed; and
always full of hope, courage, and strength for the journey...
Matching words with deeds... Is often what
validates us, not what we declare about ourselves, not the resources or
connections we have amassed... If we are critical of others, yet are full of
shortcomings and inadequacies ourselves, we show our ignorance, insecurity and
delusions... Yet, if we recognize the value and worth of others, respecting
their boundaries and rights, but all the same showing them love and
understanding, generosity even without receiving something in return, we
manifest our God's image through our actions... May we not compromise His
presence and His grace, and live our lives in humility and service, in
graciousness and mercy, not filling our hours with our own agenda of what we
think is good for us, but in each moment, to help make sure we bring out what's
best in others too...
The wisdom of the years... Could never really
be superseded by how much technological knowledge, degrees nor licenses,
appointments nor statuses one has and has been given... For more than formal
school and research, people who are older than us have gone through the
ultimate school, the school of life... And with that too we learn humility and
obedience, especially in realizing that no matter how smart or high we think
ourselves to be, but lacking the credentials of having lived longer with more
meaningful experiences, we have to bow down to the wisdom and inner strength of
those who have persevered... We realize too the value of keeping it real,
staying true to our course on a deeper level, without fanfare, without shout
outs; because we know our God is also faithful and true... And while He works
miracles and dreams through the young, but His promises and true intentions are
realized as we advance physically and biologically... May we remain patient,
humble, faithful, in whatever circumstances, no matter if the world belittles
us, mocks our abilities, questions our capacities, or refuses to have hope and
confidence in us... For someday in our time, we will earn our greater
breakthroughs, then our ultimate reward...
Sweet and sour is tasty, but bittersweet is
sad... And so are our words... Some may be a bit painfully honest; but if
spoken with love, consideration, honesty and humility, still enriches the soul
and encourages the fearful and desperate heart... But the one who speaks
tactless, unkind, prideful, critical, and harsh words, even when believed to be
spoken in honesty and integrity, will still fall off the mark, leading to
resentments, broken trust and relationships, and death to the soul... May we
manifest our faith and the love of our Father by keeping wisdom and love in all
that we say; may we live out our convictions by how we show respect and
understanding to others, no matter their status, no matter how high, better or
superior we may perceive ourselves to be...
Life causes... Often don't pay much or if at
all, but a heart of love and generosity would be willing to give their all
without asking for more.. Because those who humble themselves to the will and
leading of our Maker need not ask nor crave beyond in order to keep up with
others; they will always be more than amply provided for, as they seek to
fulfill His plans, in whatever they do to promote His kingdom... May we learn
to be courageous and content, but ever hoping and grateful that He will never
abandon us, and will always be there whatever we may be going through...
Kindness without condescension... Is the
highest ideal, the purest form, and so few can really do them... But once one
does, actually results to a better life for one and all... Some people withhold
acts of kindness, and from a selfish heart, propagate the idea that people on
the receiving end will just depend and become lazy... That happens in many
cases too; but the more discerning can feel that far too many people have
pride, of self and would very much like to earn their way, in spite of being
simple recipients of favors, doing their best to return such in their own ways
and capacities... May we learn that kindness and generosity always pay, that
hypocrisy will always fray, and that only truth and sincerity can secure our
souls for life... And may we then emulate the kindness and understanding of our
Maker, and extend such virtue to one and all...
A cult of personalities, a cult of fools...
Seem to be one of the unworthy incentives in the rat race of life... Especially
for the many of us who were sold on the dream and the illusion that success
means having more, and that status and class, the size of our bank accounts and
houses, the number of our cars and the zero digits on our pay determine our
worth... How liberating it is indeed when we emulate our Savior who stepped
down from heaven and in humility and obedience, became like one of us, even
giving up His physical life to destroy the power of death and evil on our
souls... May we truly live out His Name, our proclaimed faith, and delight in
being nobodies for Him; in humility stripping ourselves of vanity, stepping out
from life's eat race, but doing our best, giving our all to help share His
love, grace and goodness to one and all...
Never lonely... Company is good, because they
keep us sane... But what happens when life seems to deal us a bad hand, when
friends and family turn their back on us, must we feel despair and strive all
we can to seek the presence of another?... Though not often too cruel, but many
times in our lives, especially in critical inflection points, we find ourselves
alone against the elements, confused as to intentions, unenlightened as to
motivations and preferences of others.. Yet, we realize that God is there, in
our moments of solitude and abandonment... And here we become more than
conquerors; for because He works behind the scenes and in great things, we know
we can overcome, we are confident we are never helpless, and we are settled
because we have eternal hope and peace... Let us tap into that eternal source
of love and strength today and everyday...
Half as kind... It is sad to note that many
people, even some illustrious figures of history, who have a negative view of
Christianity, feel so not because of the faith itself, or of Christ our Savior
and author of our faith, but of many of us adherents, who seem to feel superior
than everyone else because of the grace and salvation we received, and of the
seeming high level but in reality still imperfect knowledge we have gained...
But our Lord clearly instructed us to both be apart from the evils and vices of
this world, but to care for our fellowman enough to understand that we can
still extend kindness and generosity with those who believe differently than we
are... May we not make the grace we received as a license for pride and vanity;
but in humility, to accept that we may not exactly know everything, many of the
things we accept as gospel truth may in fact just be handed-down personal and
flawed opinions, and that there is only one Truth, our Lord and Savior, and the
clearest manifestation of the truth He proclaims can be learned in the lense of
love and understanding; because since all of us are made in His image, every
day He also makes ways to reveal His truth and glory, His creativity and wisdom
in each one of us...
Because we are at the forefront, we are the
firstfruits... I remember back when mask mandates were new, when vaccines first
started being administered to the public... I was simply dumbfounded where
people got all their arsenal of misinformation and gullibility from... I asked
myself if not all of us didn't go through biology and chemistry in elementary
and high school, and why so few understand about viruses and bacteria, and how
our immune system works; so much so that such life-changing acts of social
distancing, proper sneeze and cough hygiene, masking up, and getting vaccinated
are considered death of our souls, when in fact they preserve life to our
bodies and on other people too... But then I realized it wasn't really
ignorance in so much as fear and pride being attacked... When something so
life-changing to our biases and prejudices like pandemics come, they unmask the
lies we made ourselves to believe, and threaten the power structure and the
pedestals we carefully built of ourselves in deluding ourselves of our
self-established expertise... But here lies the crucible: if we are the
firstfruits, if we are truly the heirs of our heavenly Father, and disciples
and friends of His Son who brings life and healing, shouldn't we manifest it by
promoting the greater good, peace and love, and healing He brings to everyone
around us?... It seems many of us look the other way when deaths from
multitudes of other lifestyle and genetic diseases, (that could have been and
normally treatable) took people's lives away because their immune systems that
have been compromised by Covid, did not have enough strength and memory to
fight because of being unvaccinated and lacking other capacities to be treated
too, owing to the shortages of medical care... Where is our sense of courage in
Him when we slink back from our duties of being His spiritual and life soldiers
in a world awash with lies, with every turn seeking to destroy our minds,
bodies and souls?... May we not waste the Word entrusted to us like pearls
thrown to swine; may we not all be words without meaning, clouds without rain,
voices without impact; in that may we live each day a testament of His grace
and goodness, His manifold wisdom and creativity, His deep love, generosity and
understanding to one and all, whoever they may be...
God as a revelation of time... Is a slightly
radical way of thinking about our faith, in not being just a present
proclamation, but a manifestation of Who we believe in and worship our whole
life... God the Father who created us in His image, is manifested when we bring
life instead of destruction, when we create and restore, instead of just being
on the receiving end of wealth, fame, status, grace and favor because we feel
entitled to them; His Son our Savior is seen in us when we bring peace instead
of intolerance, when we seek to understand instead of insisting on rigid rules
and prejudices handed down to us by less knowledgeable and more ignorant
predecessors, when we bring healing instead of misinforming to people's hurt
and perdition; and His Holy Spirit is perceived through us when we encourage
instead of pushing people to the edge, when we give comfort instead of imposing
ourselves and our convictions on others, when we bring hope instead of using
fear to coerce people to subscribe to our lies and biases because we feel more
knowledgeable (when in fact our knowledge are mere misled opinions but are not
actually facts)... May we truly be His children, so that each moment, every
word we say and act we do, people will see His image in us, will feel His love
and grace through us, and like pleasing aroma of heavenly prayers and incense,
smell His goodness and wisdom through us...
Overcomers... The song by Mandisa, is an
energetic, danceable and inspirational one... And it reminds us too that
whatever hardship we encounter in life always has an end... And that end becomes
more meaningful and victorious for us when we realize that our Savior has done
the ultimate overcoming for us; when He offered up His physical life to lift us
up from our physical and mundane perspectives, from either nihilistic or
hedonistic and materialistic beliefs and tendencies, to one that aligns us to a
higher meaning and purpose of our existence... May we always keep in mind that
the One who breathed life to all things cares about us deeply and intimately;
and be inspired and impassioned to live lives for His glory...
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