Doing Things Right or Doing The Right Thing?

A couple of days ago I came across this interesting story on The Catch, it was about a rocker who after becoming a Christian, struggled to go back to performing in a punk club.  His initial reaction was to leave, but when he asked God he was told:  “It’s okay, you can leave if you want to, but I’m staying.”

Whether or not you agree this is a message from God is not the issue, but the point I am trying to make  is as Christians we all have our own list of  “thou shall not”s and at times are so focused and driven  by this list that we forget the essentials.  The “doing” supersedes everything else..

I really enjoyed what the author of this blog said:

“This is one of the more powerful pictures I have in my memory bank of what a Christian worldview is and is not. It is not a retreat from the world. It is not fostering a righteousness that sets itself over and above everyone else. It is not living in isolation, but entering into the risk of relationship and compassion.”

While we are  preoccupied by what “being spiritual” look like, we often rob ourselves the joy of being a follower.  What I am trying to say is, we try too hard to look the part and subconsciously we may tie this huge rock on other people’s’ necks.( And of course, ours as well !)  Maybe that is why a lot of people these days will not darken the doorway of a church because they think very little of our “holier-than-thou” attitudes.  Unintentionally we might create our brand of righteousness that put us “over and above everyone else” and as a result form our own country club and leaving others out of it.

The Pharisees were really hung up on doing things rightly , they crossed every “t”s and dotted every “i”s.  Not only that, they were constantly watching out for those who dared to do otherwise.  Jesus was radical and a rebel in the eyes of Pharisees, as He did not fit into their idea of  “spiritual”.  He certainly did not act like the Messiah they were expecting, for they had already made up in the minds what God should look like.   While they were focused on the “doing” Jesus emphasised on “the being”.   He was more concerned what were in the hearts of man than what they did on the outside.  One very obvious fact as we read the life and times of Jesus is how much He disliked  the religious people of His days, Jesus called them white-washed tombstones for on the outside they appeared clean and white, but on the inside they were full of dead men’s bones.   After all God” does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” ( 1 Samuel 16:7)

The Pharisees did try to test Jesus and called Him out on that, we read about this famous encounter in Matthew 22:34-40:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Instead of giving  a whole list of “thou-shall-not”s, the greatest commandment  was simply “love”.  Everything that is important hinges on this word, “love”.

According to Wikipedia–

“Love is the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. In religious context, love is not just a virtue, but the basis for all being (“God is love”), and the foundation for all divine law (Golden Rule).”

This is The horse that  pulls the cart, not the other way.  It is implausible even improbable to have it the other way.  As Proverbs 4 said about the heart –” Above all else, guard your heart,   for it is the wellspring of life.”

When we have the right thing  in our hearts,  everything else will be done right.

FAQs

If you ever have to deal with three-year olds, you know how inquisitive they are.  The constantly ask you ” why?” and “what?” and nothing seemed to be able to satisfy their curiousity.   I remembered back in the earlier days, I had to fend off these questions repeatedly, and sometimes I was so tired of them I had to answer  “just because…” as my final word on the topic of the day.

A  couple of weeks ago, a friend teasingly said that I have regressed to a childlike state,  to me it is a compliment, because I like to be Peter Pan, and never grow old.    Yes, I tend to ask questions incessantly like a three-year old, so much so that someone might find me a tad too annoying.

Where as I ask too many questions, I also get asked a lot. I guess it comes with the turf when you are  a member of church’s staff.   Some of these questions are really good ones, they are thought provoking and challenging,  but once in a while I do get ones which stop me in my tracks, and make me go “huh?”

Last Friday I got one of those in an email and after I read it my response was “lol”.  But as soon as I understood the implication of this question, I could not laugh any more.

Even though the question seemed inconsequential, but it does reveal a lot about the person’s heart.  For the Bible says”the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart”  and therefore  questions, as absurd they might be, do reveal a lot about the person’s issues and struggles.

I did my best  to answer the inquiry, and had used the opportunity to speak into this person’s life.  I realized that it not a waste of time but as an assignment from God.

As an after thought, I summarized that questions are opportunities for me to communicate my ideas, and sometimes to teach, to correct and to guide.  They help me to understand and to be understood.

In some ways  questions for me  is a way to convey care and concern.

Most of all, For the person who asked the question, it is a way of showing trust and respect.

As I understand it now, there are definitely no dumb questions, but thoughtless answers.

And most of all, even though sometimes we might find the FAQ’s annoying , God welcomes them.  It is good to know I can be a three year old.

^“ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5 (NLT)

” Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Phil 4:6-7 (NLT)

Give Thanks 2010

I got an email this morning from a young fella sharing his blessings from God and also challenging us to give thanks for at least ten things in our lives.

I used to post my monthly  gratitude items on this blog, I had challenged myself to give thanks daily, and I was posting these regularly until they got a little too personal.  Having a grateful heart is an important discipline for me to develop, when I stop complaining about life and start to appreciate every moment of it, I can see so much of God in the tiniest detail in my life.

So I am responding to my friend’s challenge, and here is the ten items of thankfulness for this year.. ( so far)

1. This is something precious I learned this morning:

as I took Jaden out, I saw this poor three-legged dog hoping up the hill, I felt really sorry for him, but then when I looked carefully , this dog was happily sniffing everything in sight, he looked so contented. His disability is just part of him, and not an inconvenience  It reminds me even things might look bad, it is the way I make of it.  No matter it is sunny or rainy day, it is from the Lord .Yes, I give thanks for all the circumstances of my life.

2. I am thankful for the many lessons I have learned this year, some of these lessons were very tough, and I am still trying to unravel the mysteries of others, but I am so grateful for the fact that the Lord loves me enough to keep on teaching me.   I am not getting older, but I am getting better.

3.  I am thankful for my children, I used to take care of them, now they have been taking care of me, knitting me socks to keep my feet warm, cooking for me, and cleaning for me, praying for me.   It is so wonderful to be pampered like a queen.

4. I am thankful for my brother and sister-in-law, they have been wonderful role models for me.  They definitely exemplify what it means to be a disciple by their faithfulness to God,  their love to their church family.  Even though at times things had been difficult, they never forsake the body, and their love have not changed at all and most of all God has given them a special calling in the middle of difficulties.

5. On the subject of my brother-in-law, he had a closed call recently, he had to have major heart surgery, even though he did not show any symptoms, but the doctor incidentally  found that four of his major arteries were blocked, and he had a time bomb in him.  We are so thankful that  he was able to get operated right away, and is now recovering.

6.  I am so thankful for this wonderful trip in June, it is one of the many provisions from God, I was able to spend some fun time with my godson and his family and most of all, I was able to rest up before the summer rush.

7.  I am so thankful for wonderful friends God has placed in my life, and there are so many of them that I could only invite two of these families to share thanksgiving with, I remembered one of them said to me earlier this year” Your family is my family too.”  How blessed am I !

8.  I am thankful that God has sent me a Christian friend in the neighborhood, and just like me she is a widow, we are able to support and encourage each other.

9. In the beginning of the year, I came across these words of wisdom, and it has been my mission statement for this year:

“In your life, learn to walk with Jesus. In your faith, be real and never fake. And in your ministry, surround yourself with people who are better than you.” I am thankful for this wonderful nugget of truth.  This is something I tried to live by daily and take it to heart.

10. Most of all, I am thankful for our newest addition to the family, even though he is not officially in the family until next May, but I already considered him as my boy, I am grateful that God brought him to us, and that I can love him and care and pray for him just the way the Lord wants me to.

(P.S. He is kind and gentle, an awesome cook,  a very handy man and yes, he plays a mean game of speed scrabble, and does not let me win!)

Caught between The Moon and New York City

Sometimes I wonder if  I am living  in a paradox or dichotomy?  I am not really sure.

The only thing  I am sure of is I am caught between something.  And I don’t know what that something is.

I was stunned  and speechless when I received  recent news  of a dear friend.  The first thing that came to my head was “What are you doing God?”  “Why is this happening again?…. Is this a cosmic joke you are playing? …but I really do not get your sense of humor!”

The situation bothered me a lot, not only I feel sad for my friend, it also  made me think of the issues I have been struggling with.  I know He is in control, but what is the point when He delivered you from a desperate situation, only to put you back in the same place again.

The struggle with me right now is—-

The longer I live, the less I know..

The more I know, the less I understand…

Just when I thought I had the answers, I got more questions…

I thought I had some stuff figured out, but then I realized I don’t…

Life is really confusing right now.  I thought at my age  I should know something about life.   Now  the only thing I know is that it does not come in a neat little package.   Life is complex, and it gets even more complicated when you live longer.

I feel like He is constantly playing some divine Hide and Seek with me.  I seek and He hides.  Sometimes the seeking becomes so exhaustive, and you wonder out lout “Where are you God?”

Once while I was in my pit, I had questioned God loudly, and someone told me that I shouldn’t.

” You are a leader” she pointed out, “and people are watching you, when you question,  you are showing that you are lack of faith !”

Huh? how does that work again??  let me see if I get this—If  I lead people then  I should not question God? Because I should have all the answers? hmmm…..  I really don’t get this logic.

I question God because I believe His sovereignty in my life, and I know ultimately He has the answer…..but whether or not He gives me the answers is  His provocative. There are things I will never quite get it.

So I have finally come to a conclusion that there are going to be many unanswered questions in my life, and I am ok with that.   For if I am able to explain God, and figure Him out, then He  really is not God.

I am ok for not knowing about everything…..but once in a while, I’d love for Him to show up some where.

This morning, I woke up to see a cloudy sky out of my windows.  It looked dark and gloomy, not exactly a day to look forward to.

As I drove down the hill, I could see clouds rolling in from the horizon, just as the weatherman had forecasted.

Out of the corner of my eye, on my left side, something caught my attention …. the clouds were slowly breaking away, and right there within the clouds without a doubt, I saw rays of sun light shining through.  It looked like the light was shinning down from heaven.

I see God this morning, amongst the clouds.

He is here, and that’s all I need to know.

“ The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

³ There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their voice  goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

⁵ which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.”

Psalm 19 (NIV)

Play Nice

Winston moved in last month and he is going to be living with us for 4 months,  at least that’s what I have been told.

When you have someone new to the household, changes will happen and adjustments are needed.  Unfortunately not everyone is happy with our latest addition.  After all, not everyone welcomes changes readily.  Most of all, when you are so used to be the only dog in the house; another canine addition is not exactly what Jaden is ready for.

Winston is a young pup with lots of unbridled energy; he wants to play all the time.  Whereas Jaden shuns that kind of puppy play, and rather sleeps and enjoys his time on the couch.   It is a big adjustment for him, for now he has to share his dog space  and attention with someone else.

It has been a month since our family has its new member, and for the past 30 plus days, I observed closely to the different stages Jaden went through:

Realization—it was a crude awakening for him, on the day when Winston moved in, he realized that this dog was not just visiting for the day, but he is staying.  He knew he was up the creek when he saw the bed, the water bowl, the leash and all the toys slowly occupying his precious space.  Life has indeed taken on a different turn that very day.

Annoyance—as soon as he realized that Winston is here to stay, Jaden has immediately exercised and claimed his rightful place in the household.  He stated clearly that he is in no way ready nor willing to share the attention and affection with any other dogs who might intrude his territory. Most of all he has loudly declared the rules of the game, that everything in the house is his, be it a toy, a bone or any human.   He finally vocalized his annoyance one day when he pinned Winston down on his back and growled at him with his teeth drawn back.  He had made his feelings known that no way on earth he is n going to put up with this dog !

Tolerance—over time, he has slowly come to grip with his dire circumstances, not that he likes it a lot but it is one of those things he has no control over.  He goes around the house minding his own business and meanwhile tries his best to ignore the existence of this other dog that seems to be constantly in his way, and sometimes literally in his face.

Acceptance—with things the way they are, Jaden quickly learned to deal with situations which required some radical changes.  Just the other day, when he found that Winston had abandoned his own water bowl, and used his instead, he quietly sat there and watched him until the dog finished attacking his water with gusto.  He is certainly coming to terms with this unwanted member, for he had not attacked him the way he did a few days ago.  He finally accepted this dog.

Appreciation–I think this is the only way I can describe it, Jaden has  finally learned to love this little guy the way he is, not that he likes him in general.  But the fact is when he does choose to get along with Winston, things are definitely better at home.  There is a sense of peace, and the humans do not have to step in to break them apart.  As a matter of fact two nights ago we found these two creatures, for the first time, playing nicely and enjoying each other’s company.  There is finally peace between them.

The dogs have certainly got what it means to live in peace and harmony in spite of their differences and their perspectives on life.  They know the fundamentals of living in a community, as the two most important things Jesus had prayed for us is love and unity.  Sadly to say, these two are the contributing factors for some of the broken relationships in the body—

1-4If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.  Philippians 2 ( The Message)

I think we will be happier and at peace if we start playing nice.

What’s that smell?

 

I love to wake up to the sound of beans grinding in the coffee-maker, and I love the smell of freshly ground coffee brewing.   It just made my day, and I wake up feeling invigorated and  could not wait to get up and enjoy my first cup of java in leisure.  Ah….what  a way to begin the day, with a cup of aroma !

I found that living in a town house complex, one has to be prepared to be surrounded by different aroma especially during supper time.   I love the smell that is in the air when I return home, the smell of different foods  just made me so hungry, and often I wish one of my neighbors would offer me some of  their wonderful cooking !  

These wonderful aroma tells me a lot about the people in my complex, I know from the smells that there are Italians, Greeks, Koreans and of course Chinese in our community.  I also know that one of my neighbors love the outdoors, for I can always smell him grilling in rain or shine, and sometimes in the snow.  For sure, after talking to him, I found out that he loves to be in the outdoors.  Then there is this other neighbor who takes meticulous care of his children, I can smell him at the crack of dawn getting breakfast and lunch ready for his children.  I found out recently that he has  scaled down his business in his hometown so he can spend more time with his family. 

Our aroma do tell others about who we are, our culture, our habits and our likes.  One thing about the aroma is that it is very subjective, some might find it pleasing to the senses, and yet some will not.  In my case, even though  I love the smell of coffee, but  my friend find it so offensive that a whiff of it will send her running  for the closest toilet. 

Paul had this to say about our aroma:

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life (2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV)

 We are commended to carry and spread the aroma of Christ wherever we go, as in the aroma of food, others will know who we are by our smell.   To some, the smell is pleasant, and for others the smell is repulsive.   Whether people welcome the aroma or not, it is our task as His followers to ” spread the knowledge of Him.”, while some will respond to it favorably, others might reject it.  Some will love us and welcome us, others will find us despicable.  We have no control of their reaction, but we do have to do what we are supposed to do, and that is to live the life.

I remember the time I went to visit my friends in Singapore and becuase they know how much I love the durian they  brought me to this vendor in the public market to get my “fill”.  I can never forget that sensation when I smelled the fruit as it was cracked open in front of my very eyes.   It was something I had never experienced, and once I tasted the fresh one, I will never quite enjoy the frozen ones I find here in Vancouver.  I was so overjoyed  that I almost ate the whole thing by myself, and the next day I found to my horror  that every pore of my being and my breath did smell of durian. Even  I love  the fruit, but I realized that the day after smell  is quite pungent.  The point is, we smell according to what is inside us.  If we do have Christ in us, and if we are truly His follower, His fragrance will be generating naturally from our being.  As we live this life some will stop and ask, “Where is that sweet aroma coming from?” Others will stop and ask, “What is that awful smell?” To God, when we live the life, we are the aroma of Christ. That’s what matters.

and I do wonder, ” How do I smell these days? “