childish vs child-like

Both terms are very different, God wants us to be mature but also child-like.

Today I realize that I am still very childish, regretful of my childishness that might hurt my friends. Sometimes being irreasonable and sensitive over small matter, no idea why I am like this. It must be because I could not maintain good relationship with God in the past week. =(

God, please help me to be more mature, to prioritize relation with You. May God help me. Amen.

mixed feeling

Let's talk back about exactly a week a go, it was my birthday. I was still working as usual, my friend and I were having lunch @ Fish n Co Jurong Point. When we came back, we heard a shocking new. My fellow colleague passed away in an accident that morning. Since then,I cannot concentrate on my work,I have mixed feeling,might be worst birthday so far.

I was reminded again by the reflections and thoughts I had in the previous week. Life is indeed so short,it's fragile. He's not yet 25, but within few days, he's not around us anymore. Every moment you see a person might be the last chance. Let's be more sensitive to every opportunity that God gives us.

Proverbs 25

As usual, near birthday I will read Proverbs according to my age. Since I'm going to 25, I read Prov 25.

Verses that I notify most: verse 11 27 28.
Roma 14:8
Sebab jika kita hidup, kita hidup untuk Tuhan, dan jika kita mati, kita mati untuk Tuhan. Jadi baik hidup atau mati, kita adalah milih Tuhan.

chemistry and ministry

Some define chemistry : Chem is try. It's true that chemistry involves a lot of trial error and experiments.

How about ministry? Is it based on trying? I would rather used word "calling" than trying.

actor get sacked for his principle

http://ibtimes.com.au/articles/20100403/neal-mcdonough-fired-from-tv-job-after-refusing-sex-scenes.htm

Can see from the link, an actor (Neal McDonough) was fired after refusing to do sex scene. Not many people choose beliefs/faith compared to money. Another actor that I knew having same principle is James Caviezel (Passion of Christ). They are both devout catholic and I admire them for their principle.

Heaven is not on earth (a birthday reflection)

I will be officially 25 in few days time. I have reflected for the past weeks a lot, not necessarily related to this, but somehow it's connected. Yesterday, I was almost hit by a car. I was calling my friend and did not see the traffic light is red for pedestrian. I just crossed the road happily and realized only after a car honked at me. Fiuh, luckily I was safe. I really thanked God for letting me pass that moment.

It is also related to what I have reflected previous week. Everytime a Christian celebrates birthday, the first sentence is "I thank God that I have been living for xx years". Not that I'm not thankful enough, but I'm afraid that I really love "the world" that I do not want death/heaven more than this earth. The heaven is not on earth! Many Christians try to make earth as their heaven. May be I too do not miss heaven as I'm very comfortable here.

As I'm turning to 25, may I struggle more than I should. My struggle is that I never struggle enough, in working life, ministry, family, calling, life partner. These few days or weeks have been very blessing since I reflected a lot, but not all of them I can remember.

memberi dan menerima

Di dalam alkitab ada tertulis berbahagialah orang yang memberi daripada yang menerima. Salah satu kejatuhan manusia memang membuat manusia egois, memikirkan diri sebagai pusat, dan implikasinya tidak mau memberi. Tidak memberi berarti menahan berkat yang Tuhan sudah berikan kepada kita. Kesalahannya biasanya karena kita berpikir, yang kita punya, kita layak untuk mendapatkan. Itu hasil usahaku, itu adalah milikku. Kita sering lupa kita hanya steward, pelayan atas segala apa yang dipercayakan Tuhan. Manusia memang cenderung mau menerima daripada memberi, karena menerima lebih untung daripada memberi. Ini namanya selfish.

Yang menarik, saya pikir ada juga satu ekstrim yang lain: memberi terus2an dan tidak bisa menerima. Orang yang memberi harus punya motivasi benar, kalau tidak dia bisa merasa menjadi "Tuhan" atau sumber pemberi anugerah. Ada orang yang terlalu terbiasa memberi, karena dengan memberi dia merasa lebih tinggi dari orang lain. Celakanya, ketika dia butuh pertolongan, dia tidak mau menerima bantuan orang lain. Alasannya: gengsi, tidak merasakan perlu, masalah akan pergi dengan sendirinya, dan berbagai macam lainnya.

Walaupun dikatakan lebih baik memberi daripada menerima, bukan berarti kita tidak boleh menerima. Bayangkan kalau semua orang memberi, lalu siapa yang akan menerima? Seserang yang menerima harus punya kerendahan hati terlebih dahulu, mengaku bahwa dirinya kurang dan perlu pertolongan orang lain. Banyak orang yang enggan menerima pertolongan karena kurang rendah hati, pride terlalu tinggi. Dlm khotbah beberapa waktu lalu, tentang Elisa dan janda (2raj 4) ada pelajaran penting yang saya dapat.

Janda pertama minta tolong, untuk minta tolong harus punya pengetahuan dan kesadaran kalau dirinya kurang dan perlu ditolong. kedua,harus punya kerendahan hati untuk membiarkan orang lain menolong. Lalu janda ditanya: apa yang ada padamu? janda menjawab, tidak ada apapun kecuali satu buli minyak. Dalam kondisi kekurangan, janda masih bisa melihat ada anugerah Tuhan. Kita seringkali dalam sedikit kekurangan dan ketidaknyamanan lupa sama sekali dengan anugerah lain yang Tuhan berikan pada kita. Sedikit out of context dari topik, tp saya rasa pembelajaran yang penting.

Mari belajar untuk saling memberi dan menerima.
*tulisan ini memang tidak cocok untuk orang yang tidak suka memberi.*