Monday, October 09, 2006
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. -1 Cor 8:11-13 (NIV)
Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn't you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him—because, as you say, it doesn't really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn't worth it at the cost of even one of these "weak ones." So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there's any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters. -1 Cor 8:11-13 (The Message)
For a moment I stopped to look at my own life. Have I been a stumbling block to the others unknowingly? When Pastor Gary was talking about an analogy and how people actually said “You Christian leh, how can like that?” or maybe how other younger Christians look up to the supposingly more “mature ones” and end up backsliding due to the actions of the “mature Christians”, my mind drifted heavily back to my classmates.
I remember the reaction the other day when I skipped class, my classmate said “ Even Jessie also pon!” I did not take that line seriously and just laughed it off saying “It’s really useless” And this day when I look back at my own actions, so many thoughts begin to come back. So many revelations. Even this one line – “Even Jessie also pon” has got me seriously thinking.
I never knew of the impression that people had of me. I always thought that I ws just a “normal girl” and if there was anything to talk about it would be something like “Jessie is a noisy girl”, “Jessie is joyful girl” but I never knew, somewhere embedded in their hearts was “Jessie is a Christian”. I don’t dare to proclaim that I have God shining through me all the time and that I am a worthy testimony for Him, but I am sure, very sure that people saw God in me. People saw a glimpse of what Jesus would be like, maybe not completely but a little bit. I had been carrying God around.
Until I decided to destroy it with my own hands.
Have I stumbled fellow Christians? Have I stumbled even non Christians, letting them think that it is okay to do something, because since the “holy holy” Jessie did so. And I actually allowed myself to do that. Goodness, what have I done?
Then other things came back into my mind. A friend told me, ‘I thought you would like CF pres or something” Again at that point of time I brushed it off, maybe also feeling a little upset because I wasn’t even in the committee. But this day, the revelation that I got was that “People thought highly of me” They did. When all the time I was thinking how horrible I was and all the time complaining that I wasn’t good enough, that I was complaining that I was not in committee. The truth is, God wanted to use me out of CF. He wanted people to see Christ in me.
God wanted me to be a Jesus in school. He wanted me to be a small little missionary in school (who ever said that missions must be faraway in some poor country with no Christian background?) to reach out to people around me. And that was why He gave me so many friends. He wanted to use me as an example to other people in school. He wanted me to a living example to Christians and non Christians alike that a “holy” life is possible. I can mix around with my classmates and still pursue God wholeheartedly. I can portray God as I study, as I play. In fact I was already portraying God.
And guess what? I never realized? And towards the end of the year, I find myself going BACKWARDS and working against what God wants me to do because I did not like what He has planned for me to do. So now I have made a big mess of everything. And really, only by God’s grace that I will revert this mess.
There are so much things that I can do. And the reason that I can do is because I am out of CF committee. I can start class cells, I can spend more time ministering to people. I can get my grades right. And I know that God wants to even my grades to show everyone that, good grades are not achieved by intellect or diligence, but it’s God given. And I would always remember the verse He gave me the other time. I forgot what verse it was or what it exactly says but I know it’s from Exodus and the setting was that God had purposefully hardened the Pharaoh’s heart so that His miracles in the city would multiply and that His name would be know throughout Egypt.
And this is the precise way that He had been using me and how could I have been blinded? The amount of blessings that He has given me. And I even feel this tugging of the Spirit that I should start uniting all my class Christians together. The harvest is here but the workers are few. And God is asking me, when am I going to rise up once again. When am I going to start work for Him again.
Soon. Very soon.
God said:
Don’t let your weakness and flaws hold you down from serving. It’s through your weakness that I can work in and it’s through your flaws that I can make you complete.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. -Proverbs 3:5-6
It’s time to begin, child.
"
Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." - Matthew 4:19
Follow Me.
Innocence
11:26 PM
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." - Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
Innocence
10:36 PM
