Mat Rempit & Pizza Delivery Guys

I'm always impressed by those pizza delivery guys who rode their bike like madman rushing to see wife for last moment. Many times had I encountered they overtake me from left of my car to the right turn just immediate of me. Sometimes I wonder is the few minutes faster worth risking their life? What makes it worst is I saw some is actually on their way back to restaurant, not on the way to deliver the pizza. Will you manager scold you for returning late 1 minute? We always deliver criticism to "Mat Rempits" for their crazy dangerous bike ethics. But aren't those pizza delivery guys the same? So the difference is just because one is illegal nothing better to do bunch of unemployed low class people? & the other is a profession? 

So to those Mat Rempits, I suggest you all apply to be in pizza delivery line. Not only you get recognized for your talents, your get a better reputations as well. In case you died in accident, you died in honor of service, not dies in shame.

My message: Make use of all talents, no talent is bad or too wrong to exist in the world

Salt & Light

What exactly does Matthew 5:13-16 means to us? A point to ponder on...

What is our relationship with our community, that is we are suppose to shine out & add taste to the lives of people around us by good deeds. Remember our theme, "life on public display". We truly recognize that the world, our community has a higher standard of expectations towards Christians compared to others. People expect us to live up to our godly life standard & they are watching us in our daily conduct. I'm sure many of us encountered scenarios like....

"Christians also can do such thing ah?"
"I thought Christian cannot do this?"
"You are Christian? Then what are you doing?"
etc...
Ever wondered why?

 Just like goldfish in fish tank, we as children of God is under observation by the world & our life is on public display. Remember the spotlight is on us. 

If we love one another, the world sees. if we have issues with one another, the world sees. If we can't forgive one another, the world sees. If we help one another, the world sees. 

So why not we be the colorful fishes in aquarium, love one another, live in peace & harmony, build up one another, so that we attracts attention of others outside there watching? Let us be salt & light to our community.

The scriptures also emphasis on godly living, good deeds, & public display. Yes it is written in Romans 13:13 that our good deeds done for others is for all to see. We are to show what we are doing to others. How can our light be hidden? How can our saltines not tasted? Why is the purpose of doing good deeds even to community?

1 Peter 2:12 shows the answer. Maybe people around us may treat us with misunderstanding, or some persecution, but all in end even pagans will give glory to God because of our good deeds. It's true. I'd seen how prebelievers gave glory to God because of my good deeds to them, adding that Christians are real people for good without other intention, genuinely caring for others. May God be glorified through our good deeds to all others.

Side note: God also promises blessing on those who live a godly life among the peoples of the world (Psalms 1:1-3). Believe that our labor in the Lord is never in vain. Do not give up on our good deeds. The blessing of the Lord will be with us for our good deeds & love for our community.

Love our community. Let us be light that shines, salt that tastes. For all to see, that God will be glorified. Never give up doing good & live a godly life, for such is a blessed children of God. Remember the world is watching our actions. Then let us show them God.

Kawan

Some weird things I'd done with some people:

(million thanks to those people)

1)

Spending hours sitting together enjoying each other's presence in total silence without feeling awkward, doing own things but still take notice of what each other do, & acknowledge the presence of the other in silence. It just feels nice being in each others presence.

2)

Still continue listening & talking crap over the phone when there is no more "urgent" or "necessary" topic. May end up "eh...", "sigh..", "errrrhem..." over the long conversation which seems to be topic-less conversation without the intention to cut the call at all as long as credit balance permits.

3)

Siting together having a whole night 6 hours chat with repeated topics & points but it's ok, because what matters is we are "talking", not just talking. The content doesn't matter, as long as we "talk". & this continues for many times. I know you just need someone to "talk".

4)

Accompany you in car telling stories, crying, drop you off, & say "let's talk again tomorrow" when everything had been said in the car. I don't mind the same story repeats, the story may be the same every time, but the emotions aren't.

5)

Call up at random hours just to say hi, have some 10 minutes of pointless chat, & the other person never even asked me "Why call me?" or "What you want to say?". All I can hear is excitement, joy & laughter from you, not boring tone, suspicion, curiosity.

If I need a reason or topic to call you, to meet up, or to chat, I rather not at all.

A teacher & student

Story time!

There was once a teacher with many students. He cared & loved his students as his own family. However because of the nature of the school, people will come & people will go. Ever year he sees new batch of students coming in & some of them leaving him. It's fine. After all every meeting has a moment of separation. It was until one day a particular student came into his school. On the first class, the student became very friendly with this teacher, sticks to him, & the teacher sets his eye on this one student. He saw potential in this one. In his heart he wanted to develop this student to be someone great,  maybe someday may succeed him. He places his heart & hope on this student. This student found favor in the eye of the teacher. Not only that they became close friend & their relation grew. But after sometime, out of sudden their relation became sour. The teacher tried really hard to talk back to the student, to reconcile to this student. All he ever wanted is to have this close student back. It really broke the heart of the teacher seeing a student once close to him become like an alien to him now. They may see each other in class but there is no real communication there. Many times the teacher feel like just wanna give up on this student but the student keep on saying he is still his teacher & also friend. But the teacher don't feel so. He wanted a real friendship back with the student, not just an official relation because of status & obligation. The student still says he is the teacher & yet that's the end of it. Just words, no action & communication. Because of this incident the teacher starts to think he is not a good & worthy teacher even though other students look highly on him. Just because of one student the teacher was pulled down to himself. He can no longer teach effectively. Other students cared & loved him, but he still grieves because of one student that doesn't (anymore). Everyday the teacher tries to reconnect with the student but his effort was returned with coldness. The teacher was really confused. Is he still the teacher? Is he still the friend? Is he still someone personal? Is he still someone real? All this question starts to haunt he teacher & finally he decides to let the student go. All the hopes were shattered like a glass drop on ground. This was not the suitable person to bring up after all. Unless they both reconnects, nothing will improve. he teacher will just grieve more day by day because he really loved the student as a family, friend, someone matters.

Moral of the story:

1) If you wanna develop & maintain real & personal relation with someone, please do so with action & not mere words.

2) If you are no longer interested, please don't keep telling the other party of their significance & ends there with talks. Show it to the other party.

3) If you decide to highly favor a "student", make sure the student also highly favor you as a "teacher". One sided thing don't work out. & be prepared to get hurt it gets personal.

4) "Teacher-student" may not actually be real good friend all the time. It's either real-real relation or official-official relation.

5) Talking things out will ease the pain of everyone much better than trying to act noble "I don't wanna hurt you thats why I don't say out" etc.

10 traits of a (Christian) good leader

1) Emotion

A good leader must be able to express emotions at proper times & control at proper times. However should the leader is at weak moment, emotional breakdown, or fragile point, others will support, comfort & encourage the leader because they recognize the leaders emotion & feeling as genuinely of a human, & not a emotionless robot. The leader will not be judged or criticized as emotional or weak. Instead the expression of true self will be respected & honored. Emotion is a powerful key to drive human being.

[For God gave us emotion, that's what makes us human, in the image of God as He is emotional God]

2) Words & Actions

A good leader must be cautious as the word & action of the leader is "monitored & inspected" by others. The words spoken will be used either for or against the leader. The actions shown will be imitated either for good or bad. In short a leader will always be a "reference & quotation" for others even subconsciously. Good leader will see a reflection of their own words & actions in others. A leader must be a "role model" just like how a family head become the anchor to the family.

[We are suppose to reflect Christ in our daily conduct]

3) Authority

A good leader must be able to cast their vision, plans, & hopes in others. This is not influencing but leadership. A car cannot have two drivers so do a team cannot have two same authoritative figure. The leadership of a leader will not be questioned by others if they understand & accepts the leader's viewpoint, ways of doing things, & the reason the leader is place above them. They will submit to the leadership with willingness knowing the good & purpose for it. The authority of the leader will be respected.

[Do you know why Aaron's staff is inside the Ark of Covenant?]

4) Relationship

A good leader must also be someone close or personal to others, or at least have a relationship with them. No commander can win a war without knowing the army under the command. Likewise no leader can move a team forward if then leader do not know the people. The leader must be a person of worth or "somebody" of significance to them. No husband will sacrifice for the wife he do not loves, & no mercenary soldier will die for a nation that is not their motherland. To effectively drive the whole team forward others must be willing to help out & work for the leader because of sense of worth & significance.

[That's why Christianity is never a religion, it's a relationship]

5) Potential

A good leader must see the potentials of others. A good leader will always encourage & empower the people, giving them chance to grow & learn, equipping them with courage & skills. The worst mistake of a leader in potential development is interference in their development thinking they need more guide. Give them room & space to develop their own potential. Freedom to hunt for a prey will build a predator more than chaining it & leading it to the prey. A good leader will always release the people into service, because leaders build leaders, not build followers.

[See how Jesus empowers His disciples & sending them during the Great Commission?]

6) Decision

A good leader will take into consideration the opinion & abilities of the people. However this does not mean the leader must be influenced. The authority is still with the leader & therefore the decisions will always & should be for better good even if it costs hurt & disagreement & trouble for some of the people. A measure of a good leader is they will understand the decision & still have faith in the leader, trusting the leader will not "show them to their grave", just like how to trust a plane flying through bad storms.

[Look at how God send Abraham]

7) Accountability

A good leader will not be a standalone leader. The leader will have others to counsel & discuss, better if accountable to another leader above, or some other same figures. In fact the best leader is a leader accountable not only to above, but below. The leader who explains the reason & purpose to you is a leader who cares for you & wanted to hear your opinion. How to trust a person who never tells you anything? How to work for a boss who never tells me the plan & logic? The same principle applies here. 

[Why Holy Spirit reveals things of God to believers?]

8) Accessibility

A good leader must be accessible for the people. Take example of workaholic parents that neglects their children. Unaccessible parents are just financial provider, not "Daddy" & "Mommy". The parents never know what their children wanted, only thinking they need this & that to survive & grow. Likewise a good leader is a leader who listens to others, make effort & time to hear the voices of people. Leaders are to lead others, not themselves. A leader that is too busy for others is a leader that is too busy to lead.

[Is God too busy for His people?]

9) Realistic & Practical

A good leader must be realistic in conduct & work. While it is good to have ideals about what is the best, we live in a real world where fairy takes do not exist. The issues around in the world is real. Being over ambitious is a sign of lack of awareness of what is happening. A "blind" leader will never able to lead the whole group to walk. A leader that only sees the sky above will fall into a hole. The leader should look straight in front, seeing both the destination & also obstacles on the way.

[Our LORD is a God of the supernatural (miracles), & also the NATURALS (creation)]

10) Servant Leader

A good leader will consider others at all times. That's the reason to lead. To serve others. This is the real challenge. Will you still serve when there is no acknowledgement? Will you still serve when there is no encouragement? Will you still serve when there is no provision? Will you still serve when there is no appreciation? Will you still serve when there is no acceptance? If yes, then all these will be added into you. Only when you are willing to be a servant that you will have all these.

[Jesus came as a servant]