Council of Wisemen
I'm about to work on Albert's book shortly. It's late, however.
I've been reading the biography of a friend's father. A man who came to Malaysia with only one rupee in the pre-war era, and eventually participated in the creation of the Malaysia we have today. Not the weaknesses of what we are exposed to, but the strengths that lies in the veins of our ethnic unity. The biography speaks more about the man himself instead of his accomplishments. In some stories, it is the accomplishments that make the man. In this book, it is who the man is that makes the accomplishments real and meaningful. Integrity characterises him. And I'm on the last few chapters that zooms into his personality as a husband, father and Christian.
The Christianity I'm participating in today is devoid of such role models. Yes there are a good number of people I can think of who have modeled integrity for me. But they are an extinct species today. In my mind, I have something called 'the council of wise men'. A few years ago I decided that a certain number of people in my life are considered wise. These men (mainly men), are people I know who have won my deepest respect and trust, and without a second thought, I would listen to their advice. Their lives speak more than them and they know what they are doing. All of them, walk with Christ.
Over the years, I've also decided what unwise advice sounds like. At this point, by God's grace, I would know who to listen to and who not to. I shudder for sounding arrogant here, but the truth is, I do politely smile and shut off to words of no wisdom. The plumbline for wisdom is in the understanding of God's Word. Non-Christian friends, if at this point you are confused by the unfamiliar jargon, do email or comment on my blog for clarification.
In the last few years, I've had several exciting challenges to my understanding of the key elements in life - relationships, material gains, finance, direction and death. Very sadly, we end up living in a regurgitated idea of what life is supposed to be like. No one takes life apart to question why we do what we do. An in some instances, when we start to analyse what we really believe and do, there is a disconnect. We believe in the bible, but we live outside its covers.
Some of my challenges have been this:
1. Am I living for God and others, or myself? Can I sell off my property (that I don't have) or give up on my interests for the sake of pursuing God's righteousness and others' salvation? (This will give an almost clear cut answer to how i deal with pirated DVDs, etc.)
2. Is my salary and material wealth meant for my enjoyment, and solely for my enjoyment? Because if yes, it makes a whole lot of sense to work harder so that I can enjoy 'God's blessings' more. If yes, then why the hell do I believe in Jesus who really had nothing, and despite that, gave up all? Somehow, I suspect, we have a lopsided view towards material blessings.
3. I struggled with direction. Living nomadically in the last 20 years (my family have moved at least 5 times), direction is something always on my mind. When I began my carrier in Christian ministry, I had a clear sense of calling. However, some other Christians, didn't. Some communicated (body-language wise) that I was naive about Christian ministry. Some didn't seem to excited that I was doing what God called me to do. And when I went into business, some were concerned that I would not know how to move. There's a Chinese proverb, I faintly recall, "Man who says it cannot be done should not disturb the man who is busy doing it". Now I can say with conviction that when God calls - whether into fulltime Christian ministry or to work in a mamak as a waiter or be a lorry driver, just do it.
4. Having made so many mistakes already, I can say that I know what I'm doing now. And if I don't may it be for God's glory that I do not know. And may each step I take, be a step that reveals his ultimate plan.
***
At this point, I will stop. I need to work on Albert's life story. I just detoured to get these thoughts out of the way.
I've been reading the biography of a friend's father. A man who came to Malaysia with only one rupee in the pre-war era, and eventually participated in the creation of the Malaysia we have today. Not the weaknesses of what we are exposed to, but the strengths that lies in the veins of our ethnic unity. The biography speaks more about the man himself instead of his accomplishments. In some stories, it is the accomplishments that make the man. In this book, it is who the man is that makes the accomplishments real and meaningful. Integrity characterises him. And I'm on the last few chapters that zooms into his personality as a husband, father and Christian.
The Christianity I'm participating in today is devoid of such role models. Yes there are a good number of people I can think of who have modeled integrity for me. But they are an extinct species today. In my mind, I have something called 'the council of wise men'. A few years ago I decided that a certain number of people in my life are considered wise. These men (mainly men), are people I know who have won my deepest respect and trust, and without a second thought, I would listen to their advice. Their lives speak more than them and they know what they are doing. All of them, walk with Christ.
Over the years, I've also decided what unwise advice sounds like. At this point, by God's grace, I would know who to listen to and who not to. I shudder for sounding arrogant here, but the truth is, I do politely smile and shut off to words of no wisdom. The plumbline for wisdom is in the understanding of God's Word. Non-Christian friends, if at this point you are confused by the unfamiliar jargon, do email or comment on my blog for clarification.
In the last few years, I've had several exciting challenges to my understanding of the key elements in life - relationships, material gains, finance, direction and death. Very sadly, we end up living in a regurgitated idea of what life is supposed to be like. No one takes life apart to question why we do what we do. An in some instances, when we start to analyse what we really believe and do, there is a disconnect. We believe in the bible, but we live outside its covers.
Some of my challenges have been this:
1. Am I living for God and others, or myself? Can I sell off my property (that I don't have) or give up on my interests for the sake of pursuing God's righteousness and others' salvation? (This will give an almost clear cut answer to how i deal with pirated DVDs, etc.)
2. Is my salary and material wealth meant for my enjoyment, and solely for my enjoyment? Because if yes, it makes a whole lot of sense to work harder so that I can enjoy 'God's blessings' more. If yes, then why the hell do I believe in Jesus who really had nothing, and despite that, gave up all? Somehow, I suspect, we have a lopsided view towards material blessings.
3. I struggled with direction. Living nomadically in the last 20 years (my family have moved at least 5 times), direction is something always on my mind. When I began my carrier in Christian ministry, I had a clear sense of calling. However, some other Christians, didn't. Some communicated (body-language wise) that I was naive about Christian ministry. Some didn't seem to excited that I was doing what God called me to do. And when I went into business, some were concerned that I would not know how to move. There's a Chinese proverb, I faintly recall, "Man who says it cannot be done should not disturb the man who is busy doing it". Now I can say with conviction that when God calls - whether into fulltime Christian ministry or to work in a mamak as a waiter or be a lorry driver, just do it.
4. Having made so many mistakes already, I can say that I know what I'm doing now. And if I don't may it be for God's glory that I do not know. And may each step I take, be a step that reveals his ultimate plan.
***
At this point, I will stop. I need to work on Albert's life story. I just detoured to get these thoughts out of the way.
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