the world hates the disciples

because of human nature's response to feelings, don't you just hate it when somebody hates you? (oh the irony!)

i overheard a conversation yesterday in the MRT while i was on my way home. two tertiary students (a male and a female) are expressing their distaste for another student in their course or organization (they didn't really give details for me to be sure) that apparently posts bulletins in their boards about bible verses. they mentioned he is a Christian. to make the long (and saddening for me to hear) story short, the female summarized it by saying, "He should stop doing that. Nobody gives a shit."

although i know it could be hurtful for that person to actually hear people talking about him like that, i'm sure as a Christian he will also understand why they speak of him like that. for Jesus said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:18)

the world does not want Jesus' love. no matter what He did - even if He sacrificed and died on the cross - as the girl said, "Nobody gives a shit."

i suppose partly, she is right. but i think the part where she got it wrong is that Christians aren't nobodies. we are God's children. we belong to Him. we love Him and He loves us. so i only feel pity for "nobodies" for they are missing out big time in their lives - Jesus' love and redemption for our sins.

i am in that time of my life whereas as a Christian, i also want to bring other people close to God as my caregroup family has done for me. i pray to God that He continuously give me the strength and ability to invite people to have a relationship with Jesus, with The Father. although the entire world may not believe in Jesus, or even though all my invitations get turned down, i will still try my best to spread His good news and reach out to people that could be like myself - just waiting to be awakened spritually and be saved from sins & eternal death.

speak no evil

back in my college days, one of my favorite past times is to find fault at a passerby. whether it be a bad haircut, fashion victim getup or even a God-given facial deformity, i am sure to make fun of it for my pleasure's sake. i find it fun to do so, because i think it's harmless - i don't humiliate the person in front of spectators, just in my head.

but now that i am with Christ, i am steering away from that evil deed. the usually so easy-to-do criticizing makes me feel very weary-hearted. it sucks the life out of me.

it does not make one "cool" to speak ill of someone, even if one is your enemy or if doing so will make one belong to a crowd of people urging you to do so.

for Jesus said, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean." (Matthew 15:18 NIV)

anyway, isn't it easier to speak of good things all the time? most especially, words of praise to our Lord Jesus Christ! \0/

PRAISE BE TO YOU MY LORD!

i know God loves me, i should not question it

because of our (human) nature, it is easy to fall prey to our emotions whether it be positive or negative. today, i felt two of them - anger and disappointment.

last week, i asked a favor from my sister to send some stuff to me thru a friend who is currently in Manila. to cut the long story short, my sister and my friend didn't meet because my friend forgot to call my sister. by the time i called my friend to check up on how are their meeting is doing, i learnt that she was already flying out of Manila that evening. i got sad but since am just asking a favor from my friend, i got over it in a snap. i learned that my friend's sister-in-law is still in Manila as well and will be going back to Singapore soon thereafter so i just contacted her. she was accomodating and agreed to take my stuff to me thru my sis. i emailed my sis about it and she replied in agreement. the day after i emailed her, my friend's SIL alerted me that my sis haven't contacted her yet. i got annoyed and disappointed because i would hate to waste another opportunity for my stuff to get to me. so earlier i sent her an email telling her to contact the person ASAP as i don't want for days to pass by again and forgetting about the package delivery yet once more. probably because she's pressured and tired from her work, she replied hinting annoyance at me. i quickly realized at that moment that i've been totally unfair to her. the things she will be sending to me won't even get sent to me in the first place if not for her help (and money) yet i have the nerve to boss her around and hurry her into doing my bidding. i readily apologized and asked nicely that she do it for me as a favor. she calmed and replied that she'll be doing so.

this scenario made me realize that because i know my sister loves me and would do things for me, even if she's tired or have other plans/priorities, that i have totally forgotten that i should still be grateful and gracious to her gestures towards me. then in comparison is how far greater so with Jesus' love. i know that He is always there for me, always listening to me, always guiding me, always loving me. but oftentimes, i find myself acting towards Him like i just did with my sister - i even have the callousness to question His intentions in spite of all the blessings He shower me with.

and so today i learned that whatever I may need, it will be given to me in His time, according to His will. i have to be patient and always be grateful.

declaring my love for Him to the world

i've known about Jesus Christ since i was in primary school. my grandmother and aunt likes to pray the Rosary a lot. we have a Bible in the house. my mother always tells me to do the sign of the cross whenever we pass churches. these and everything else i've known about Him is because i had to say it in a prayer prayed over and over or forced unto us at school to later on be tested at quizzes. but i've never encountered Him as i now do until i joined Kuya Joel's caregroup under Hope Church.

you may ask, what's a caregroup? basically, it a smaller family of faith where you connect with other members spritiually and maybe even more. most of my caregroup's members have families, so our kids mingle with each other as we parents do as well. we encourage one another to be stronger in our faith and help out in areas we can in each other lives. we meet once a week to praise God, thank Him for His blessings and reflect on His words.

at first, i won't deny i was skeptical. i thought this was all gimmick or had strings attached. as i continuously interact with these people, attending Sunday service diligently, then i got it. it was all for the love of Jesus. these people are good because they've experienced God's goodness and it transformed them. my family and i are no strangers to problems and trials as i know my co-caregroupers are as well. but because they have a deeper relationship with Jesus, they continuously strive to be in His likeness.

and when i realized that i wanted Jesus to be in my heart and stay there forever to be my Savior, i knew i was born again.