Day 15: Don't hide your love away
28 February, Day 15: Mathew 20:17-28
It's time for petty admissions.
I worry a little about being perceived as 'religious'. (Not that I am anywhere close to actually being religious.)
Which is fair considering I've already had a few jokey/I don't get it reactions about this blog, from people close to me, which I've had to forcefully grin and shrug off, while pretending that it didn't affect me.
After all, I've been there myself.
Haven't we all come across that person who send endless religious forwards on your family's Whatsapp group, when we least want or expect it? There are others who post quotes from religious Scriptures or post deep or pseudo-spiritual messages on their Facebook status - which is as an unwelcome interruption when you're immersed in that cat video or a genuinely hilarious Buzzfeed video.
People don't want to be bombarded with 'Godly' things when they are out and about doing 'worldy' stuff. It makes them uncomfortable. Like they are NOT privy to some amazing wisdom and truth shared by a secret club of God-believers. So they laugh about it in secret, or sympathise with whatever good or bad the person's gone through which has made them a 'weirdo'.
Unless of course you're a genuinely open person and tolerant person. Frankly, even if you are such a person, being on Facebook or any social media will make you the opposite :/ it's a basic law underpinning these things. (Sorry, recently converted to the 'social media does more harm than good' side these days).
It is obvious that if I have to be a real and true Christian, then such things simply shouldn't matter. It is besides the point. I am still a CWWC!
Today's verse is from Mathew 20: 17-28, and the standout line for me are:
"If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servants of the rest".
Thoughts: So Jesus speaks about his impending suffering and death in this verse, and then the mother of two of his disciples in faith and all earnestness, ask for a favour - can her sons be in heaven at the end of it all? (Ok, not exactly those words).
But Jesus asks whether they are ready to suffer with him? When they say, yes, he says that it's not up to him to decide, and that it lies in his Father's hands. And then he gathers all his disciples together to say that they are called to be leaders and people of authority. However, each of them is called to serve rather than be served.
Whew! To say that this is a tough ask is an understatement.
When I was in primary school, over enthusiastic mothers of my classmates behaved just like this - lobbying for extra marks or a change of grade from teachers when exam papers were handed out. I suppose some of them were told off for this, and probably told that their kid would have to work harder.
I think this is what is intended here is... being close to God by association or "religious" will not land you in the Good Place. It take a lot more effort than that - being humble and tending to the needs of other people, rather than serving yourself. Each one of us is called to a life of service, in our unique paths.
.
Takeaway: Joy is not freely given but it is earned in the act of reaching out to others.
It's time for petty admissions.
I worry a little about being perceived as 'religious'. (Not that I am anywhere close to actually being religious.)
Which is fair considering I've already had a few jokey/I don't get it reactions about this blog, from people close to me, which I've had to forcefully grin and shrug off, while pretending that it didn't affect me.
After all, I've been there myself.
Haven't we all come across that person who send endless religious forwards on your family's Whatsapp group, when we least want or expect it? There are others who post quotes from religious Scriptures or post deep or pseudo-spiritual messages on their Facebook status - which is as an unwelcome interruption when you're immersed in that cat video or a genuinely hilarious Buzzfeed video.
People don't want to be bombarded with 'Godly' things when they are out and about doing 'worldy' stuff. It makes them uncomfortable. Like they are NOT privy to some amazing wisdom and truth shared by a secret club of God-believers. So they laugh about it in secret, or sympathise with whatever good or bad the person's gone through which has made them a 'weirdo'.
Unless of course you're a genuinely open person and tolerant person. Frankly, even if you are such a person, being on Facebook or any social media will make you the opposite :/ it's a basic law underpinning these things. (Sorry, recently converted to the 'social media does more harm than good' side these days).
It is obvious that if I have to be a real and true Christian, then such things simply shouldn't matter. It is besides the point. I am still a CWWC!
Today's verse is from Mathew 20: 17-28, and the standout line for me are:
"If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servants of the rest".
Thoughts: So Jesus speaks about his impending suffering and death in this verse, and then the mother of two of his disciples in faith and all earnestness, ask for a favour - can her sons be in heaven at the end of it all? (Ok, not exactly those words).
But Jesus asks whether they are ready to suffer with him? When they say, yes, he says that it's not up to him to decide, and that it lies in his Father's hands. And then he gathers all his disciples together to say that they are called to be leaders and people of authority. However, each of them is called to serve rather than be served.
Whew! To say that this is a tough ask is an understatement.
When I was in primary school, over enthusiastic mothers of my classmates behaved just like this - lobbying for extra marks or a change of grade from teachers when exam papers were handed out. I suppose some of them were told off for this, and probably told that their kid would have to work harder.
I think this is what is intended here is... being close to God by association or "religious" will not land you in the Good Place. It take a lot more effort than that - being humble and tending to the needs of other people, rather than serving yourself. Each one of us is called to a life of service, in our unique paths.
.
Takeaway: Joy is not freely given but it is earned in the act of reaching out to others.
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