It is not very frequently that you hear deeply Biblical truths spoken by movie characters. And yesterday, I was watching Bruce Almighty for the second time, and towards the end of the movie there was a dialogue that encouraged me a lot.
In the scene where Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey mop the floor of empty white hall together, Freeman says something like "The good thing is no matter how dirty something gets, it can always be cleaned!"
What this dialogue taught me was that:
1. No matter how dirty my heart is, God sees me as someone who can be better.
2. No matter how weak I am, God views me as someone who can be made strong.
3. I need to show the same attitude towards a hurting husband, a naughty child, or a bitter enemey. They are not bad, but just could me made better.
We need not focus on the dirt, but on the faith that it can be cleaned. After all, doesn't He look at each of us the same way?
Is there a verse in the Bible that matches the dialgoue? Oh yes...
1 Samuel 16: 7 ..for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
A lesson on leadership
Many a time, leaders think that their success depends on a capable work force. How easy it is to blame a failure on the people reporting to you! Non-performers who get pink slips are often middle-level managers or employees in the lower rungs of the corporate ladder.
But we see a contrast in the Bible. Read Judges, and every chapter explains how a God-fearing leader brought victory and peace to the Israelites. Even when the Israelites ignored Jehovah and went after idols, God blessed them just because their leader loved Jehovah. In every chapter you can see that there was peace during the days of a judge, not because the people were perfect but because the leader was God-fearing. Battles were won on the same basis. Time and again, God considered the leader's faith more seriously than the sins of the people.
It is a lesson for all people aspiring to be leaders. Leaders should work with an honest and pure heart. If we do, God will give us the skills/wisdom to use even the weakest of our team members and guide them to victory.
But we see a contrast in the Bible. Read Judges, and every chapter explains how a God-fearing leader brought victory and peace to the Israelites. Even when the Israelites ignored Jehovah and went after idols, God blessed them just because their leader loved Jehovah. In every chapter you can see that there was peace during the days of a judge, not because the people were perfect but because the leader was God-fearing. Battles were won on the same basis. Time and again, God considered the leader's faith more seriously than the sins of the people.
It is a lesson for all people aspiring to be leaders. Leaders should work with an honest and pure heart. If we do, God will give us the skills/wisdom to use even the weakest of our team members and guide them to victory.
Think on these things
One year, when I attended Vacation Bible School as a kid, we had "Think on These Things" as the theme. The theme was based on Philippians 4: 8.
But as a child I never understood why I had to forcefully think on good things. I assumed that all good people have naturally good thoughts.
As I grew up, i realized the influence of TV and media on my mind. Sometimes a bit of a movie or even a news clip was still left in my memory. These new residents slowly begin to act on me. I have often been surprised at the type of thoughts that cross my mind.
There are no erasers or liquid organic cleaners to wipe away something unbiblical or unethical from your mind. But we need to make efforts that these thoughts do not build or add up. This is why we as Christians need to make an effort to think on good things.
If our thoughts were seeds, our actions would be the fruits. Sow good thoughts, your actions would be good. Good people need not have only good thoughts. But only good thoughts make good people. Therefore, if you want your actions to be Christ-like, think on these things: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy.
But as a child I never understood why I had to forcefully think on good things. I assumed that all good people have naturally good thoughts.
As I grew up, i realized the influence of TV and media on my mind. Sometimes a bit of a movie or even a news clip was still left in my memory. These new residents slowly begin to act on me. I have often been surprised at the type of thoughts that cross my mind.
There are no erasers or liquid organic cleaners to wipe away something unbiblical or unethical from your mind. But we need to make efforts that these thoughts do not build or add up. This is why we as Christians need to make an effort to think on good things.
If our thoughts were seeds, our actions would be the fruits. Sow good thoughts, your actions would be good. Good people need not have only good thoughts. But only good thoughts make good people. Therefore, if you want your actions to be Christ-like, think on these things: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy.
A personal God
January 1, 2009 at church during the New Year service. I quietly pulled out a promise card from the bunch being passed around on trays. I flipped the card to see the verse. It read "I shall cover you with my feathers. Psalms 91: 4"
I heaved a sigh and said to myself “Does this mean that 2009 is also going to be a year of no big blessings?"
Disappointed, I put the promised card inside my Bible. I found myself asking why God never promised me blessings, prosperity, and peace. I forgot everything about the promise, and went on my routine.
Year after year, I had pulled out promise cards expecting it to be about earthly blessings. But I have never received a promise about material blessings. Year after year I had asked for my career to be blessed, my marriage to be blessed, and so on. But promises have always been about emotional parts of my life.
One evening in February, on my way back home from work, the same question entered my mind. Why does God never promise me earthly blessings or prosperity?
The realization dawned soon. God wanted to deal with the fearsome side of me.
I FEAR a lot about the future and my family. I was taught that a responsible human being "fears" about the future and prepares in advance. My father equaled being fearless to being careless. He would ask me questions like, "How can you not be worried about your career (meaning you are careless about it)." Deep down, I had learnt that living in fear was the right way to live. And soon, I had grown up living in fear - fear about everything.
Soon, fear was the weapon that satan was using against me. Sometimes, i would fear so much about something that it would almost cripple my life. Fear has often made me unable to think clearly or has often made me act in haste.
Before God could bless me, He knew He had to deal with my fear. That is why He promised to hide me in His feathers. Once inside, I won't even know what it happening outside. And all I had to do was enjoy the safety of the hideout.
God knew me so well that He decided that this year He wanted to change one of my weaknesses into strength. HE knew better than me. He knew that removing my fears would be of greater benefit to me than materialistic blessing.
This shows that my God is a personal God. He did not promise me what I wanted but what I needed the most (victory over fear). I am so blessed to worship a God who knows me so personally.
I heaved a sigh and said to myself “Does this mean that 2009 is also going to be a year of no big blessings?"
Disappointed, I put the promised card inside my Bible. I found myself asking why God never promised me blessings, prosperity, and peace. I forgot everything about the promise, and went on my routine.
Year after year, I had pulled out promise cards expecting it to be about earthly blessings. But I have never received a promise about material blessings. Year after year I had asked for my career to be blessed, my marriage to be blessed, and so on. But promises have always been about emotional parts of my life.
One evening in February, on my way back home from work, the same question entered my mind. Why does God never promise me earthly blessings or prosperity?
The realization dawned soon. God wanted to deal with the fearsome side of me.
I FEAR a lot about the future and my family. I was taught that a responsible human being "fears" about the future and prepares in advance. My father equaled being fearless to being careless. He would ask me questions like, "How can you not be worried about your career (meaning you are careless about it)." Deep down, I had learnt that living in fear was the right way to live. And soon, I had grown up living in fear - fear about everything.
Soon, fear was the weapon that satan was using against me. Sometimes, i would fear so much about something that it would almost cripple my life. Fear has often made me unable to think clearly or has often made me act in haste.
Before God could bless me, He knew He had to deal with my fear. That is why He promised to hide me in His feathers. Once inside, I won't even know what it happening outside. And all I had to do was enjoy the safety of the hideout.
God knew me so well that He decided that this year He wanted to change one of my weaknesses into strength. HE knew better than me. He knew that removing my fears would be of greater benefit to me than materialistic blessing.
This shows that my God is a personal God. He did not promise me what I wanted but what I needed the most (victory over fear). I am so blessed to worship a God who knows me so personally.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
First Blog
Hello Everybody,
This is my first blog.
I wanted to blog so that I can keep a record of my own thought process.
I will write more soon.
Have a nice weekend.
This is my first blog.
I wanted to blog so that I can keep a record of my own thought process.
I will write more soon.
Have a nice weekend.
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