Thoughts about my beloved country

1. The prevailing race should not fear meritocracy unless they suffer from inferiority complex. The current situation (quotas and all) is no different to apartheid in which our own leaders stood up against but have been imposing on their own people by calling it a different name.

2. When you have ordinary citizens coming up with better ideas than the government on how to run the country, then you have a problem.

3. In trying to justify their behaviour, the government has to come up with even more ridiculous excuses.

4. As a foreign investor, I will not do business in a country that arrests people without trial or reason because I could end up like one of them. Well, some people say that even 'democratic, westernised' countries like Uncle Sam do the same thing. Do not forget that those actions have been criticised and successfully challenged in Uncle Sam's courts of law without fear of repression.

5. There is little ethical value in trying to topple a government through defections. It makes you no different than those who are in power.

Method vs Heart

A young Christian leader was given the task of inviting an elder to give a workshop on 'How to lead a Bible Study group' for his youth fellowship. That Christian leader emailed the elder, giving him points on what he should talk about for the workshop. When he phoned the elder for a confirmation, this was what the elder said (paraphrased):

Brother, I would like to comment on the points you sent me. These points focus a lot on method. On how to prepare Bible study materials. How to make bible study members talk. How to follow up the members. How to do things in general. Now this alone is very shallow. The fundamental principle of good leadership is having the right attitude. Of having the heart to teach the members, of wanting them to grow to be more Christ-like. Of having the desire to see people changed; the Word becoming meaningful to their lives. '

I admit that I am that Christian leader. That my life has been too focused on method. That my favourite words have been 'System, Strategy, Solution, Efficiency, etc'. No doubt these things are important. But what are the missing words that should come first? 'Heart and Attitude'. Youth Fellowship is not a corporation. If we focus on method but our heart is not right before God, we may have limited success, but we would not be doing His Will. His Will should be first in our lives, not right methods.

Yet it's easy to become too focused on the right attitude and forget that things need to be done properly for God's Kingdom to prosper. For this I have one word, 'Balance'. Lord, I pray that Your people will be wise in having a heart that is right before You first, then putting this right heart to action through the right methods. Amen.

Jesus and the environment

Yesterday, Ian and I were about to cross the road to David Jones when this guy from an environmental group suddenly came up and said, "Hey, are you interested in saving the environment? Have you thought about the Great Barrier Reef or the forests in Tasmania?" It got me thinking. What does this have to do with us students? What's the connection between environment and assignments, exams, relationships, or graduation? If you want people to listen, you got to relate to them first. Find out what makes them tick. Then you can communicate your message effectively.

Makes me think about how we sometimes invite our friends to OCF or church without thinking about how it would relate to their life. Or sometimes we make up reasons. "Oh because they have cute girls". "You'll make lots of friends". Not all reasons are bad but most of the time we miss the main reason of why they should come. It is to know and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can't depend on OCF to have this relationship. But we can't know Jesus without fellowship either. Many people are turned off when they hear the name "Jesus". But these same people have needs too. For meaning and direction in life. For a sense of peace and security. As Christians, we should let them know that Jesus is the source of our peace, security, and direction in life. And we do not despair when disaster strikes because we know God is in control and he sustains us through his Spirit. And we show them this through our lifestyle. Then they will go, "Perhaps this Jesus is real, because my friend here is different. Maybe I should go to church to find out".

"…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some". – 1 Corinthian 9v22. To make people listen, we must relate to them. Know their needs. Then we can get our message across.