(Thoughts) On the appreciation of life(1)...

(Thoughts) On the appreciation of life(1)...

Hi there,



Had a talk a few days ago with a friend and her mom, and one of the things that was brought up was about a girl who had committed suicide last year. From what was heard before her death was that she seemed so cheerful and outgoing, seemingly enjoying her life – despite the known facts of the difficulties she faced from broken family relationships, and other problems. So it seemed that she was okay, so it seemed. Then why did she decide to take her life?

It must had seemed to her like the end of the road, and there is nothing that can be done to salvage whatever situation she is in. Hopelessness must have been a word that seemed so true in her life. But why should it be so? If there were testimonies at her wake of how she was like this or like that, then why should it have ever been so?

What am I driving at this time? I'm saying that if we assume that the testimonies were factual and that she had indeed spend much time with those buddies, and she was indeed appearing to be normal to them, and they had not notice that she had been experiencing problems or suffering that was driving her to the breaking point, then I will ask one more question – How well did they know her? And how well did they try to know her? Because I do believe that it is impossible if you truly care about someone, to not know that they are experiencing problems, and that they do require encouragement and reassurance of love during those difficult times.

But why does it seemed that despite a possible lengthy period of time she and others had spend together, they hadn't known her enough to notice any problems that had been troubling her? You could give a reason, “Oh she could have been really guarded a person, not wanting to share about her life.” And I shall go along the lines now of complete agreement of what you brought up, but then I will bring other things that I feel that you had not considered. Had you begin on your part to extend your sincerity in knowing her and caring for her? Had you done the simple gestures of giving her a smile when you see her, or just saying hi? Or had you been one of those who turned away whenever you saw her on the street, just because you are afraid that she might not reciprocate your welcoming gestures? Or were you one of those who walked past her countless of times in church without stopping to talk because she fitted the “ain't the kind of person I would like to talk to” category?

Oh yes I might be raising some degree of guilt here, but it is not my purpose, what I am driving her is the point that there are people out there whom we have ignored(by choice), or we have neglected(for the very fact that we are so caught up with “things”). So here I bring up 2 points which I see is common in most people which can give reason for their lack of concern and love for others.

Firstly, I believe that being in Singapore, like most city dwellers we have grown so accustomed to a desire to achieve and do something. Stillness is not something we commonly hear mostly, let alone practice, but restlessness is the word. In my life, when I hear people who are working talk, I frequently hear about office politics, and how some do step on toes to get a step higher in achievements and recognition. But no, that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the people you have crushed on your way in the pursuance of success – the suffering and the afflicted in whom you have ignored walking “your” path to the “winner's life”. So do you really think of it as the winners life? Ah yes, something you can pride yourself in today's world, but what about in the presence of the LORD in the days to come? And why do you act as if the LORD is no longer present?

Secondly, another major reason why we fail to see the needs of others, if for the very reason that we are so inward looking, by nature. So many times before we do anything, we ask in our hearts, “what is in it for me?”. And when we do good, we do it only because it is of “mutual benefit”. So what if I propose the case of singular benefit, and the beneficiary being the other party, will you still be willing to take up the case to do good? Oh yes that means status quo to you, what if i propose another case in which to do good for another it means for sacrifice of something dear to you, without ANY recognition from anyone, are you still willing? Are you really willing?


So the 2 main reasons why I believe we have failed to see the neediness of others is this:
(1)Our preoccupation with the achievements to gain for ourselves in this world
(2)The selfishness of the human heart, and the devoid-ness of love (that should and is capable to dwell within)

And if you are wondering if I had just thought of these things out of my own theories and philosophies, then you are wrong. It is the very teachings that some of us who are Christians from young have been taught from the very beginning. Here I shall state the scriptures from which I had understood this societal conditions that plagues us:


(1)Luke 10:30-37(The parable of the good Samaritan...)
“30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."”

In the context here, an expert int he law had asked Jesus what it is he must do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus' answer was “love”. In the learning to love God with all of your being – heart, soul, mind and strength – and learning to love your neighbour as yourself. The story that was told here shows a few things, firstly that there are needy people about us as seen from the man who was left half dead, secondly that there is a call for us as Christians to be as “neighbours” to them, meaning to love them, as seen from Jesus' conclusion of the story to “do likewise.”.

There is also some other things that have been brought to our attention, that is sad to be mentioned, that despite being in the prized positions of priesthood and levites, the people who supposedly should know God better and hence is able to better share forth that love that comes form Him, those are the very people who did not stop to help this needy man. And it was a Samaritan, one despised by society during those times that went to help this man, in whatever was needed by him. When we put this in more generality, we can possibly see it as the people who are more capable and have more capacity to help another did not.

(2) The beginning statements of the famous definition of love...
“1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

In this scriptural reference Paul was using these arguments mainly to reinforce the purpose of the gifts and possessions the people of Corinth had should have been used in the purpose of Godly love. The underlying motivation and attitude of the heart should be love( a perfect love that comes form the LORD, which we continue to learn more about daily in our walks), if not all will have been in vain. And for an example we can see from verse 3, that even if we had done “great deeds of sacrifices”, but the underlying motivation of our hearts was not for good, it counts for nothing. However I do believe that this does not mean the acts meant for nothing, but it there were no underlying meaning behind those acts, then it would be so. The very things entrusted into our hands by the LORD have to be learnt to be acknowledged, for the very fact of their very nature, they are entrusted, and entrusted by the LORD. So we learn and by the Spirit gain courage to act against the selfishness of the human nature to feed oneself, but learn to feed others as well.


So let's get back to the story when i heard about that suicide case, i was reminded of a few stories of breakdowns experienced in the past by some friends, and told to me in recent days. I was reminded also of my own conditions, and some thoughts about life and death I had a few months back. No it wasn't towards that of suicide, but more cries of desperation on my part, towards God. If you had been faithfully reading my posts, or perhaps know me personally, you should in part of the story of my life, of the pain I have constantly experienced in my lower back for the past 6 years. There are days I question myself, is this a curse or a plague that is upon me, because it really has been “haunting” me for the longest of times, and the tiredness I get from the drain the pain has upon my body is becoming increasingly prevalent.

I was truly quite tired out from the constant ache and the increasing demands that was placed upon my shoulders. The pain was definitely quite bad, and it left me with lesser and lesser waking hours which are productive. It somehow reached a point in my life, that even breathing felt difficult, and there I questioned myself, if breathing is difficult, why do I even bother taking that next breath? But as I read the book of Acts, I think in preparation for a lesson I was to conduct last semester, I read this verse, which made sense to me then, made so much sense in fact. And this is bearing in mind my hope that I will truly learn to grow in my heart to love the LORD as far as it is possible in me to contain – as that seen in the life of Kind David, the man after God's heart.

Acts 13:36-37
“36"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. 37But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.”

So I realised then from this 2 verses how David had embraced the fact, in his pursuance of understanding and enjoying the love of God, he had served God's purpose in his own generation, BEFORE he fell asleep. And I am reminded, that perhaps my work is not yet done here, and there is a reason for the LORD giving me these few breaths and not bringing me home yet. So I asked the LORD once again to not allow me to fall into the traps of meaningless existence, and to learn to appreciate into greater extent the life that He has given me. And to learn to give up this life in parts to bring people closer to the LORD my God. May he ever teach me to do so, to ever declare the truth that will remind others and always bring to their memory the love of God, who is in Christ Jesus my Lord.

So it is my prayer that if any of you should come to a point of desperation in your lives, that you will not be overwhelmed, but you will learn to cry unto the LORD, just cry unto Him, and allow Him to be the one that sustains you. And I will hope also that the Spirit of the LORD will remind you of the sanctity of life of which is given to us, the breath of God within the his image in us. The reminder also of how we are the children of God, and that even if the world forsakes you, it does so because it does not recognise the face of Jesus Christ and it forsake Him first. And yet we remember that it still remains our choice and our privilege to be the mouthpiece of the living God, to choose to obey His calling to love others, and to speak forth His truth into their lives. Truth that will convict their hearts to walk in His ways of righteousness, if they should listen, truth that is encompassed in love and mercy, but yet truth also that possesses the degree of justice as the LORD our God is a just and righteous God. Be of the salt and the light my brothers and sisters.



In His love,
Jon


Additional Biblical References:
Philippians 1:21
“21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 3:7-9
“7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

Acts 20:24
“24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me; the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.”

1 John 3:1-3
“ 1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”

John 13:34-35
“34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."”

1 John4:11-12
“11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Micah 6:7-8
“ 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
“13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.”