(Thoughts) Like reflections upon a mirror...

(Thoughts) Like reflections upon a mirror...

Hi there,


Yeah I just got back from Hong Kong a while back, so I've just been catching up with news from back home. Its been an interesting trip, lots of walking about the city, lots of learning to understand new people, new systems/conventions, new environments. Things like that...

Had quite a few people asking me before I went, “What are you going to be doing there?”
My answer: “ Just take a walk, go for a breather, maybe think about some things.”

Had quite a few people asking me after I came back from my trip, “So how was your trip?”
My answer: “Oh yeah i walked about alot, took alot of breaths, thought about stuff.”

Just joking. But yeah I guess it is true still in some sense what I just talked about. Visited quite a few places in Hong Kong. It is pretty much a city living like Singapore, but the societal attitude is a little more competitive than us. I took quite a few pictures, which you can see from my flickr photo link on the left.


Today's thoughts will be one that is short. I learnt some time back about how to begin to reflect upon life in order to live it meaningfully. What I'm sharing here is just something more visual in description that may aid your understanding.

The picture here shows how we can reflect upon our physical image on the mirror, and from there make some corrections, like styling your hair, something that will improve the overall package(of yourself). Life can be seen somewhat in a similar manner, the experiences and preferences of our lives whereever we may be causes us to become of a certain person that we begin to understand as we go about life. It is true that we grow and mature through the experiences of our lives, when we learn how to take lessons out of that which happens to us. But how meaningful and how great the lesson will depend upon how quality is the reference source by which we learn from.

I do feel that truly it is such a blessing that as Christians our LORD God has given us His word in the bible to read and learn about how we should live our lives most fruitfully. And so I propose this visual for you, you can picture the bible as a full bodied mirror, able to reflect upon the entirety of your life, and allowing you to see clearly in the areas that you need to improve upon to become more complete. How clearly will you see? How much will you improve upon? These are things partly determined by the LORD, which is beyond our understanding. The other is upon the willingness of our hearts to learn from Him, and to change.

Hence if you use this same imagery, I can say that is is possible for a man to improve upon his character in outward form, if he can find a theory that is true in part, or a philosophy that encourages good will amongst men. This can be seen as a mirror as well, smaller in size, and perhaps not so well polished.

If you are reading this and you concur that, “No way, Jon is just being biased because he's a Christian, hence he is just being overtly emotional and insisting upon the perfection of the word of God as he always have.”, then I will answer you with this, that we test it upon the fruits of our lives. I dare to say that truly my life in all its experiences have begun to make sense only upon greater understanding of the word of God, and my life is defintely increasingly changed as I learn more of what God's love for man is, and how I am to share it.

So I do dare to propose that if you would like to do a QC test, a true Christian is one that is increasingly transformed from the inside and out, in both form(in his action and words) and then intention of his heart, and his heart is one that truly learns to love the God whom he worships, as well as those who are needy and helpless in society. He is one that is totally immersed in the society, knowing its working, yet is able to gain strength from his God to prevent himself from circumbing to its pressures(of wealth and successes at the expenses of relationships), and through strength and love is able to move freely and attending to the needy.



In His love,
Jon



Biblical references:

1 Corinthians 13:12
“12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

James :1-23-25
“23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

Romans 12:1-2
“ 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”