Reflector

In everything that we do, we should ask ourselves, what do we want out of it?

In our school life, what do we want out of it? Is it just to get ahead of everyone else? Do well in our tests and exams? Get a good honours degree so we can get better job prospects and a better pay? Or is there more that we can do during this period of time?

In our group of friends, what do we want out of it? Do we want people to help us book seats in the lecture theatres? A clique to hang out during lunch time or to study with so we won’t be lonely? Or do we want to serve them, encourage them when they feel stressed or worked up about tests, and care for their well-being?

In our Christian walk, what do we want out of it? A religion? An assurance that we’ll go to heaven? Something easy which doesn’t drastically change our way of life, the way we think and view things, or our routine? Or do we want something more?

In going to church, what do we want out of it? Do we want to listen to a sermon every week and not remember what was being preached after the service, but feel good anyway cos we fulfilled our “duty”? Do we want a pastor who preaches exactly what we want to hear, which doesn’t challenge us or ask us to do anything too “difficult”? Or do we want to open our hearts, and accept the message, even if we don’t like it? Do we want our lives to be radically changed and to be fruitful for the kingdom of God?

During praise and worship, what do we want out of it? Do we want to get it over with because it’s just part of the service? Do we jump because want to look like we’re doing the right thing? Or because we want to give our all and give God the praise He deserves, like King David in the bible, even if it means looking out of place or silly at times? When we lift our hands during worship, do we do it because everyone else is doing it? Or do we do it because we want a touch from God?

Do we sing songs just to feel good about it? Do we sing safe songs or old songs because we feel comfortable with them and we don’t want to associate with pop culture too much because it’s too “worldly”? Or do we sing to God, to glorify Him? Because the bible says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, to sing a new song to Him? Do we have flashing lights and cool graphics because we have no where else to spend our money? Or do we have these things to reflect who God is, that He is a colourful and creative God?

Mark 2:22 says “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

If we want to do something new with an old mindset, it’ll never work. If our mindset is old, how can God pour new ideas and new things into our lives?

When people tell us things which conflict with our own ideas, it’s easy to say “Oh the person is wrong, because this is the way I think, and it’s definitely correct” Or it may just mean that we need a mindset change. There might be certain assumptions which we make automatically about things, which we don’t even pause to consider whether those assumptions are right or not.

And people tend to trust their feelings when they do things. Sometimes, it’s good. Sometimes, it’s not. When I feel like eating jap food, and I go and eat it, I feel good, and that’s good. When I feel like studying, and I go study, that’s good.

But when I feel like the PAP is “brain-washing” the people, I don’t migrate to another country or attack them on my blog (I’m not saying they are, it’s just an analogy). I know that they’re doing a good job because Singapore is a progressive country with a low crime rate and a high literacy rate, so I won’t migrate. Just because I feel like changing church a million times because of various reasons (some of which are really good personal reasons by the way), I don’t, because I know from experience that I wasn’t fruitful in a lot of other churches I’ve been to and if I leave, I know the outcome. Know a man by his fruits, because God emphasises a lot on fruitfulness.

Criticism from others is inevitable when you want to do something for God. What matters is not the criticism. Because we seek God’s approval, and don’t do things just because people say that’s the “right” way to do things, or preach things just because it’s “safe”.