Rights and leftovers – part 2

While bumming in my office and listening to conversations going around, I can’t help but notice that there is actually value in humility. If we were to approach everything in life as privileges rather than entitlements, we will live as happier people. I guess it’s alright to want something badly but I suppose that when we recognize the value of humility we would be able to accept unfavorable things and situations more readily instead of becoming bitter. When we can do that, favorable turnouts will become more like bonuses thus making the happy person happier.

In all our time we have been educated about human/social rights whereas part of it says that we have the basic human rights to live and from there we assume that the same applies to death as well. We actually think that we have the rights to choose to die when we want to and people call that ‘dying with dignity’. Depending on who owns us, it seems that the owner will decide our fate. If we own ourselves, then it seems logical that we have the rights to choose to die but if someone else other than ourselves own us, then it seems alright to conclude that we actually do not have any rights to our living and dying.

Now here’s the over arching assumption; with rights come power. Therefore the owner should have the power to control the process of life and death (i.e life to death, death to life, nothing to life aka creation), and therefore we can never own ourselves. Hence the concept of 'dying with dignity' is utter nonsense and the logical side to it is thus, only cosmetic.

Persecuting passively

What I read this morning shook me up - “Those who stand apathetically in the background of persecution, persecute by passivity.” Jesus said “If you are not for me, you are against me”. How can we be indifferent about certain issues and tell people that we believe in the doing or abstaining of them? Telling and living are the two different things that define our integrity.

As recorded in the Gospels, one of the most noted questions (in my opinion) Jesus have ever asked anyone is “Who do you say I am?” I really think that we should evaluate ourselves everyday by asking ourselves this very question. Our view of who Jesus is will determine our actions. The reverse is also true as well - our actions determine our beliefs. Our actions tell others what we believe in.

Day by day we should remind ourselves that we are going to die. Our condition is fatal, but it is not without hope. Let us cease not in telling people about the hope that we live for. Let us not sit on the fence and wait in hope for others to do so first. In Christ there is no such thing as ‘waiting’. If we are not for him, we are actually against him.

I guess this is a stark reminder for me today.

Rights and leftovers

Paul writing from Philippians 3:4-11

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What 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 (skip to verse 10) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
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Somehow eversince army started I realized that I became increasingly easily angered. Especially when things do not go my way when it should and could have blatantly been. It really stings when I do not get what I’m entitled to get, like when it is ‘your rights’ to have it. It also really stings when I try with all my ability to be perfect, to control things and yet things still go wrong. And that’s where I realized that failure cost me much.

I guess more and more I’m beginning to kind of understand what it feels like to be in Job’s shoes. To know that I’m really not entitled to anything and that I really don’t have any rights to anything whatsoever. I guess God is really teaching me what it means to leave everything behind - ‘rights’ inclusive. My dreams and ambition seem so plain in the light of Christ. And now the big question is if I could gladly abandon them to follow Jesus. It’s easy to sing it off but painful to actualize.

I have decided, to follow Jesus. ( x3 )
No turning back, no turning back.
The Cross before me, the world behind me. ( x3 )
No turning back, no turning back.
Thou none go with me, I still will follow. ( x3 )
No turning back, no turning back.

I tear whenever I sing this song because it reminds me of what I’m leaving behind.

Belief

I know everyone wants to believe in something but I wonder if everyone is perpetually questioning their belief system. For me, I want something that is secure and that never fails. It seems like forever since the last time I not questioned God about whether He will come through for me.

Lord you said in your word that blessed is the man who trusts in you. What is the meaning of blessedness? Will I ever live to understand it? Please don’t ever fail me. Hold me in your arms and never let me go. I am nothing without you. I still believe that you are a good God who gives good gifts to your servants to accomplish your will... I know you will.