What clouds our minds?

More and more voilent cases are reported in our newspapers the past 5 years. And often on the road, I would see young guys driving at high speed...moving from third lane to first lane interchangeably. These bothered me as I wondered where people get such voilent ideas to hurt other people; where do people get the habit of driving in such a dangerous way???

I think a lot of such behaviours are influenced by what we see on the TV/movies. I am not against watching the TV/movies but I do think that what gets into our minds, subtlely do influence our thoughts. I think we should guard our minds by guarding what we watch and read- to make a conscious choice to select only materials that nourish our minds and not poison it. What we take in is what comes out of us. We may not be aware of the dangers of the sexual and violent scenes we watch on the screen but beware, because these are the things that can rule our conscious mind to influence our actions when we leave our minds unguarded.

Inner beauty vs outer beauty

How much would you spend on your skin? Some friends of mine spends about RM300-500 a month of skin care and facial. In 1 Peter 3, Peter told the women that their beauty should not come from outer adornment but inner self- a gentle and quite spirit. So, since we should be busy building inner beauty how much should we focus and spend on outer beauty? Are they really important? Any one has any comment on this?

Washroom chats

What do we talk about most times when we meet our colleagues in the washroom? Often, it is a place where people find solace and relief by expressing their heart out about something or someone. It is where we hear the latest gossips on people and events, rumours, complaints, and grievences. Worst still, it is so tempting for us to join in the conversation and make them juicier.

There is a Hokkien saying i.e."Oo chui kong bak lang, bo chui kong ka ki" which, in literal translation means that we have mouth to comment about others but no mouths to comment on ourself.

The Bible in Philippians 4:8 says "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think of such things."

As I reflect on this verse, I reminded and encouraged once again to make washroom chats one that is of such mentioned in Phil 4:8 and not the opposite which often is far easier to do and shamely more exciting.

Keep The Good Things Going

A friend asked me if I know anyone who could share about Jesus Christ and the Gospel to her father who was having cancer. I was shock. "But aren't you a staunch Buddhist?", I said. "I just want to be sure that my father would be at somewhere safe when he dies", she said. I was just so surprised that a Buddhist would want her father to be a Christian.

Apparently, this friend had attended a missionary school and I'm sure she had experience God's love through her teachers.She knew about Jesus but decided not to accept the Gospel. Somehow, many years later, when death of the closest person dawns upon her, she knew that only Christ is the only way to salvation. Being a stauch Buddhist did not give her that sort of assurance of salvation.

Her father did accept Christ three days before he died. The family had a Christian funeral. "I have peace that my father is at a safe place now," she said to me. But sadly, my friend has yet to become a Christian although she knew that only through Christ would she be promised eternal life. I'm still praying for her salvation each time I remember her. Would you have someone like my friend whom you could pray for today?

Sometimes, we wonder if we do make a difference within our circle of friends and family. I think we do when we truly live by God's word. They may laugh at us or accuse us for doing wrong. But this encounter I had with my friend made me realised that we do make a difference for Christ although people may choose to ignore it.

Praying for Perseverance

I was reading James 1:2-4 yesterday.

"Consider pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Many times we pray that troubles and trials will go away but these are the ones that will strengthen our faith and develop greater perseverance. Ultimately, that we may be mature and complete.

So I thought, perhaps I should start praying such a prayer today:

"Lord, help me to consider it pure joy when I face trials of many kinds, because I know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."