Month: November 2014

The Good Teacher ———- Journal of reflection 11/28/2014

Last week, I had to take my car to a dealer’s service department for state inspection and tire rotation. On my way to the service department, my tire pressure warning light came on. I wasn’t sure if it is TPMS (Tire pressure monitor system) problem or just low tire pressure. Since my appointment time is cutting close, I couldn’t stop and check it. At the service department, I told a service manager that there is a tire pressure warning light came on. He said he will tell service mechanic to take care of it. After waiting for more than an hour and half, the service manager told me that my car is done and everything is ok. So, I paid the bill and took the key to my car. As soon as I started the car, the low tire pressure light comes up again. I was not happy, so I went back to the service manager and asked for explanation. The service manager affirmed that the mechanic have checked my tire pressure and it was ok. He told me that the warning light will be off after I drive a few miles because car computer needs time to reset it.
Ha..ha..ha.. This was NOT the case, the warning light remains on after I went home. Thinking that the car computer might still not being reset, I continued to drive my car the second day. However, the warning light still on and I started to worry if this is TPMS problem. Finally at night, I had time to check the tire pressure and find out that they are low for sure. So, I pumped more air into the tire and then drove the car. Guess what? The warning light came off right away. This is really a ridiculous experience that I had with car service recently. Certainly I could drive my car back to the service department and asked for repair, however, I didn’t do that because I have lost confidence with the service department.

 
This experience reminds me of a usual sigh, “Finding a good mechanic is sometimes as difficult as in finding a good doctor!” As we know, a good reliable car and a good physical health are essential to our daily living. However, they are not always attainable and hence we need car mechanic’s service and doctor’s service. Last night, we had a great Thanksgiving gathering at my house. Two of my friends shared their recent experiences in seeing physicians. They felt that their doctors are sometimes ignorant and careless in diagnosing their conditions. Of course this is very subjective – The question comes to: What is the measurement of “good” because it could vary from person to person.

 
If we base on our own personal preference and experience, I bet you that you won’t find a universally “good” doctor or a universally “good” mechanic in this world. That is because our personal preference and experience are biased and relative to the best. So, the question is: Is there such person exists? In the Gospel of Mark chapter 10, there is a teaching Jesus gave to a man who ran up to meet Him. The man fell on his knees before Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” An answer was given by Jesus. “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 「你為什麼稱我是良善的?除了神一位之外,再沒有良善的。」(Mark 10:18)” Jesus pointed out that we need to turn our focus to God if we want to find “good”, because for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And, James also indicated to us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights 各樣美善的恩賜和各樣全備的賞賜都是從上頭來的,從眾光之父那裡降下來的 (James 1:17a).
In this Thanksgiving season, let’s have a thankful heart toward God’s blessings “For God is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. 因為耶和華本為善,他的慈愛存到永遠,他的信實直到萬代 (Psalm 100:5)”
———————————————————————————————————-
Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

“Say Thanks” ———- Journal of Reflection 11/20/2014

A few days ago, one of our neighbors called my wife asking if I can come to her house to check her furnace which seems to be not working anymore – it has been two nights without heat from her baseboard heater. I know this is an urgent issue as outside temperature goes down every night recently. Later at her house, I discovered that her furnace is a complex energy efficient heating system equipped with complicated control circuitries. I immediately realize that this is beyond my limited knowledge. As movie actor Clint Eastwood used to say, “Man has to know his limitation” 🙂 , I carefully checked around and saw malfunction lights blink on the control board of the furnace. I tried to reset the burner of the furnace but wasn’t successful. I guess it is time for a professional than an amateur. So, I told her to call a professional as time is critical. She looks disappointed but still “say thanks” to me for my effort.

“Say thanks” is a gesture that we normally use to express our appreciation when we receive something from others, either tangible or intangible. I still remember when my kids were at their elementary / middle school years, their schools normally have a Thanksgiving presentation at this time. They were asked to stand in front of parents reciting “I am thanking for….” song. Some of the example phrases are: I am thanking for my parents, for my family, for my country, etc. I think it is good to teach kids to have an attitude of thanksgiving. However, if you listen to their recitations closely, you will find that the phrase, “I am thanking for God” is hardly, if ever, recited by kids. You can say it is coincidental but I tend to think this is an intentional omission by most public education institutions. The omission basically ignores that fact that God is the Creator of the Universe. So, let’s ponder upon this a little bit.

You probably would agree with me that it is not meaningful and even embarrassing if you say thanks to a wrong person or for a wrong subject, right? In other words, when you say thanks without recognizing the right person whom (or the right subject) you should be thanking for, your gesture is by no means meaningful. Therefore, an immediate question to us is do we realize that? If we don’t, then we are giving glory to someone who is not deserved or for a wrong subject. This is certainly not a desirable thing to do.

Throughout the four Gospels, Jesus acknowledged that He was “sent” by father God to finish the work of salvation in order to deliver us from sin. Apostle Paul indicated to us that Jesus who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! 他本有神的形象,不以自己與神同等為強奪的,反倒虛己,取了奴僕的形象,成為人的樣式;既有人的樣子,就自己卑微,存心順服以至於死,且死在十字架上。(Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus exemplifies the importance of submission by giving glory to the right person – God the Father. How about today’s society? Obviously, it is a different story!

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, when we want to say thanks, we have to identify who the right person is and what the right subject is. We need to thank our Lord first for His grace and mercy. In this season of Thanksgiving, let’s remember that it is Jesus for the reason.

 

———————————————————————————————————-

Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

Teaming up! ———– Journal of Reflection 11/13/2014

Last week, we had a local gutter company to install new gutters for our house. During the last part of their installation, they found a small section of fascia board rotted at one side of our house. As a result, they requested us to have a professional come in to fix it before they can put the new gutter on. We then called the person whom they had recommended but, to our surprise, the guy was reluctant to accept this “small” job. My colleague at work then suggested me to make it a DIY project since it is an “easy” job, per his own experience.

I guess everything has its first time. Without knowing how much it would involve, I took the challenge and climbed up ladder attempting to do it. Well, as usual, it is more than I thought. The most difficult part is to nail a heavy 10ft board horizontally and squarely in place with one hand holds it steadily in the air and at the same time, uses an electric drill from the other hand to nail it in place. I tried it twice without success. Finally I have to call one of my Christian brothers to rescue. With his help, I was able to put the board in the right place and fastened it. Whew, I almost flunked the project. 🙂

This experience reminds me of the importance of team work that Peter experienced in Luke 5:1-7. When Jesus told him to put his boat into deep water and let down the nets for a catch, Peter reluctantly followed Jesus’ suggestion. However, by doing so, he caught a large number of fish which almost breaks his nets. Peter have to signal their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Later, they were called by Jesus to be disciples to fish for people. What a joyful surprise!

“To fish for people” is again emphasized by Jesus before He ascended to heaven (Matthew 28:19-20). And, it becomes the Great Commission to us all. As the Great Commission was given to every believer, it also asks each one of us to partner with others. In other words, “team work” would be essential to bring the good news to others. In terms of team work, there is a very important aspect, however. That is we need to co-work with God, as apostle Paul indicated.

In Peter’s case, we saw how Peter and his partners helped each other in hauling the fish in. How about in our today’s environment? Do we co-work with our fellow brothers and sisters? Do we listen to God’s guidance and co-work with Him? These are important questions that we have to ask ourselves, my dear brothers and sisters. I hope your answers are definitely “yes”.

———————————————————————————————————-
Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

“And It Was So” ——- Journal of Reflection 11/5/2014

A few weeks ago, my wife came up a new idea of honey-to-do project – she wants me to build a hydroponic system that can grow vegetables/plants in house through recycling water from our fish tank. The ingenious idea is to use the fish waste in the water as nutrients for vegetables and then filtered water can be used for fish. Initially, I was skeptical because it can be a time-consuming and disastrous, if it does not go well. After studied a little bit and found a few tutorials in the internet, I decided to take the challenge. It took me a few days to sketch up and purchased necessary materials for the system and of course, it has become a one-man’s quest, subsequently. 🙂

Because it is built from scratch, the project progresses slowly. I want to make sure everything is tested and working as design before I put it up; besides, I am not a carpenter in trait. During the process, I have to alter the design several times in order to fit it on top of my fish tank. Overall this is not an easy job, yet it is an interesting home project. This lets me think of the story of creation in the book of Genesis.

In chapter 1 of the book of Genesis, we learned that God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days. If we read carefully, we can find that all the amazing creations are from God’s speaking (神說) and they ended with the phrase “And it was so (事就這樣成了)”. For example on the first day, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (神說:「要有光。」就有了光。) (Genesis 1:3). On the second day, God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so (神說:「諸水之間要有空氣,將水分為上下。」 神就造出空氣,將空氣以下的水、空氣以上的水分開了。事就這樣成了。) (Genesis 1:6-7). Then, on the third day, God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so (神說:「天下的水要聚在一處,使旱地露出來。」事就這樣成了。) (Genesis 1:9) ……etc.

Wouldn’t it be nice that I can say “Let’s there be a hydroponic system, and it was so?” Reality is that I am NOT God the Creator! I cannot get what I want every time when I say it. In fact, in our life journey, how many times we want thing goes the way we desired and yet, all we received is just a disappointment of “it was NOT so”? Probably very often, right? Truth is “Life is not a bed of roses人生不如意事十常八九” – things do not always work out the way we would like to. Therefore, the result of “It was NOT so” happens more often than “And it was so.”

Then what can we learn from this experience? I think firstly, we have to realize the fact that we are merely created beings by God. If we don’t, we will fall into the same temptation set by the serpent that our ancestors, Adam and Eve, stumbled upon. Secondly, we have to acknowledge that sinful nature is what we inherited and can’t escape. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ then we can be redeemed, we can reconcile with God and we can be restored to the original image of God that was created by Him.

Apostle Paul told us that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 我們原是他的工作,在基督耶穌裡造成的,為要叫我們行善,就是神所預備叫我們行的。(Ephesians 2:10).” It is clear that we are God’s project that He prepared in Christ Jesus to do good works. The question is how many times we entrust ourselves to the One who speaks and it was so?

———————————————————————————————————-
Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.