Letters from Trinity - Past Articles 2001 - 2002
[2003 Archives]

This page contains past articles published in Leonard Tay's weekly column from 2001 to 2002.

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The Prodigal Son Revisited (Part II)
28 August 2002 

So then, given last week’s discourse on the Prodigal Son, what does God really want of us? Perhaps the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son provides the best indication of what God expects from us.

The father, the patriarch of a landowning Jewish family, was overjoyed when the younger son returned home. It did not matter that the younger son had insulted the head of the family by demanding his inheritance early. And scripture also seems to suggest that it did not matter to the father how much effort the older son had put in. What mattered to the father was that the younger son was now with them again, and hence the celebration. And what mattered was that the older son was always with him, as the father implores the elder son to put aside his sibling bitterness by explaining “Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31).

Sometimes when we have made bad error in judgment and have gone off the deep end into bad situations, there is a likely inclination to try and earn forgiveness after turning back to the Father. It is as if, sheer hard work and super diligent service today would atone for the mistakes of yesterday. Other times, we dedicate all our lives to the work of the Lord in the service of His people, the church. The many portfolios, meetings, projects, ministries, etc, etc, etc... all because we want to be a good son, like the older son was. And we do, do, do, because we are doing it “for God”. Maybe God doesn’t really expect that of us. He just wants us to be with Him. 

The parable hits the nail right on the head. God does not want us to be His employees earning blessings and redemption. God does not want us to work ourselves to fatigue, exhaustion, and disillusionment all the while attempting in our own human set of standards to justify the blessings and kinship that He has in store for us. The God who created Heaven and Earth does not need us to do anything for Him. All He wants, like the father of the Prodigal Son, is to be with His children. God just wants to be with us, sup with us. (Rev 3:20).

And by being with God, He slowly works though us, in the process bringing us into a more intimate understanding of bonding within the family. The God who is responsible for the entire workings of the natural world only seeks to co-opt our efforts, imperfect as these are. And by working together, to run the family business a way such that the more intrinsic values of household are kindled in the form of spiritual harmony. The catch is, this family business ethic is not cultivated in terms of labour and obligation, but one of belonging with the Father, together seeking to develop a close knit commune.

So when there are many activities to handle, projects and initiatives to manage, members to account to, perhaps the best way is not to keep telling ourselves that we are doing it “for God”, but rather to quiet ourselves and be with Him as He works through us.

The Prodigal Son Revisited (Part I)
21 August 2002 

The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most commonly told in church. From Sunday School days to sermons, lessons in New Testament exegesis and so on, it is a story that repeats itself through time immemorial to the Christian community. And why not? After all, the concepts of grace and love reaching out to touch the imperfections of human weakness is in itself a timeless story.

And so the tale goes... a father has two sons. The younger decides to set out on his own, claims his share of inheritance. He leaves home and soon squanders it on wild living, so much  that when famine hits, he is left with no choice but to tend to pigs. Nothing could possibly be worst for a Jew. Being down in the dumps, he soon comes to his senses and decides that he would return to his father, not as a son, but rather as a hired hand, for even the father’s employees had more than he.

Just as the wayward younger son arrives home, the father sees him, rushes up to him and in great joy orders  a huge celebration. The older son, the one who has always been working on the father’s land, hears the commotion. When he discovers what his father has done for the younger brother, the scoundrel of the family, he was really angry and refuses to enter the family home. As such, the father once again has to go out to the field to reconcile with another of his progeny, explaining as he does, the concept of grace and sonship. (Luke 15:11-16)

The main thrust of the story is obviously the father’s love despite the willfulness of the younger son and the pride of the older. And yet though the two brothers seem to be quite different in their actions and personalities, there is a common trait between them. Or at least they share similarities in the understanding of what the father expects of them...

When the younger son came to his senses he thought that through hiring himself out to his father’s services would he find redemption and perhaps over time, acceptance. The younger son’s decision was made on the basis that he could in some way work towards his father’s forgiveness and eventually accumulate enough merit points to become a member of the family again.

The older brother slaved and worked on his father’s land, all the while thinking that his diligence and hard work be counted towards being a good son. And so while, the older son was not as disobedient, disrespectful and downright disorderly as his younger brother, his motivations were similarly geared towards working for the father’s approval through his own physical efforts.

Perhaps this message, consisting of the brothers common understanding of how to please the father, is more than applicable to our service and involvement in church today. Human systems of standards and recognition often dictate that personal industry and capabilities would yield some kind of meaningful result. And sometimes that’s what we expect of ourselves and our fellow co-workers in Christ, isn’t it? Every so often we hear the words, “doing this for God”, “putting in effort for God”, “working for God”, etc. But is that what God really wants?

(To be continued...)

The World Hates Disciples… 
(But We Must Choose Not To Hate Back) Part III
14 August 2002

This series “The World Hates Disciples” over the past three weeks is the hardest set of articles that I have ever written. The concepts surrounding the Christian world and its relation to the rest of humanity is fraught with much ironic paradoxes, as shown by history. The Church which is supposed to be a representative of Christ’s love on earth and a body of believers that distributes Godly grace has, on occasion acted no different from any other politic entity. Perhaps the entire spectre of humanity across time and space has resulted in a build up psycho-graphical forces that have enough momentum to swing the Church from the principles of the Gospels to that of a political machine.

And then, the Church is also made up of individuals who are diverse and heterogeneous in their personal understanding and decision-making application of theology, humanity, not to mention socio-political currents. In the end, all the variables of socio-economic patterns, practice of theology, and individual human psychology has to come down to two main and opposing streams. That of love/grace, for which man would not be able to apply in any useful manner without depending on the God would loved first; or power, for which decisions are geared towards visual interpretations of success for self, community, and humanity.

And if one was to logically choose between love/grace and power, the rational choice would inevitably be power, or one of its more subtle forms. Grace after all has an unfair, inequitable characteristic to the one dispensing grace. Grace means “I forgive, even though I have every right to be angry and to retaliate.”  Grace means “I won’t impose my will on others, knowing that I do not have any right to possess the lives of my kin, my community, or even my enemy, for God has given them a will as free as mine.” Grace means “However, I accept the individual lives of my kin, my community, or even my enemy as I accept mine own, and will offer what I can for their improvement.” Grace also means saying all these things to ourselves everyday, but never saying these out for want of social acceptance or political leverage. Grace is not only unfair, grace is practically impossible.

And perhaps the practice of grace as an expression of Christian love is the greatest struggle for all Christians. This is why for every  hundred insensitive and self-motivated actions we make on our part, we should thank God for giving us the strength to carry out a single act of grace. And from that one act, we have to pray constantly that God will enable us to improve on that one act to maybe, five acts of grace out of a hundred acts of “ungrace”. And if we continue and obediently persevere to walk in God’s guidance and love even more, then maybe, just maybe, we might be able to display twenty five acts of grace out of a hundred. Should just one quarter of out life reflect God’s grace, the practice expression of God’s love, it would be an unmistakable sign for the rest of the world.

And that is the message that Jim Elliot and his team sent to the rest of the media-reading world in January 1956, and its aftermath. Till today the “fallout” from this ultimate act of grace exhibited by those missionaries and their families, continues to touch lives: Christian and non-Christian. 

There is a very clear choice here. A choice that all of us have to make… must make. As believers, all of us must choose between grace and power; between sacrifice and equity; between love for others and love for ourselves, our vanity, our pride, our security, our sense of righteousness.

It is a choice of:

• surrendering our lives to God’s will so that our lives resonate grace through the love of Christ

• or to manage and operate our lives on the basis of compromise, political achievement, cold intellectualism, self-serving rationality, and dogmatic spirituality.

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The World Hates Disciples… 
(And The Reasons Should Be…) Part II
7 August 2002

In January 1956, a group of young missionaries attempted to make contact with an indigenous tribe of Indians deep in the jungles of Ecuador. However, they were killed by the very people they tried to establish communications with. Prior to that tragic day, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Jim Elliot, used all methods of technology and ingenuity available to them in efforts to build some kind of rapport with the known hostile tribe, and it seemed that they were making progress, for the tribe had apparently received the gifts and messages in a neutral if not positive manner. Enough progress they felt, to plant themselves in unfamiliar and dangerous territory, knowingly putting their lives in harm’s way. The team had already decided beforehand that they would only use their pistols to fire over the heads of the Indians, if the worst happened. The worst happened…

Two years later, these natives welcomed the widows of these five men into their tribe, bringing the Gospel into their society for the first time. The five men in Jim Elliot’s team tried to build a connection with the native Indian tribe through a spirit of love and understanding, translated into gentle overtures of friendship. At the expense of their our lives, they refused to use superior technology nor righteous vigor to force their way into the lives of the natives, or to even defend themselves. The widows did not allow feelings of vengeance, or anger, or hate to keep them from befriending their husbands’ murderers. The measure of grace displayed in the jungles of Ecuador through these missionaries is overwhelming.

And that’s it, isn’t it? That’s the whole difference between the story of Jim Elliot and his friends, when contrasted against the issues perpetrated by the church as highlighted in last week’s episode of “The World Hates Disciples… (and Perhaps With Good Reason) Part I”.

Where the crusaders obtained conversions by putting a sword at the throats of the locals they had conquered; Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Jim Elliot used the tools they had to bless the tribe they were seeking to meet, and chose not to use their technology to hurt the natives (even at the expense of defending themselves). Where Christians remain indifferent to atrocities committed with their knowledge, and bicker over the righteousness of the decisions and dogma they impose over others; the widows of Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Jim Elliot entered the Waorani village (the very natives that had killed their husbands and left their children fatherless) two years later in a spirit of acceptance and fellowship.

That’s what Jesus did, didn’t he? Jesus came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. He didn’t come in power to rule, he didn’t come with an army to conquer and enforce public power, he didn’t come to praise the righteous, but instead ministered to the marginalised and the outcasts of society, he didn’t come to impose his theology and ideals on those around him, but offered the alternative of grace to the human struggles against pride and prejudice. And the world killed Jesus… in ignorance, in fear. 

When the world hates Christians as Christians have acted badly (but claim to know better than everyone else), then maybe there is validity to such resentment. But when the world lashes out against Christians in ignorance and fear, then perhaps the parameters spelt out in John 15:18-27, where Jesus tells his disciples that the world would hate them, holds true.

To be continued…

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The World Hates Disciples… (and Perhaps With Good Reason) Part.1
(31 July 2002)

In John 15:18-27, Jesus tells his disciples to expect that the world would hate them, and would persecute them. And this, in fact, was to prove accurate and true, at least for the early Christian church up to the time of Constantine. The Roman empire for the most, persecuted the early Christians, due to a lack of understanding, due to societal momentum, for the sheer fun of it, and so on. And though blood was spilt by many martyrs of early Christendom, the message of the Gospel survived through the faithful to ensure that the fledgling faith was not snuffed out in its infancy. What about today…?

Today, the world still hates disciples. Or rather, the world hates Christians. Throughout almost 2000 years of church history, Christians have been responsible for some of the most heinous acts of barbarism ever recorded. These are evidenced by the brutality of “Christian Warriors” during the crusades of medieval times. These are also evidenced by the numerous civil wars across many parts of the globe in recent centuries where Christians have been responsible for atrocities, all in the name of God. What it comes down to is that Christians are just as capable as any other, if not more so, of bloodshed.

And this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. What about the many scandals that have rocked the church, from the sexual calumnies since the time of Henry VIII to the reports of paedophilia and other forms of debauchery in the headlines today? What about the political compromises and power-plays that the church has made with despots, dictatorships, and other politic intrigues just to protect its own vaulted image… or rather cover its own public backside* (for want of a better, though politically incorrect word)? Why did the church keep quiet when the Holocaust fires were burning outside its backdoor? Why?

The world hates Christians, and perhaps they have every reason to. The great pacifist, Mahatma Gandhi considered becoming a Christian, attracted by the spiritual principles of the Gospel. But he did not… because of Christians. And the undertones of such dissatisfaction is apparent, even in the immediate society where we live. During my National Service days, one of my army mates asked me about church and the gospel and what it all meant. When I asked him why he had chosen to ask me, he replied that I was the type who would not preach to him, or tell him how he should live his life. I wonder whether that was a compliment…

And throughout my working life, I have heard the same complaints again and again. “Why are Christians so preachy?” “Why do they keep bugging me if I’m friendly to them?” “Why do Christians keep telling me how I should live my life, when it is apparent they are not doing a very good job of living theirs?” “Why do Christians have to be so condescending?” and on, and on, and on… mostly from my non-Christian friends, and even some Christian ones too. (Maybe I hang out with the wrong crowd).

So today’s world still hates Christians, because for them, Christians also represent, contribute and are responsible for the bad stuff that happened, is presently happening in the world today. Though most Christians are generally good-hearted and live model lives, it is those who have committed high-profile public transgressions that have gotten the press. And it is this bad press that like a dark cloud has settled over Christendom today. Granted everyone makes mistakes, but the rest of the world does not claim to have the ultimate answer for goodness in the human soul – Christians do. We claim to know God, but are often like, if not worse than everyone else.

Angels in our Midst
(24 July 2002) 

There are angels around us. Sometimes we just don’t see them, even when they are right in front of us. And I am not talking about the heavenly angels either. I am not talking about the Michaels or the Gabriels, the kind that appeared to Abraham and Lot (Gen 18) and to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). I am talking about the very people in our lives, in our church, in our cell groups, etc. Those around us who try in their own quiet and unassuming way to make things a bit easier for us, who try to fill our routines with little tit-bits of happiness, and who are there for us when everyone else seems to be too busy or otherwise engaged.

One of my lecturers continually stresses that during our time in Trinity Theological College (TTC), it is imperative for us students to forge a few very, very strong friendships. Her reason being, that these friendships would be vital to us when thrown into the pressure cooker world of ministry, after graduation. What she is telling us, in fact is to find the few angels in our midst while in TTC, for these special people will be a real source of unseen strength and support during times of uncertainty and self-doubt. 

I wonder whether Jesus had such a friend. Scripture only tells us of his works, his teaching and his sacrifice… nothing about whether he had someone whom he could share his rather significant burdens with. Perhaps he had none, for he constantly relied on the Father for strength, regularly shying from the crowds to be with the Father in prayer. Even at Gethsemane, when he needed his disciples (whom I guess were his closest earthly friends) most, they failed him by falling asleep. An angel had to be sent to comfort Jesus in his time of weakness and personal torment (Luke 22:39-46).

Nowadays, it is a rare occasion when we do get to see heavenly angels in our physical world. But God nevertheless sends angels to comfort and carry us when we get tired of our responsibilities, our ministries, and the whole mass of people around us. And even in Ascension there are these angels in our midst. The thing is, we have to spot them and this is where some effort is needed on our part.

Perhaps the best way to spot these angels is to be a blessing to others first, and this can take the form of just helping out a little in church. Often contributing to some of the ministries in church brings us into closer contact with many others. And while service can sometimes be stressful, along the way there will be people who would provide support and encouragement in many varied and at times surprising forms. And sometimes when we feel that we are at the end of our resources, our endurance and just about to give up, an unexpected someone would just come along and supply the much needed extra ingredient for us to carry on. Though these occurrences cannot be pegged down to an exact science, it has happened (at least to me) often enough, that I am sure God is orchestrating the movement of people who touch our lives and brighten our days in a very subtle and beautiful manner.

There are angels in our midst, but we need to find them by trying to be one to others.

Going on Missions  
(17 July 2002)

Planning a vacation? Going off to some exotic paradise with the family? How about going on a mission trip instead? “What!!” you say. Don’t want to spend your hard-earned money to stay in secluded places without much in the way of comfortable amenities and sanitary facilities? Namely, toilet paper. Don’t want to use up precious days of annual leave stuck in some strange place without tourist attractions?

There are so many more reasons to book a tour to Disneyland, or perhaps to the sunny wind surf beaches of the Gold Coast, the tropical paradise of the Hawaiian Islands, the art galleries of Europe, the scenic beauty of New Zealand. And why not? After all, we have worked hard during the year. A little break time pampering ourselves with much needed rest is only to be expected. And there is nothing wrong with relaxing in the sun too.

However, these holidays and tour packages that we plan for ourselves merely help to distract us from the pressure of our business responsibilities, from the drudgery of work, from the banality of routine. In fact these holidays are quite akin to an escapade from reality. Perhaps in the number of days that we allow ourselves to rest in a year, we could fit in a few days in which to join a team in church on a short-term mission trip.

True, mission trips can sometimes be inconvenient, there might be some discomfort involved, with not as much time to relax. But a mission experience puts one in proximity to the realities of the world in which we live. It brings one nearer to many others, living in more difficult circumstances than ourselves. It also brings one closer to our own fellow church members during the course of the trip. And more often than not, going on a short mission trip results in a subtle measure of sublime blessings for the individual. Don’t believe it? Just ask any who have been on these short-term trips. Sure, we all have our own personal grouses in one form or another (toilet rhythm upset, cannot sleep well on the hard floor, no proper food, long travelling times, etc, etc), but in spite of all these, church members who have gone on one trip tend to sign up for the next trip, and the next and the next…

A Tale of Two Churches (Part III)
(10 July 2002) 

And so, Harmony Centre continued to expand at an astounding rate. What remained of Pastor Ho’s Grace Community Centre was absorbed into the larger church down the street. The growth of the mega-church was quite unprecedented. Soon retail branches appeared all over the entire city. It seemed that the urban population could not get enough of Rev Kang’s powerful message of self development and leadership. While in one small forgotten part of the city most dilapidated area, Pastor Rev James Ho was forgotten… 

Author’s Synopsis 

The story, “A Tale of Two Churches”, is just an imaginary scenario that could possibly happen in any one of the larger cities.  Throughout the twentieth century, we have seen some rather charismatic spiritual leaders come into the fore and as a result have influenced (for better or for worse), many of the world’s urban residents. With the advent of mass media, the spiritual messages of power leadership can be easily communicated to the large educated middle-class residing in cities, thus making it likely for individual dynamic religious personalities to attract a large following.

In the movie, “First Knight” the villain mocks King Arthur saying that the people of Camelot do not want a leader who loves and cares for them. Instead, society in general only craves powerful, strong, and assertive leadership. And perhaps this is true, if history is to be the judge.

The children of Israel remembered the days of King David’s monarchy as the pinnacle of their national legacy. So much so that when Jesus came into their society, he was rejected. The Jews were not looking for a messiah that would love them to the point of dying for them. The Jews did not expect a messiah who would live in their midst as a peace-loving commoner, teaching them how to live in a relationship with God and man.

What the Jews did want, however, was a messiah who would come and liberate them from the yoke of the Romans. What the Jews did want was a powerful, strong and charismatic leader that would once again establish the nation of Israel as a superpower in the Ancient East. What the Jews did want was someone who would show them the way to visions of greatness and glory. Definitely not someone who taught love and then expected those who heard, to individually choose grace over power and self.

I wonder whether that is what Christians want in their pastors, in their leaders.  I wonder whether Christians want a powerful, charismatic leader, who is exceptionally gifted in preaching, teaching, singing… an outspoken chief executive officer who is also blessed in managing and boosting the performance of the church to that of a finely tuned socio-economic engine. I truly wonder, if two churches were located on the same street (as in the above story), whether the one with vibrant, visual leadership would far eclipse the other with a loving pastor of simpler means. I wish I could have written the story above, where Pastor Ho winds up with the happy ending. But in all probability, it would be seemingly unrealistic and naïve to do so.

Ed: I look forward very much to hearing from readers. Do give your opinion - first-thoughts and after-thoughts - from the heart or from the mind.

A Tale of Two Churches (Part II)
3 July 2002 

Pastor Ho from Grace Community Centre, at first declined Charles Neo’s invitation to attend a service at Harmony Centre due to his own commitments in his parish. However, after much incessant persuasion from Charles, Pastor Ho finally relented and attend a Saturday service. Charles had arranged for the service leader to announce Pastor Ho's presence during the service, as well as a discussion with Harmony Centre’s pastors after the service. The following record what transpired during the interview session between Pastor Ho and the leaders of Harmony Centre.

With that the interview by and large ended. A few months past, but Harmony Centre and Grace Community did not have many combined activities. The only form of cooperation that took place – Pastor Ho allowed Charles Neo to set up a stall in his small church to sell some of their media products. The books, tapes, and CDs did however have an impact. Soon the little income earning populace of Grace Community became attracted to the message from their bigger neighbour down the street, and left. Without this contributed income, Pastor Ho had no choice but to close down the church and sell the land in order to pay off the ever mounting list of creditors. 

Out of a church and out of a job, Pastor Ho did not have the resources to continue, and instead joined an orphanage in the inner city area as chaplain. There was a lukewarm offer from Harmony Centre for Pastor Ho to do some ministry work on a part-time basis, but he would not even consider it. In the end, Pastor Ho spent the rest of his life amongst the neglected children of the city…

.

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A Tale of Two Churches (Part I)
26 June 2002 

In the bustling city of Urbania there were two churches that co-existed side by side on Chapel Street. Chapel Street, however was the only thing that the two churches had in common with each other. Harmony Centre Church, located on the east end of Chapel Street, had a membership of more than 5,000  members and an average attendance of 10,000 in all services combined on Sundays. The church building comprised of a sprawling complex, packed with the latest in multimedia and convention facilities.  Whilst on the west end, in more humble accommodations, the parish of Grace Community Centre resided in a small rent-controlled shop-house. In contrast, this smaller church had a mere 150 members and even less attendance recorded at services.

One day Charles Neo, a worship leader and a prominent member of the council  and Chairperson of several of Harmony Centre’s in-house committees, decided to visit the smallish Grace Community Centre at the end of the street. Charles walked into its tiny office and introduced himself as a fellow brother in Christ from Harmony Centre. He explained to Rev James Ho, the pastor in charge, that it was curiosity more than anything that brought him to the doorsteps of Grace Community and that he would like permission for observe the inner workings of the smaller church. Slightly baffled, but not in the least put off, Rev Ho (a somewhat disheveled, but otherwise friendly minister-type person) invited the inquisitive Charles Neo to attend the single service on Sunday, as well as to participate in the some of the community activities during the coming week.

What follow is a patchy, extracted record of Charles’ conversations with Rev Ho over the one week of observation.

After service on Sunday;

At City Hospital; Rev Ho spends some time with a bedridden elderly man. He reads some passages from the Bible and says a short prayer, but for the most Rev Ho holds the old man’s hand until he falls to sleep.

During the week, Charles pops in at Grace Community Centre to take a peek at the weekday activities. He finds the small compound packed with many youths, old folks, unemployed persons, etc. It takes him awhile to locate Pastor Ho, who together with some of the unruly lot,  is tuning the ancient piano.

At the end of the week, Charles feels compelled to invite Pastor Ho to Harmony Centre. Charles is convinced that Grace Community could stand to benefit from many of the initiates, projects and programmes that his church runs…

Touching Others
19 June 2002 

I had been going around to various people’s houses interviewing the more senior members in church during the month of March, getting information on Ascension’s history. In the process, many Ascensionaires invited me into their homes for dinner. So I’ve been eating very well, but not only that, I’ve also been listening to the stories of my interviewees. While the food they fed me filled up my stomach, the stories they told me filled up my soul. 

Matthew chapter 8, tells of a leper coming to Jesus, asking Jesus to heal him. In Jewish society the lepers were considered unclean. So whenever these lepers walk through a crowded place, they would have to shout out, “Unclean! Unclean!” so that everyone would avoid them. Also, any contact with these lepers would make the person who touched them unclean... not only physically unclean but also spiritually. Because of this, no one wanted to come near the lepers, no one wanted to touch them, no one wanted to talk to them. 

Even in the Old Testament, when Elisha healed the leper king Naaman, he only told him to wash himself in the river Jordan seven times. Elisha did not touch Naaman. Elisha only passed instructions to the leper. No touching at all. With Jesus, however it was different. Matthew 8 verse 3 tells us that Jesus actually put his hand on the leper. Jesus put his hand on an unclean leper. He was not afraid of becoming unclean, he was not afraid of becoming defiled by touching the leper. And by touching the leper, Jesus healed him and changed his life. 

And that’s what Jesus came down from heaven to do, to touch all of us. No matter what our race, no matter how much money we have, no matter whether we are sick, no matter what other people think of us, Jesus came to put his hands on each one of us. And having experience the kind of touch that comes from Jesus, the question now is... can we touch others in the same way? 

The thing is sometimes it is hard to touch others isn’t it? Sometimes we have good intentions and we truly want to help others, but the very people that we try to be nice to do not appreciate it isn’t it? Sometimes there are barriers of age, of race, of language, of income status that make it hard for us to touch others, isn’t it? And sometimes these differences, these barriers make it so hard for us to want to even try. And then we start to ask ourselves, “Why should I try?”, “Why me?”, “Why not let some other person make the first move?” I know, because I am guilty of that too. 

But just imagine, if a whole lot of people were like that, who would represent Jesus on earth? Or what if Jesus was like that? What if he came down to earth only to see our differences, our barriers, that we were not good enough to become friends with? This he did not do, instead, Jesus showed us that he would touch anyone who needed him. Perhaps we too should put aside our differences to touch those who need it. And who are those who need our touch? 

I would like to suggest that these are “the least of them” in Matt 25, that Jesus mentions in the parable of the sheep and the goats. These are the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick. I know, it is very easy to say. The fact is, being friendly to people who are different from us is already very difficult, let alone wanting to touch them. But we try. We try in small little things first. I know some of the more senior members in church who go on mission trips, and they touch the children, the sick, the poor in other countries with their hands to give medicine and dress wounds, with their scissors to cut hair, with their voices in simple songs. 

We do it little by little. We do it with whatever gifts and talents we might have. We do it even if we do not have many gifts and talents. And when we do not succeed in our attempts to be friendly, we just pick ourselves up and try again. It is all we can do. If Jesus continued to touch those around him even though these were some of the most questionable characters around, then we should also try. We shouldn’t give up on trying, because Jesus did not give up on us.

Dinner with Aunty Molly 
12 June 2002

When I was a young boy in St Andrew’s, I used to see Aunty Molly’s picture in the school magazine (as matron of St Andrew’s House), so I knew who she was and what she did. This was before I started attending Ascension. When I came to church during my teenage years, I could easily recognize her, but did not have any opportunity to interact with her for almost fifteen years. It was only when I had to write to story of the Church of the Ascension for the 50^th Anniversary Commemorative Magazine did I approach her. 

And so it was sometime in March this year (2002) that I shamelessly asked her whether I could pop by her home, look for old photos, as well as get the low-down (from her perspective) on the history of the church, on what life was like back in the days of yesteryear. And so I went to Aunty Molly’s place, bringing Christianne, and Doris (my magazine team members) with me. Naturally, Aunty Molly being Aunty Molly, invited us for dinner, to sample some of her exquisite cooking. Cuisine that I had heard of for many years but never had a chance to try.  

Our ragtag ensemble arrived at Aunty Molly’s place one evening in March … late. We were treated to a simple, but really yummy dinner of fish, curry chicken and stir-fried vegetables. Though the dinner was simple in its form, the fish was really intricate in its making. Aunty Molly had spent the most part of the afternoon deboning the fish, extracting the meat from the body while keeping the fish still intact. The extracted meat was then mixed with a whole lot of other ingredients and then carefully reinserted it back into the now hollowed-out fish. The stuffed fish was then deep-fried.

Perhaps Aunty Molly did not count on having a natural eating machine over for dinner. For though she prepared quite a lot in terms of quantity, everything was gone by the end of the dinner (mostly into one particular stomach). After dinner she let us go through the photos that she had, and told us her story of Ascension in the early days. That evening I got to know Aunty Molly. That evening I tasted her cooking, heard her stories, looked through her photos. But most of all, in getting to know Aunty Molly, we became friends.

I really wish that this sort of thing could happen in Ascension all the time. I wish that folks could invite those in church who are barely their acquaintances to sup with them every once in a while, and in the process some human bonds could be formed. I wish that it did not have to take 15 years, and one commemorative magazine for me to get to know Aunty Molly. But I guess this can’t be helped, for most of us get so caught up in life that there is little opportunity for us to simply sup with those we hardly know.

Jonah – The Unhappy Prophet (Part IV)
(1 April 2002)   
We apologise for the delayed publication of this article. This is the last article in the second series of Letters. We will take a short break and resume on 12 June 2002.

The fourth chapter of Jonah is perhaps the most interesting, and the most quirky of all. Jonah having realised that God had chosen to spare the city of Nineveh, became  sulky and sullen towards God. It seemed like he felt that the city should have been destroyed as part of the “agreed” agenda, and that God’s change of decision was unwarranted. In effect, it threw the prophet off.

And so, Jonah went and planted himself at the outskirts of the city and waited to see what God would eventually do. While he was sitting there in a blue funk, God caused a vine to grow, providing shade for Jonah. When this happened, the moody prophet’s disposition improved somewhat. However, the next day, God used a worm to consume the vine, destroying it, and then sent a hot east wind blasting Jonah into much discomfort. Jonah stated his suffering was too much to bear, and that he would prefer death. It was at that moment that God used the withering of the vine to teach Jonah another lesson of grace.

This rather amusing account of what happened to Jonah in his second journey to Nineveh has certain parallels to the Parable Of The Prodigal Son. Just like the elder brother who refused to accept the father’s forgiveness of the wayward younger son, Jonah too was bitter that God decided to show mercy. And you would think that Jonah himself, having experienced God’s grace and deliverance in such a dramatic and personal way, would be more than able to relate and rejoice at the amazing display of grace that was occurring before his very eyes for the city of Nineveh.

What could possibly cause Jonah to act so ungraciously? What could have possessed him to deny grace to others, when he himself was a beneficiary of that divine deliverance? And what is more scary... I wonder whether Jonah’s behaviour could be representative of the way in which most of us would react when faced with a similar situation.

Perhaps Jonah was angry because he had preached a message of God’s impending judgment, and when God suddenly had a change of heart, it resulted in a loss of face, a loss of public creditability. Likewise with the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the elder son must have felt pangs of humiliation when the errant younger son was treated to a magnificent celebration. The elder son must have felt that in the eyes of his own friends, he was publicly graded as second best.

It looks like once again, a proud and uncharitable spirit is the cause of Jonah’s and the elder son’s inability to extend grace to those around them. If this behaviour is typical of us mere mortals who cannot see beyond our own pride, then it is almost impossible to love our neighbour, and very difficult for those around us to observe the love of Jesus in us. Thank God that God is not like that, or else all of us would be booked on express class tickets to a very, very hot place.

Jonah – The Unhappy Prophet (Part III)
(19 March 2002)  

In chapter 3 of the book of Jonah, we read that God once again calls upon Jonah to bring His word against the city Nineveh. This time round, the former wayward prophet was obedient to God’s instructions and carried them out. He spent one whole day in the city proclaiming that it would be overthrown within forty days. When the king of Nineveh heard about the impending doom, he adopted a state of mourning and ordered the entire city to do likewise, hoping that God would change His mind and spare the city from destruction.

And that’s just what God did. Having witnessed the city’s show of remorse, and repentant posture, God relented and decided not to bring disaster upon them. This all seems in line with how God works, and how when repentance is displayed, God’s mercy is extended. However, what is unusual is that Nineveh was not a city under Israelite rule. It was in fact a gentile metropolis, the capital city of the Assyrians.

The Assyrians were a feared and despised enemy of Israel, and this could have been one of the reasons why Jonah chose to run away from God, the first time he was instructed to prophesy to Nineveh. It was also the Assyrians, who not too long after the time of Jonah, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Therefore, it is quite ironic then that the Assyrians should be the ones who exhibited repentance and in doing so, earned God’s mercy, in contrast with the northern kingdom of Israel’s continued apostasy.

The book of Jonah up to this point has one main central theme running through it, but on two different levels. At the level of an individual, we find that Jonah acknowledged his own folly in attempting to run away from God, and as such God not only delivered him from calamity, but chose to use him again for the same purpose. Similarly, on a national level, when the city of Nineveh realised that they were in for tragedy and took pro-active measures to turn from their wicked ways, God in true consistency also showed mercy.

God’s grace seems to be available to all, regardless of the manner in which we as individuals or communities, or nations have fallen. Then how is it that if grace can be obtained through sincere repentance, individuals constantly refuse God’s salvation, heading deeper into trouble and catastrophe? How is it that, though the nation of northern kingdom of Israel and then the southern kingdom of Judah knew of God’s saving hand through the prophets, continually provoked Yahweh’s wrath?

Perhaps the way of repentance is not as easy as it sounds. In fact, I’d like to suggest that it is one of the hardest courses of action for an individual, let alone entire nations, to adopt. The key to repentance starts with humility, and this is something that is difficult for many. In many human situations, pride and "face value" always hinder us from truly approaching God in a repentant state. Many works of literature and drama from the past, and even in the present, tell of strong-willed characters who would rather lose their lives, than to lose face. And I believe this is also true in the real world.

And so the struggle of wills goes on today, as it has throughout the history of man. But no matter how great we have to wrestle with our own pride against that of God in many things, it still comes down to one thing – the choice of surrendering our wills is ultimately up to us... and up to us alone.

Jonah – The Unhappy Prophet (Part II)
(13 March 2002)

In last week’s episode we saw the Lord God shaping events that would bring Jonah face to face with his own human weaknesses. This drama climaxed with Jonah having been swallowed by the big fish as he attempted to escape God by running away. It was from inside the fish that Jonah, in his solitude, faced God with his own failings. And it was there and then that he prayed to God in a show of remorse and repentance.

At the start of his prayer within the fish, Jonah began like anyone caught in a precarious situation would. In verses 1 to 3 of Jonah chapter 2, he called to God for help, admitting that he was indeed in hot soup (I guess for Jonah, this can almost be taken literally). However, from verse 4 onwards, while he continued contemplating his troubles, Jonah did go on to acknowledge that his actions were the cause of his present predicament and that he now desired to turn back to God – “I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look to you again toward your holy temple.” Jonah 2:4.

Nevertheless, it is towards the last part of Jonah’s prayer that is perhaps the most poignant, and most beautiful. In verse 7 to 9 of the same chapter, Jonah confessed that only God can show grace to him in his pitiful state, and that he would endeavour to give thanks to God. For him only God is capable of saving, and he promises to make good – “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.” Jonah 2:9.

I have read certain commentaries that Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12 for God to save the nation from the Moabites and Ammonites, or even Hannah’s prayer for God to give her a child (1 Samuel 1:1-20) are the model examples of prayer. While admittedly, these prayers are well and good, they were prayed by men and women who were themselves known for their faithfulness towards God. Jehoshaphat and Hannah could even be considered role models for modern day Christians. What about Jonah?

Jonah was certainly no role model in comparison. The Bible records that Jehoshaphat and Hannah were faithful and trusting towards God. If one were to compare scripture, the Biblical writers have only good things to say of Jehoshaphat and Hannah, while the book of Jonah describes his actions as questionable at best, and (more probably) delinquent at worst. The thing is, how many of us can say that we are a Jehoshaphat, or a Hannah? How many of us can confess to have such faithfulness?

More likely than not, we would be more able to relate to Jonah’s weaknesses than Jehoshaphat’s or Hannah’s strength. More likely than not, we would be able to associate with Jonah’s fears, his indignation, his irresponsibility, his insecurities and his apathy. And that is why Jonah’s prayer should be important for us to learn from... because it came from a wilful, imperfect servant of God who nonetheless turned to God with his failings. Because when our own frailties threaten to dislocate our ministries, our fellowship, our service, even our witness and behaviour, we must, like Jonah, come to God in spite of the mess we’ve made, to reconcile with Him, allowing Him to teach us, allowing Him to enable us to rise above our own flaws.

Jonah – The Unhappy Prophet (Part I)
(6 March 2002)

The prophet Jonah is one of the hardest characters in the Bible to understand. He cannot be described as a hero, because he definitely was not one. While Biblical heroes tended to accomplish great works in the service of God through obedience, through learning from their own sins and mistakes in the corrective process of repentance, Jonah stands out as being incorrigible... even towards the end of the book. The Bible is also full of villains and rascals that did evil in the sight of God, and great tragedy followed their unrighteous deeds. But while calamity did follow Jonah as he fled from God, he is not one who would be described as evil. So who then is this enigmatic man? Saint or sinner? Hero or coward?

The book of Jonah opens with the prophet himself running away from God. God had instructed him to prophesy against the city of Nineveh, but instead, Jonah purchased a ticket on a ship travelling in the opposite direction. It looked like he was one disgruntled employee. Whether he was fearful of the task that God had set for him, or whether he  simply couldn’t care less about God’s agenda and decided to take a convenient detour, one can only guess.

Before you know it, the ship with Jonah on it, got caught up in a real big storm... all very “drama”. The sailors, in fear of their lives, tried to ascertain the cause of the violent tempest, and after casting lots, they managed to elicit a confession out of the wayward prophet. Scripture tells us that they then subjected Jonah to a mini board of inquiry (in the midst of the life-threatening squall, mind you), after which Jonah suggested that they throw him overboard in order to preserve the ship.

Wow. You would think that these sailors were very civil in handling Jonah. He was the cause of their current peril and  they seemed to have treated him with kid gloves. And Jonah 1:13 even tells us that the sailors tried their very best to make it to shore, before ejected Jonah from the ship with stricken consciences. Once in the water, Jonah was swallowed by a big fish, remaining in its “belly” for three days and three nights.

The usual lessons that can be learnt from Jonah’s actions are:

• run away from God and bad things follow;
• these bad things not only pose a hazard to the runaway in question, but would possibly threaten innocent bystanders in the immediate proximity to the subject.

And these sailors really seemed liked nice people considering that they did not immediately dump the accursed jinx into the drink, but diplomatically attempted to seek other options. But rather than dwell on these obvious morals of the story, one can perhaps seek to understand and empathize with the emotions that gripped Jonah’s soul, the emotions that sent him packing in retreat.

There could have been many reasons for Jonah turning tail. For one, the magnitude of the task that God had set would have unnerved any ordinary man. And even if Jonah was not afraid, prophesying to strangers might not have been what he was inclined to or he wanted to do – a thankless task in which he’d probably be saddled with all manner of inconveniences. And who could blame him? After all he was not malicious in any way. His actions though questionable, were not intended to harm or inflict suffering on others. It was more a comedy of errors. Jonah just followed his natural inclination for flight when faced with a high pressure situation, and how many of us have felt like that at one point of our lives?

But the more important lesson here is this: we might be very apprehensive and anxious whenever God sets a task for us; we might even turn tail and run, trying to avoid the impending unpleasantness. However in our flight, God has His way of bringing us round to His purposes, sometimes in subtle ways and at other times, in a more dramatic fashion. The fact is, God did not allow any harm to come to Jonah, considering the possibility that the sailors would have ripped him to pieces in anger, or that he’d have drowned in the raging ocean. Whenever we have trouble overcoming our own very human weaknesses, God provides just the right object lesson.

At Home With Martha And Mary
(27 February 2002) 

The story of Jesus’ encounter with Martha and Mary is one that is often spoken of in church circles. Many modern day preachers and teachers would use the contrasting attitudes of these two women to evaluate the distractions of an active busy life, as opposed to a more contemplative one. Most of the time, Mary’s choice to listen at the feet of Jesus has been lauded as the spiritually appropriate one. The moral of this tale of two women is obvious enough.

However, in today’s urban environment, how can one possibly take Mary’s tact and constantly sit at the feet of Jesus? Our spiritual leaders say that we should. Even common sense tells us that we should. But the very thing that Martha found difficult to do in light of the tasks that needed her attention, is made exponentially impossible with the geometric growth of activity generated in this present day and age.

In our careers, we have to content with…

• Work related-problems
• Customer demands
• Social tension amongst colleagues
• Fatigue

In our family life, we have to deal with…

• Monthly bills and expenditure
• Growing kids
• An exacting educational system
• Ageing parents
• Menial chores

And even in church, we are not spared from…

• Cell group activities
• Obligations in various committees
• Responsibilities and duties in Sunday School, services, etc

If one  was to calculate the time needed to accomplish all the above necessary roles to a decent standard of achievement weighted against our varying levels of ability, talent and diligence, there would be hardly any time left for the minimum 7 hours of sleep, let alone time to sit at the feet of Jesus. Perhaps just when we are about to retire, sometime between after the kids are all grown up and before our physical bodies start to slow down, there might be a small window of opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. But more likely than not, when an opportune time comes for us to sit at Jesus’ feet, we would be so unfamiliar with the lack of activity (after spending our whole lives in the midst of such), that boredom sets in.

And so, in order to pre-empt impending lack of activity, we draw up a new programme sheet that includes old hobbies, new interests, part time employment, etc… and the cycle starts itself again.

It is difficult for us not to rely on activity in order to feel alive, especially in the dynamic, intense environment of “Urbania”. The thing is, Jesus by telling Martha that Mary has chosen the right thing, tells us that activities are not all that critical. If we believe that Jesus came to give life and to give it more abundantly, then should we not sit at his feet to listen for instructions, advice, wisdom? The trick is, how do we go against our natural activity-oriented programming to adopt a more contemplative posture?

It is always easy to suggest that Bible study programmes, quiet time regimes, and devotional materials would be the solution, a way by which we can and will sit at Jesus’ feet. While these are in fact practical measures we can adopt, perhaps what is more fundamental, is that we have to want to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him. It is this very desire “to want to sit and listen”, that is constantly buffeted by the winds of activity.

What Kids are Saying...
(20 February 2002)

On the second Sunday of January, Junior Sunday School began classes proper. For me it was the first time in a long while that I had had the opportunity to interact with kids about 12 years old. Actually it was interesting to find out whether I had become so out-of-touch with what the younger members of our church were concerned with...

Anyway, the class started as per normal, and the first question that was put forth to the Primary Six class was to indicate any question, or topic that they themselves did not understand, or did not know. And here’s what some of them had to say:

• Why can you see the stars using only a telescope? (That seemed simple enough, even though I did not know the answer. I guess it was just a matter of lenses and foci and all that scientific kinda stuff)
• Why are some people intelligent and some stupid? (Wow. Heavy question. How does one answer that? Nature vs. Nurture?)
• Why do people lose their hair when they have cancer? (Okay... another science/medical question. I suppose doctors would know.)
• Why did God create us?
• Why did God allow wars to start?
• Why are some people born handicapped?
• Why did Alfred Nobel invent dynamite... (as in, why did God allow bombs?)?

Whoa... the last few questions would have stumped most theologians and academics. Many would write lengthy theses on the above and still never be able to fully agree on a definite, indisputable conclusion. But it was a delight to see these primary sixes vocalise such doubts that many adults would not have answers to. And what’s more, these kids were not inhibited by the social awkwardness that would have tripped up most adults.

The questions were really encouraging even though I did not know the answers. And truth be told, although I might have my own analytical theories on possible answers to the above questions, I must admit that I would never really, really be able to provide concrete verdicts on some of them. However, I hope that these primary-sixes would take these questions into their teens, and then into their adult life. I pray that even though the answers might always seem very far off, no matter how old they grow, how much they learn, or how much more mature they become, they would nevertheless continue to search for understanding and wisdom.

It would be a shame if the expectations of adulthood and maturity steal away that child-like curiosity, that innocent willingness to question the way the universe is run. So what if we would always be hampered by our limited intellect... for as long as we continue in our quest to search for God even with our human flaws, God would reveal Himself, bit by bit, day by day.

Then some people took little children to him, so that he might put his hands on them in blessing: and the disciples said sharp words to them. But Jesus said, Let the little ones come to me, and do not keep them away: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 19:13-14)

Why Pray Together?
(14 February 2002)

If you just ask my homecell people, they will tell you that I will volunteer to lead worship, lead bible study, and even cook dinner for the entire homecell, if only to get out of praying. I guess I just could not see why we have to pray together. Or maybe I just felt awkward to pray in front of people. After all, prayer, or rather my own communication with God, is a very personal thing, and having people around seemed some sort like an invasion of privacy...

Look at Hannah. She was longing for a child, and she prayed so much that her every waking hour consisted of her appeal to God to give her child. So much so that the priest, Eli thought she was drunk... ‘cos she was always mumbling silently to herself. And all the while she was praying. (1 Sam 1:13/14). So I thought that the best type of prayers were like Hannah’s... you know, very private and personal, full of intensity.

So why pray in a group?

I think that the essentials for a church praying together can be found in Exodus 17:8-15. The Israelites, after escaping from Pharaoh’s armies, were for the first time going into battle. They were going into a fight with the Amalekites. The Israelites were former slaves not too long ago, and up to a few days ago, were grumbling to Moses about not having enough water. These demoralised, dispirited and divided people now had to do battle with a hostile, and aggressive race of foreigners?? I wouldn’t put my money on the Israelites.

Anyway, Joshua and some chosen men went out to fight, while Moses went to a nearby hilltop. Whenever his hands holding his staff was raised, the Israelites were winning, however when he got tired and dropped his arms, they would start to flounder in the battle. So Aaron and Hur had to seat him down on a rock, while they supported his hands on either side. He held this position until sunset, and the Israelites won.

Let me make two observations from this story.

1.   Firstly, you would think that Joshua would have the biggest share of the problems and difficulties, being in the battlefield and all that. But Exodus tells us that only when Moses had trouble holding his hands up, only then did the Israelite warriors start to succumb.

2.   Secondly, Moses could not hold his hands up for too long, without tiring. He needed help. He needed support. He could not do it all alone.

In the same way, we pray so that our soldiers in the battle out there would not be slaughtered in their ministry. These are our missionaries, our evangelists, our ministers, our church workers, our very own people involved in the mission of the church. But like Moses, we cannot do it alone. We need to do so together, so that, when we get tired, when we get discouraged, or even when we get bored , there are fellow brothers and sisters around us who would support our very own flagging spirits. And together, our collective unity would better than the sum of our own individual efforts.

And this togetherness in prayer is even more important today than the battle with the Amalekites. Because, where Moses could easily see the battle unfolding in front of him, where Moses was in a position to appreciate the struggle first-hand, today most of the time we are unable to see for ourselves, the struggles in which our modern day warriors face.

It is difficult to appreciate the difficulties that our Christian soldiers in the field face, unless we actually go on mission trips, or are involved in a particular activity. But it is hardly possible to go to every other country in the 10/40 Window, or to take part in every activity in church. That is why it is so much easier to get distracted, bored, de-sensitised and indifferent to the battles out there. And it is so much harder to pray.

Different Lives: A Parable of Sorts (Part V – The Conclusion)
(6 February 2002) 

Many years passed. One day, a pastor, while visiting the city’s orphanage gave a short message to the children. “You know kids, this city has been graced by two very special people,” he started, “The first, you all should know quite well. Jonathan Self. The self-made billionaire who was alone responsible for many of the industries that drive the economy of the city. The second, maybe you wouldn’t remember, but she served in this very orphanage some years back. If only you could listen to some of the stories that Melanie Neighbour read from God’s word. Simply mesmerising.

“Anyway, I learned from a little article in a medical journal that, they both died of a fatal tumour in their brains. Also, this doctor who wrote the article stated that both of them in their lifetime displayed especially acute intuitive gifts. It was almost as if they could perceive, in an intimate way, the manner in which people related to one another. Just like something you’d read in a science fiction comic or something.

“Apparently, the tumour in their heads had biologically increased the cerebral activity in their brains, enabling them both to not only think faster, but also to perceive rather private intentions in others. As you all know Jonathan Self made his fortune, presumably using this gift to great effect, manipulating and driving the industries that he’d created. But as you all also know, after he died, his family, his business partners waged an all out legal battle for his wealth. In the end, after the dust had settled, his business empire laid fragmented in more than 50 separate and opposing ownerships. Quite tragic actually. I wonder whether he had any idea how fragile it all was. Some people say he did... at the end.

“The gift nearly killed Melanie Neighbour, even before she had a chance to use it. But use it she did, right here in this place, in this very hall. She told us wonderful stories from the Bible. Some of us didn’t even know how to read back then. And all we had was her voice speaking to us in the evenings. Bringing us to faraway places in Palestine, to an age where kings and prophets were heroes as well as villains. Her voice had that lyrical quality that carried the scriptures deep into our hearts. And to this day some of us, most of us in fact, still carry those stories deep in our hearts. Only now many of us have decided to tell them also. To tell them to all who would listen, to all who would want to listen.

“Perhaps God gives certain special abilities to us all. Unique talents that can be used in many ways. Some would choose to use them for personal reasons. Some might be overwhelmed by the very gifts they possess by letting it destroy them. Some might just use them to bless others. Perhaps it is in the giving of what God has enabled us to use in an exceptional way, that we can truly gain that elusive “something”. And so today, those of us who were fortunate enough to be blessed by Melanie Neighbour’s stories continue to carry that story, that gospel in our hearts. And just like Melanie, the meaning lives on – in our lives, in the lives of those we touch, of those we speak to.

“Our gifts, our talents, our skills, are only useful when we use them for ourselves, but maybe just maybe when we use them for others, they transform from being merely useful to being meaningful.”

- THE END - 

"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot, martyred, 1956.

Different Lives: A Parable of Sorts (Part IV)
(30 January 2002) 

When she arrived at the orphanage, Melanie found that the old building was dark and quiet. A staff worker greeted her at the door, and went on to brief Melanie on the tasks that she would perform while serving out her sentence. She would proceed straight to the orphanage every day after her library duties were done. Her tasks were to help the cooks with dinner preparation, i.e. cutting, peeling, dicing, etc, have dinner with the children, and then help to wash up. Following dinner she would read to the children from the Bible, until it was time for bed. 

Her initial fears quickly turned to a silent appreciation of sorts, as Melanie settled into her new routine. She rather enjoyed the kitchen work in the company of the orphanage staff workers. These peaceful, dedicated workers went about their responsib