Monthly Archives: January 2014

Whenever we sing the hymn “They will know we are Christians,” I wonder whether we are fully aware of what we are singing. Sometimes we sing without realising the meaning or implications of the song. We get carried away with the melody, but do we mean what we sing?

In today’s reading, we are reminded that “Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead.” Also, the reading tells us that “A body dies when it is separated from the spirit, and in the same way faith is dead if it is separated from good deeds.” We say that we have faith; we believe in God; we recite the creed every Sunday; we call ourselves Christians; but is our faith merely words? Is our faith all talk but no or little action? Let us show our faith by the way we behave; the way we live; the way we love others, regardless of who they are or whether they are our family, friends, or even those who are against us; then only would people “know we are Christians by our love.”

I have observed that at times and in some churches, some people tend to treat a person according to the person’s appearance, the way a person dresses, or according to the person’s status or rank in society. When a person is well dressed or has got a title or something, some may treat such a person like a VIP. But when a beggar or shabbily dressed person comes to church, some of us may begin to form all sorts of thoughts and assume all sorts of scenarios, whether good or bad. This is precisely what today’s reading is warning us: “Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that?”

Today’s reading also tells us that “the right thing to do is to keep the supreme law of scripture: you must love your neighbour as yourself; but as soon as you make distinctions between classes of people, you are committing sin, and under condemnation for breaking the Law.” Are we segregating and treating people differently in church? Have we forgotten that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of how we look or who we are? If we are continuing to treat people in such a manner, how different are we compared to the world? Are we followers of Christ, or have we allowed the ways of the world to corrupt us?

How conscious are we when we say something? Are we aware of what we are saying? Do we realise that words, once said, cannot be taken back? Proverbs 12:18 tells us: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” In today’s reading, we are also cautioned to “be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse your temper; God’s righteousness is never served by man’s anger.” There is a reason why God gave us two ears and one tongue, and sometimes we end up saying more than we should and are unable to listen because of the noise generated within us and around us.

Think carefully before you say anything. Your tongue can be a weapon far mightier than any weapon created by humankind. You can make or break someone with a simple comment. Are you speaking your mind, and meaning what you say with a lifestyle and actions to match? Sometimes we say faster than we think, and that could only make us look foolish at the end.

When we commit sin or fall into temptation, it is interesting to see how some of us behave. Some readily admit their sin and go for confession to seek forgiveness from God. Some try to make all sorts of excuses or denials, saying that they sinned because someone else had caused them to sin, blaming their spouse, their children, their parents, their friends, even their cat or dog. Some even start talking about other people’s faults, hoping to divert attention from their own sin.

Today’s reading remind us that “Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.” The sins we commit is because of our own fault, not others. We had a choice and we chose to commit sin, due to pride, envy, jealousy, selfishness, etc. No one can force us to commit sin. So we should be humble enough to admit it and seek forgiveness, and not try to deny it or sweep it under the carpet.

When faced with difficulties, trials and persecution, how would we respond? Today’s reading tells us that when we face such trials, we should “try to treat them as a happy privilege; you understand that your faith is only put to the test to make you patient, but patience too is to have its practical results so that you will become fully-developed, complete, with nothing missing.” Sometimes we may feel as if we are not getting anywhere with our trials, but our trials are helping us to be humble, to be patient, and to depend on God’s help.

And when we seek God’s help, the reading also reminds us that we should “ask with faith, and no trace of doubt.” Some of us may pray to God, but when we do not get a reply, some may begin to wonder whether our prayer would be answered. Are we expecting God to be at our beck and call? No! God will help us according to His time, not ours. After all, are we ultimately striving to let His will be done, or are we trying to let our will be done? Let us let God be God, and continue to trust in His providence.