Do We Treat the Poor as Our Dustbins to Give Whatever We Cannot Use or Eat?

In the book Mother Teresa: Contemplative at the Heart of the World, she writes,

“Do we treat the poor as our dustbins to give whatever we cannot use or eat? I cannot eat this food so I will give it to the poor. I cannot use this thing or that piece of cloth so I will give it to the poor. Am I then sharing the poverty of the poor? Do I identify myself with the poor I serve? Am I one with them? Do I share with them as Jesus shared with me?

This is the wonderful part of our vocation, that as M.C.s (The Missionary of Charity Sisters, she founded) we have created an awareness of the poor in the whole world. Twenty years ago no one would believe that there were hungry, naked men and women around. Today the whole world knows our poor because of our work. Because they know they want to share.

The other day, a group of Hindu school children came from very far. They had won prizes in a contest at school and had asked the headmistress to give them money instead of the prizes. Then they said, ‘Now, take us to Mother Teresa. We want to give this money to her poor people.’ How wonderful it was that they did not use that money for themselves! Because we have created this awareness the whole world wants to share with the poor.

Whenever I accept money or an award, I always take it in the name of the poor, whom they recognize in me. What am I? I am nothing. It is the poor whom they recognize in me and that they want to give to, because they see what we do. Today people in the world want to see. Why is our congregation spread all over the world today? It is because people see what we do: feeding the hungry Christ, clothing the naked Christ, taking care of the sick, the dying, the leprosy patients (she was referring to Matthew 25:34-36). Because they see, they believe. How sad it will be if we are not sincere in what we do.

Our poor people suffer much, and unless we go with joy we cannot help them. We will make them more miserable.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

8 Kebaikan Apabila Kamu Mengawal Penggunaan Media Sosial

Ramai orang beranggapan bahawa dunia mereka akan hancur jika mereka tidak menggunakan media sosialwalaupun hanya setengah hari. Media social seperti Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blog dan sebagainya, banyak mengambil masa kita dan ada yang percaya bahawa semua ini sangat penting. Hey, dunia tidak akan berakhir jika kita tidak menggunakan laman media sosial! Malah, banyak kebaikkannya jika kita tidak atau boleh mengawal penggunaannya. Di sini saya mendapati sekurang-kurangnya ada 8 kebaikkan:

1) Kamu boleh lebih fokus tentang kehidupan kamu berbanding dengan kehidupan orang lain. Apabila kita tidak ‘menjaga tepi kain’ orang – tentang kehidupan dan pencapaian orang lain, contohnya – dan lebih fokus tentang kehidupan peribadi kita sendiri, kita akan lebih mudah menerima baik buruk diri sendiri (dan menyerahkannya kepada Tuhan) tanpa perlu membuat perbandingan dengan pencapaian orang lain.

2) Kamu boleh lebih fokus untuk berinteraksi dengan dunia realiti di sekeliling kamu. Apabila kita kurang atau tidak seringkali memeriksa telefon pintar untuk mengetahui perkembangan di dunia digital, kita akan lebih fokus untuk bercakap dengan orang di sekeliling kita. Apabila kita berkomunikasi dengan orang lain secara bersemuka, banyak perkara yang kita dapat belajar (secara mendalam) berbanding dengan perkara-perkara yang dikongsikan di dunia media sosial.

3) Kamu tidak perlu risau samada ada orang telah memberi komen atau respon di Twitter atau menekan butang “like” di laman Facebook kamu. [Tidak perlu saya huraikan]

4) Kamu tidak perlu berinteraksi dengan orang yang kamu tidak suka. Oleh kerana kita pernah bersekolah atau pernah berkawan dengan mereka dahulu, ini tidak bermaksud kita masih lagi ada persamaan dengan mereka. Atau mungkin kita sudah berubah sekarang sehinggakan kita tidak lagi sesuai untuk bergaul dengan mereka.

5) Kamu tidak perlu lagi merasa janggal atau sakit hati dengan orang yang selalu meluahkan perasaan dan menunjukkan gambar yang tidak sesuai di laman media social. Kadang-kadang perkara seperti ini tidak perlu kita tahu... merosakkan jiwa dan minda sahaja!

6)  Banyak perkara dan kerja yang kamu boleh siap. Sentiasa memeriksa laman media sosial waktu pejabat atau semasa melakukan kerja banyak mengambil masa kita. Sebaliknya, apabila kita tidak atau mengurangkan masa untuk media sosial, banyak kerja atau perkara dapat dilakukan.

7) Kamu akan memiliki hidup kamu kembali! Apabila kita tidak membenarkan laman media social untuk mengatur dan mengawal hidup kita, kita akan beroleh hidup. ‘Hidup’ di sini bermaksud fikiran dan hati kita. Tidak perlulah kita khuatir tentang apa yang akan dikongsikan oleh orang lain di laman  media sosial. Kita sekarang mempunyai lebih masa dan fokus untuk mendengar dan berbicara dengan orang lain di sekeliling kita. Kita akan menpunyai hidup yang aktif dan bukannya pasif menunggu ‘hidup’ datang kepada kita melalui laman media sosial.   

8) Kamu ada masa untuk berdoa dan membaca Firman Allah. Kurang berdoa dan membaca buku terutamanya – Alkitab –adalah satu masalah yang besar terjadi dikalangan orang muda sekarang kerana banyak masa terluang digunakan untuk media sosial (ada membaca, tetapi membaca bahan yang tidak berfaedah untuk kehidupan orang Kristian). Apa yang sangat diperlukan sekarang ialah orang Kristian yang tidak mudah terpengaruh dengan isu-isu yang remeh-temeh dan mula melihat dan melakukan sesuatu yang boleh memberkati orang lain di sekeliling kita. Yesus berkata, “Kasihilah Allah” dan “sesamamu”, “utamakan dahulu kerajaan Allah” dan “merenung Firman-Nya siang dan malam” (bukan laman media social).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Servant Leadership is More about Character than Style

A Palestianian shepherd

“Servant leadership is more about character than style” (Ken Blanchard)

In his book, Servant Leadership, Robert Greenleaf defines two kinds of leaders. Strong natural leaders are those who try to take control, make decisions, and give the orders in any situation in which they find themselves. They have a need to be in charge. Strong natural servants, on the other hand, will assume leadership only if they see it as a way in which they can serve.

You would think that natural leaders would use a directive, autocratic style while natural servants would use a more supportive, participative style. This assumption falls short because it confuses style with character.

I want to be led by strong natural servants because they are willing to use whatever leadership style – directive, supportive, or some combination – best serves the needs of those they lead. Remember that the primary biblical image of servant leadership is that of the shepherd, because the flock is not there for the sake of the shepherd; the shepherd is there for the sake of the flock.*

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*taken from Ken Blanchard’s The Heart of a Leader: Insights on the Arts of Influence.

Our Doings are the Reflection of Our Thinking and Theology

A kid was asked to do an assignment,
"If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?"

Like it or not, people will judge us by our actions. Small acts of kindness are not insignificant gestures, they are thoughtful expressions which say, without verbalization, “God loves you.” Unfortunately, to many, small acts of kindness are becoming a lost art. Don’t let this happen. Be the one who still place on importance on small acts of kindness which make others feel important in the eyes of God and you.

It is good for us to know that people are not so interested in hearing us expound on our particular philosophy of life or our theological knowledge on everything. I’m not saying that all of these are not important – it is! – But first people are more interested in seeing how our beliefs and convictions are working.

Our actions are reflections of our thinking and theology. If others see that we are joyful, self-control, patient, kindness, truthful, they will ask what we are doing to make these things happen. How God have changed your life. There is not need to be “preachy” because, as the saying goes, “More truth is caught than taught.” Religious people may talk about peace, love, faith and their great happiness in religion, but all we have to do is look at their lifestyles to know just how well it is working. Lord Jesus puts it this way about the false prophets and those who claim their pious religiosity: “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:16, 7:20). Are you exercising your faith now?

The Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Use Plain Language

We simply cannot communicate with others unless we learn how to use plain language. Something definitely lacking in our ability to communicate if what we says cannot be understood by a child (I still have this difficulty though). Now this may sound ridiculous, but is it true. In my early years as a Christian staff worker, I discovered that the effectiveness of my Bible Study with students was directly related to how simple I could make complicated, hard teachings easy to understand (or at least help them to think systematically about it).

The burden of holding someone’s attention, whether it be an audience or individual, falls on us. And no one will pay attention to what they don’t understand. I observe that many passionate first-time urban Christians when they go to rural area for mission trip cannot communicate with those on a lower knowledge level because they have never learned or been taught how to make Bible teachings simple enough. If someone fails to understand us, it does not necessarily mean that they are stupid or rebellious. More than likely, we have not explained our point clearly or simply enough. Not being simplistic but plain and simple.

Read the Gospel’s stories and you’ll noticed that Jesus doesn’t communicate the truths in a King James’s language, He talked in plain language – the contemporary language of the people. He speaks great truths in everyday language and parables. Let’s learn lesson from Jesus and use simple stories, demonstrations, parables and examples to convey what we mean, what God mean. In communicating Biblical truths we must rely on the Holy Sprit to open people’s hearts and their mind’s eyes to accept and understand the truth. But it doesn’t mean that we’re not responsible on how they received it. We must, by all cost, learn to use plain language so that people can genuinely respond to Jesus’ work on the Cross and says, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Seventeen Messages (Sort of) from God

In 1998 a Fort Lauderdale advertising agency launched a billboard campaign (including the inside and outside of buses) that included seventeen different “messages from God”:

1. Let’s meet at My house Sunday before the game. God 
2. C’mon over and bring the kids. God 
3. What part of ‘Thou shalt not…’ didn’t you understand? God 
4. We need to talk. God 
5. Keep using My name in vain and I’ll make rush hour longer. God 
6. Loved the wedding; invite me to the marriage. God 
7. That ‘love thy neighbor’ thing; I meant it. God 
8.  I love you… I love you… I love you. God 
9. Will the road you’re on get you to My place? God 
10. Follow me. God 
11. Big Bang theory; you’re got to be kidding. God 
12. My way is the highway. God 
13. Need directions? God 
14. You think it’s hot here? God 
15. Tell the kids I love them. God 
16. Need a marriage counselor? I’m available. God 
17. Have you read my #1 Best-seller? There will be a test. God

If God is not all things to you, He is not everything to you.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Don't Worry about Tomorrow

It is said that worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s trouble. Consider the things we worry about. The average individual’s worries can be divided into four categories. First, which constitute 40% of worries, are the things that will never happen. Second, which constitute 30% of it, are things over and past that can’t be changed by all the worry in the world. Third, constitute 22% of which that are petty and needless worries. And fourthly – only 8% of the whole – are legitimate worries.

William Arthur Ward warned, “Worry distorts our thinking, disrupts our work, disquiets our soul, disturbs our body, disfigures our face. It destroys our friends, demoralizes our life, defeats our faith, and debilitates our energy.” Worry, in the Scriptures, produces threefold reaction (no Bible quotes needed. These are general, most obvious truths): First, God’s love is doubted. Worry implies that He cares little for His Christ’s blood-washed children. Second, God’s wisdom is doubted. Worry indicates that He is not able to plan for His own children, that He does not know what is best for them who belong to Him. And thirdly, God’s power is doubted. Worry says His grace is not sufficient for our needs.

We need not to worry about tomorrow because in Christ, God is with us. Never doubt His love, wisdom and power in our lives. Jesus in His famous sermon said: “[Do] not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:25, 34, NIV). Worry is not the way His children ought to lives. Our mission is not to worry about tomorrow but to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (6:33) today!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Be Kind

by Unknown

God, make me kind!

So many hearts are breaking

And many more are aching

To hear the tender word

God, make me kind!

For I myself am learning

My own sad heard is yearning

For some sweet word to heal its hurt.

O Lord, do make me kind!

God, make me kind!

So many hearts are needing

The balm to stop the bleeding

That my kind words can bring.

God, make me kind!

For I am also seeking

The cure in someone’s keeping

They should impart to my sick heart,

O Lord, do make me kind!

God, make me kind!

So many hearts are lonely,

Are asking for this only –

The kind and tender word

God, make me kind!

To all who mutely ask it

Before they fill the casket,

Or bouquets may be wreaths some day

O Lord, do make me kind!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

An Interview with Myself: On the Avengers and the Scripture

This is an interview with myself.

Why you love to watch movie?

Why you love to eat? Why you love to dance? Why you love to read? All of these are natural for human being. You enjoy food, you love to move with the tune, you love stories. Movie is my source of leisure and entertainment. Movie captured my imaginations and filled me with inspirations. I’m talking about good movies, of course.

How do you differentiate between good and bad movies?

Good movies cause you to think, not just being entertained. This is very important because the thrill of participation with the characters is what makes the movie worth to watch. Worth for my investment, RM13! For me, good movies ought to have moral values without neglecting the reality of bad influences. For action-movies like The Avengers, which is why you interview me right, we must not expecting the movie to be realistic and logic or hoping that the heroes must be perfect and good all the time… come on, movie is a movie, okay?

[In my mind, I asked and answered too many questions to myself which are not quiet appropriate for public to read. Therefore, I skipped most of it.]

So, now, tell me, what you have learned from the movie The Avengers?

Oh, many things. By the way, before I watched The Avengers (again), I watched Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 1, 2 & 3, Hulk, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and  Thor: The Dark World. To get the big picture of the movie, I need to do some ‘revision.’ [Smiled]

In summary, The Avengers taught me more than just cliché lessons that you get from self-help or motivational books. The Avengers – this might sound unusual to you – helps me to recaps what some of the Scripture’s values that I have learned as I read and study it. I mean, by watching The Avengers and other Marvel movies, it help me to see how some Biblical values can be seen in each heroes and situations.

For examples, Hulk taught me how to be angry. Almost all references in the Scriptures about angry are negative because by nature angry is a sin. But there is such thing as righteous-angry where anger is not directed to persons but to the injustice, unrighteousness and merciless. Jesus, do you remember, overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves because He was righteously-angry with what He saw in the temple (Read Matthew 21:12-13). When an alien spaceship coming toward him, Captain America said something like this, “You need help to be angry?” “No,” Bruce Banner replied, “This is what you don’t know about me… I’m always angry…” And then he turned into the green beast and smashes the ship! Meaning, he had his anger under control and ‘expressing’ it toward the real enemies. 

Captain America taught me about leadership. He is mentally and physically fit. He is a fighter and strategist. He is probably one of the least members with special power but nevertheless – he is the Avenger’s Captain. He is a patriotic who value teamwork and do whatever it take to achieve the missions. He is the man who believes in God.  I remember one scene after Captain and Iron man caught Loki, Thor with raged came from nowhere took Loki out of the plane. As Iron man followed them from behind with an attack plan – that is “Attack!” – Captain was left behind. Black Widow reminds him, “Are you going after them too? They are Asgardians… they are literally, gods.” The Captain buckled up a parachute and said, “No ma’am,” he’s about to jump, “There is only one God!” He jumped and continues, “And He’s not dressing like one of those.”

Iron man taught me that people can change. He was a playboy, but now in love with one woman, Pepper. He was a billionaire who sells war machines, but now becomes a generous entrepreneur that helps to make the world a better place. He was a selfish genius, but now he fights for justice and even sacrifices himself to save many. He diverts a nuclear missile from blowing the New York City into the black hole all by himself. He, literally, saved the world. “If we can’t protect the earth,” Tony Stark said to Loki, “you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it.” Minus the language and attitude, do you hear his selflessness?

Thor taught me to be humble. He was arrogant, I know, but he now has become a matured and responsible man. When he was on earth – even though it is not relevant – he didn’t take pride of his Asgardian’s title and position. He is the prince of Asgard, heir of the kingdom throne, and god of thunder yet he remains humble, human-like in his character. He slowly learns to become human.

I haven’t told you about Nick Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Maria Hill, Agent Phil, etc… maybe next time bro.

Finally, do you have anything else to say?

Yes. Religious people often told me to “Stop watching worldly movies”, “Don’t watching this and that movie, it’s no good”, “You’re influencing our youth to worldliness.” I appreciate their concerns but I sense their hypocrisy. Even though they didn’t watch movies in cinema, they themselves watch movies on television, gossips in Twitter, watch videos on YouTube, and always read nonsense news on Facebook. I only take advice from those who have integrity and sincere.

Okay, I fully understand that watching too much movies or addicted to it will affect and pollute our mind but in everything we do – whatever it is – balance, priority and discernment are require. Those who make so much fuss with me watching The Avengers and told me to read the Scriptures more, I have two questions for you: 1) Do you know  Spiderman and Superman, Batman and Iron man, Thor and Hulk, Captain America and Wolverine? Maybe the answer is “No.” Then, since you don’t watch movie and love to read the Scripture, do you know Cain and Abel, Miriam and Aaron, Korah and Dathan, Ruth and Naomi, Abigail and Rahab, Ahab and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Esther and Mordecai, Amos and Obadiah, Nadab and Abihu, ect.? [Pause]

The Avengers and everything in this world are just faded mirror reflections of what is really real – Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Of course, if The Avengers have taken our hearts and minds over the Scripture, we have issues with God. Therefore, Repent.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Mengkhabarkan Berita Baik kepada Orang Lain

“Setiap hari, baik di Rumah Tuhan mahupun di rumah orang,

mereka tidak berhenti-henti mengajarkan dan mengkhabarkan Berita Baik

bahawa Yesus itulah Penyelamat yang diutus oleh Allah”

(Kisah Rasul-Rasul 5:42, BM)

Sungguh indah perbuatan mereka! “Mengajarkan dan mengkhabarkan Berita Baik” kepada orang yang belum mengenal Yesus. Ini ialah panggilan bukan sahaja kepada pemimpin-pemimpin gereja, tetapi kepada semua orang Kristian yang benar-benar telah menerima Keselamatan daripada dosa dan hukum dosa melalui Yesus Kristus, Tuhan dan Juruselamat kita.

Apabila Kristus dan kasih Kristus tinggal di dalam hidup kita, Dia akan mencurahkan kasih-Nya ke dalam hati kita supaya kita boleh mengongsikan kasih itu kepada orang lain. Dengan cara ini, Kerajaan Allah diperluaskan lagi. Setiap orang yang memiliki kasih Kristus pasti akan berkobar-kobar untuk mengkhabarkan Berita Baik itu.  

Inilah yang berlaku kepada Gereja Kristian yang pertama apabila Yesus diangkat ke syurga dan Roh Kudus datang memenuhi mereka. Selepas kejadian pada hari Pentakosta (Kisah Rasul-Rasul bab 2), semua orang pergi dan menyebarkan Berita Baik tentang kasih Kristus yang mereka telah alami sendiri secara peribadi. Ada seorang penulis bukan Kristian pada lingkungan zaman itu menulis bahawa agama Kristian tersebar dengan sangat cepat sekali kerana setiap mereka yang baru menerima Kristus akan pergi menyebarkan Berita Baik itu kepada orang lain kerana mereka dipenuhi dengan kasih Kristus.

Tetapi ini tidak berlaku kepada gereja kita sekarang! Ramai orang (yang mengaku) Kristian tidak peduli untuk memenangkan jiwa kepada Kristus. Kasih mereka sangat lemah dan mudah berubah menyebabkan mereka tidak ada keinginan untuk menolong orang lain. Wahai orang Kristian, semoga masa bagi kita untuk bangun dan bangkit daripada ‘ketiduran rohani’ akan datang sekarang juga! Semoga kita berkobar-kobar untuk ““mengajarkan dan mengkhabarkan Berita Baik” tentang Yesus dan kasih-Nya semula.

Jangan hanya membaca tulisan ini untuk menambahkan ilmu pengetahuan semata-mata. Baca dan lakukan sesuatu. Biar setiap kita menilai diri masing-masing, berdoa kepada Tuhan Yesus, berfikir bukan sahaja tentang Keselamatan diri sendiri malah orang lain juga, setelah mengalami sendiri kasih Kristus, ingin supaya jiwa-jiwa yang hilang akan menemui Kristus dan kasih-Nya. Saya percaya barang siapa yang melakukan perkara ini akan beroleh kebahagiaan yang sebenar dan sukacita dalam membawa orang lain mengenal Yesus Kristus Tuhan kita. Berdoalah dan biarlah Roh Kudus yang memimpin kamu dan saya. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

C.S. Lewis on the Church

Go to Hell and You Won't Find Any (Born Again) Christians There

A young man had been brought up in a home where God and the Bible were revered. Although the Gospel was often presented to him with loving urgency, he refused to believe and became increasingly rebellious. Finally he said, “I’m sick and tired of Christians. I’m going to look for a place where I can avoid them.”

His mother wept as he packed his suitcase and left home. He boarded a train, only to find that two passengers seated behind him were discussing the Scriptures. “I’m not going to stay here,” he muttered.

At the next stop he left the coach and entered a restaurant. To his dismay, some elderly women were talking about the return of the Lord. Knowing a ship was docked nearby, he decided it might be a way to escape the ‘religious chatter’ he encountered at every turn. But when the steamer embarked, he discovered that it was filled with happy young students from a Bible academy.

Thoroughly disgusted, he made his way downstairs to find the bar. Approaching the captain, he exclaimed, “Say, can you tell a man where he can get away from all these cursed fanatics?” The skipper looked up and said with a grin, “Yes, just go to hell. You won’t find any (born again) Christians there.”

These startling words caused him to realize his eternal peril and when he returned home, he received the Savior.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Nelson Mandela on the World's Children

John Stott on Social Responsibility

A Timorese Student Explore the Art of Reading

I rewrite this article from a Timorese student name Natalia Reali because it is very good written. I have asked for permission from Jovem Bravo Magazine (First Edition I/XI/2012, page 13), a Timor Leste English-Tetun magazine, to post this article in my blog.

Now, I know that when we get to this certain age in our teens, most of us tend to think that reading is boring, or is just homework, but I hope to prove you wrong. I am already a teenager and I love reading! Reading for me is a way to broaden your vocabulary, to learn new things and even to be able to travel without needing to leave your room! Some books can captivate you on the very first page. They sometimes include characters that are going through the exact same thing as you. Books can make you feel all the emotions the characters are going through, they can invite you in to live the fairytale along with them.

Books can allow you to travel the world at every page, they can make you smell things, feel things, hear things and see them. I personally find reading a book way more effective then watching a movie. A book is more personal and it allows you to leave some things to the imagination. Books are also great for other things, books for one inspired and still inspire me to do great things, like I am sure I want to become a published author one day. Books can teach you lessons, give you ideas and tell stories at the same time!

Nowadays getting a book is so easy! There are public libraries in Dili such as ‘Xanana Gusmão Reading Room’ or ‘Camões Institute’ at UNTL, where you can borrow a book for a few weeks. You can also download books for free from the internet and read them in any computer. It is easy to access them online, so we have the freedom to do so, and already be able to have a book in a few minutes. There are also already a few public places in Dili where you can get free internet (like the ‘Lecidere Garden’).

There is a really good website where you can find over 36,000 books for free (www.gutenberg.org/). This website is named in the memory of Johannes Gutenberg, a famous German inventor who made the first book that wasn’t handwritten. He was born in 1398 and died at around 1446 (approximately 70 years old). This was a very famous discovery because before that, only the rich were able to afford books, because they were handwritten and cost a fortune. The first book he made using his invention was the Bible (known as the Gutenberg Bible).

Now I challenge you to immerse yourself in a fantastic world of reading and discover how much fun you can get from home with a book in your hands!

I, Richard, challenge you too!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.