The cool thing to do in our world today is to conform. The best colour is grey and standing alone is definitely the scariest thing to do on earth.
I listened to a sermon and I hope it will encourage all parents and teachers out there on how to raise our children. Although I am single, I do raise kids. And boys are the hardest to raise. I still prefer girls. This afternoon as I surfed the facebook I chance upon a Chinese scholar I helped when she first came here. She is now happily married with a lovely baby girl. Through her facebook account, I found other Chinese scholars I once helped. And I want to reconnect with them. Most of them are married and successful specialists with PhDs. I am a nobody. Just self righteous.
First, it is important to teach our children to stand alone! Yup. Proverbs 1:10, 14 and 15 is very clear how we behave around bad company. God says that if sinners entice us, do not consent. He adds that we are not to walk in their way. He orders that we keep our feet from their path for their feet hasten to shed blood. God's command is No, Flee, Get out of their way. But many a times we think we can control the situation. We will not be involved and sucked in. I believe we have all been there when what we think is not what we can do about it.
Next, it is important to have good friends. Unfortunately people are friends to all those who are attracted to them. That is the start of tragedies. I never regretted meeting some of my friends. Some, I forget the minute I meet them. Fortunately for me, I don't have any good looks to flaunt so my friends are few and good.
Then for those of us who likes to nag about how wrong our children are, God said to do that. We must tell them constantly the consequences of wrong doings! The devil likes to masquerade the sin with a beautiful and pleasurable experience. These are but the passing pleasures of sin. Then comes the consequences.
Years ago, my best friend, a non Christian and I dated for a while. Everyone, even my best friend Bonita encouraged me to date him. It was because I didn't want to disobey God that I kept away from him. For years I have wanted to share with him the gospel, but I never did. Yet his friendship touched me and so we dated when I returned from my studies. Then it came to a point in time when I couldn't reconcile a few things. One most important of all was his entire family are buddhists. I told him that I could not see how I could go to the temple with him, standing in a house full of his religion when I have Jesus. Although I enjoyed his company and he is extremely witty and smart, I just couldn't tell him that I could carry on this double life. So I chose. I rather have Jesus. I couldn't understand even today why my friends, my Christian friends thought I could convert him. Only Jesus can.
The consequences of disobedience were many. First, I lost my best friend. Even after I made it clear, he continued to pursue but I decide to snap all the connections. I wish him well always. I hope he will come to love my Jesus one day. Do I still meet him? I learn my lesson of disobedience. It was nice to be in his company but when I got home, I was always miserable because I knew I did something really wrong.
Now, I follow God. Today I never regret not marrying. I was not deeply hurt in the process because at the very end, he still cares enough to let me go. A rumour has it that I was deeply hurt and as a result I never marry. This is all so wicked.
So if you are reminding your children about the consequences of the wrong doing, you are right on track. I wish someone insisted I should not go ahead and date him. I chose to leave him in the hands of God.
We should also share our life stories with our children to show them that we made those mistakes too. We should not allow our children to do as they please without correction because this act of love can kill the child in the future. Instead we let them know that there is forgiveness in the blood of Christ because I too run back to God when I am hit really hard. And thank God for His great mercy, I am not consumed by the wrath.
We must tell our children that whoever God loves, God will chastise and prune away the rough edges. We are to tell them to be ready for discipline and not run from it. And to run to God when He prompts. Although our kids never know this but we, parents and teachers do know when our kid is in deep trouble. I sense how some of my students feel even without them telling me they are in trouble. God's spirit does stir when someone close to me went astray and all I could do is to pray.
I have always been judged to be a person who kept myself from a lot of troubles. I don't tell many things but I sense everything. God has also given me a gift to discern. A gift very dear and rare. Thus I don't usually tell people what I feel about them for some of the things I felt are quite negative. I felt that my mother will die and I knew when. Scary. Yes. The hardest was to pretend I didn't feel that.
It has been an excellent day for me. Listening to God and making a major decision of my life. Allowing Him to take control when I cannot. So parents and teachers who care about their wards, pray. Bend your knees and ask God to intervene. We have a God that is not only amazing, powerful and kind, He is also a great Counsellor. Have a great weekend because I am going to have a great time meeting my God.
To Shin Miin and Bonita reading this entry, don't panic. I am sane. Very sane. I am just so happy that God brought me right back where I should have been. Today's class at Precept, the warm friendship and the lovely people I missed so much will become my priority this year. I want to finish the book of Revelation and learn to stand on the promises of GOD. I will claim them ONE by ONE. I know He will come for me. I know He will stand by me because I am His.
