To The Unpopular Christian...

To the unpopular Christian,

Consider the following:

You read the Word daily, you try to apply these lessons and teachings in your life, you pray fervently not just for yourself but for those around you. You seek God daily, you pursue Him with much passion. You do what you can for the people around you, whether it be helping others out or listening to the problems of the one who trusts in you. You put the interests of others before yourself. You carry out your responsibilities to the best of your ability. You strive for excellence in your work and in the areas of your interests. You take caution to speak only in kindness - no insensitive or hurtful remarks, nothing of discouragement; instead, you speak in love, encouragement and respect.

However, in turn, you find yourself greeted by hostility. You seem to be attacked unreasonably. Or perhaps it is more commonly manifested in the most passive manner (if the subjects involved are 'nicer') - obscurity or exclusion. You notice people tend to stay away from you. Or perhaps they tend to be guarded around you, thinking that you are somehow a threat to them. They close up from you, thereby excluding you from their 'cliques' or the group where they keep those whom they feel are 'cool and comfortable'. Sometimes you are faced with silence which, naturally, turns into awkwardness that forces you to back away or lose confidence in yourself. You somehow don't feel accepted, or you sense the tension that arises from interaction with unbelievers. 

What are you doing wrong?

I invite you to reread the above paragraphs again to note certain similarities with your own personal circumstances. Perhaps what's written above is already what you are or have been facing. I'm not surprised if you identify with these experiences. In fact, you aren't alone in these experiences, there are many who face the same predicament, one of whom you'd be very familiar with:

"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem." (Isaiah 53:3)

Jesus was, in fact, extremely unpopular with the people whom he came to reach out to. The pharisees wanted him dead. The general public responded to him in disbelief. Some saw him as a sorcerer, others deemed him a charlatan. As there were many religious people in Palestine at the time of Christ, one would expect them to welcome the Son of Man with open arms; but they did not.

As mentioned by Roy Davison, Jesus was unpopular for various reasons: as he stands, he opposed human traditions contrary to the will of God; emphasized spiritual values and taught the futility of material things; and exposed the sinfulness of self-righteous people and called sinners to repentance. Jesus was unpopular back in the day and he is still unpopular with people now.

Now if you truly intend to pursue God, listen to this next part very carefully:

By following Jesus, you are essential standing for what Jesus stands for. When you "deny (yourself) and take up (your) cross daily and follow (him)", you are essentially ushered into a lifetime of persecution. Be prepared to take the hit. Be prepared to be hated by the people around you who do not understand who Jesus is. Be prepared to suffer. 

Here's what the Bible says about following Jesus:

"If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first." (John 15:18)

"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matthew 10:22)

The message is plain and simple. You will definitely experience hate (even from the unbeliever who has no clear reason to hate you), because the world hated Jesus first. 

But I urge you, brothers and sisters, to stand firm in the name of Jesus. John 15:19-25 says "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason'." Having read and understood this, let us consider carefully where our allegiance lies.

Therefore, if you are convicted that Jesus is your stronghold and your portion, then do not be afraid of the persecution that the world deals to you. Do not be afraid of what man thinks of you. Do not afraid to be lonely because of this for the acceptance of man has no appeal to the one who finds himself in God. Having said that, do not be afraid, as well, to continue reaching out to those around you. The facing of persecution does not give us an excuse to disobey that which we have been commanded to do but rather, further reinforces the need for such a manner of Christian living. 

You will be greeted with hostility because "they do not know the one who sent me". For the 1st generation Christians, you have the privilege of knowing firsthand how it felt to be on the other camp. The ones who do not believe hate you not because of who you are but because they do not know Jesus, and one is ignorant if he does not know Jesus. I can tell you this from personal experience - everything I knew was foolery because I did not know who Jesus was. But now that I (and you) know him and follow him closely, everything becomes clear to us. C.S. Lewis expresses this best: "I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen; not only because I can see it, but because by it I see everything else."

Therefore, continue to be patient and kind to those who do not yet know the folly of their ways as you were once like them and will still tend to be at times. Continue to show them love as you have been commanded, but turn to Jesus for comfort when you have been shown hate. Return their hate with compassion, which can only come from walking closely with Jesus.

And for the Christian who takes no issue in being one with the world and their ways, 1 John 2:15-16 expresses my response accurately: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." Do not be misled into thinking that you can walk faithfully while walking in ways of the world, by simply blending in with them and living as if Christ is absent in your life. For such a man, I have nothing to say to him.

To my readers, I thank you for taking the time to read this piece - It has been an issue that is on my heart for quite a while. I hope it has been an encouragement to you, especially if it is something that you have been suffering for the longest time. Know that you are never alone in your struggles and that your honouring God will be met with His reward and glory.

Keep pressing on and fight the good fight of the faith. God bless you.

In His Love,

Matt

2017: A New Journey and A New Hope

It has definitely been a while since my last post, but I thought I'd start the new year right.

2016 was a blast. In retrospect, it was a year with many changes: I finished my national service earlier in March, worked at an MNC for 4 months, had some downtime, started school and finished my first semester. 

When I look back, the year really flew by quickly, but the experiences are still fresh in my memory. I remember getting called in to the commander's office on my ORD day because of a letter that I had written to him regarding my observations on the state of things in the unit. (Sadly, nothing much has changed, according to my juniors) I remember the months of work I had, and the challenges of working life that I managed to glimpse. I remember my university orientation experience and the culture shock that I received when I first stepped foot in NUS. I remember struggling to find my identity during my first semester, as well as how I had momentarily lost myself in the treacherous currents of school work in the first half.

More importantly, I remember God's grace and His hand in all of these experiences. I remember how He helped me cope with the sudden loneliness I had experienced when I started working. I remember how He sustained me through my work and even in revealing the futility of my work obsession - I needed Him, and then it was clear to me (perhaps not entirely) how I ought to live my life, especially as a student.

In the last days of the year, I attended NUS VCF AnnTiC Camp (Varsity Christian Fellowship Annual Teach-in Camp) and I'm really glad I took those 6 days to study the word and listen to the sermons with a large bunch of people whom I barely knew. To my pleasant surprise, I saw old faces and reconnect with them, finding new dynamics to our old friendships. I made new friends. got to know more people better and really caught a glimpse of what the whole CF community is actually like. I'd prefer to refrain from romanticizing the whole experience but it was undoubtedly breathtaking and awe-inspiring. The sharing from my group was intimate and personal, the sermons were insightful, the workshops were informative and everyone was simply warm and hospitable. Best of all, I experienced God firsthand - fueling the passion in me to revisit my faith and live my life boldly as a disciple of Christ, giving up my life (as I know it) and no less.

The transition into 2017 was not particularly exciting (considering that I was quite exhausted from the camp) but I did have my church's Young Adults Retreat to attend and for 3 days, we relaxed, had fun and were engaged in fruitful discussions on sexual wholeness and purity. Again, I experienced God's hand in my life firsthand here, and managed to let go of the pain and bitterness I had held on to for 2 years from a certain past and simply just commit it all to Jesus. God is indeed great (if you know me personally, I wouldn't mind sharing my story with you if you asked) and I have no doubt in my mind that He has called me to walk closely with Him with a renewed faith this year.

Although it is characteristic of my pieces to be lengthy, I have to admit that I have left out much in this post. Perhaps what's remaining isn't that important for the time being, but I guess the bottom-line is that God is faithful and gracious - and I am determined to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Where I may stumble, I pray for His forgiveness and His grace; and where I overcome obstacles, I hope to give thanks to His faithfulness and sing His praise.

2017: A year of God's presence. What more can I ask for?

Cheers,

Matt

Short Series: The Secret To Happiness

Hello there,

What if I told you the secret to happiness? 

Would you be interested? 

Why would you?

In today's day and age, there is much talk about finding happiness. You have self-help books telling you how to seek happiness. You have movies and stories encouraging you to chase after happiness, to pursue the things that make you happy. You hear about how "money cannot buy happiness" or  that "money buys you happiness, you just need to know how to spend it". 

Find happiness, chase it, obtain it. Happiness is out there, you just need to want it. After all, the purpose of life is to be happy!

What if I told you that there is no secret to happiness?

What if I told you that there is, however, a secret of happiness?

You see, happiness is often thought of an ends in itself. People think that happiness is the end that is finally waiting for you, after all your hard work and striving. The truth is, folks, you can't seek happiness - at least not your own. When you get what you want, you feel happy. However, when you see someone else get what they want or need, especially if its because of you, the immense happiness erupting from your very core is indelible. And guess what? The happiness you get from seeking the happiness of others far surpasses that of seeking your own happiness. 

I like to use the term 'joy' instead of 'happiness' because I find happiness to be more of a state, something that's temporal and circumstantial; but joy to be something that's sustaining, hardy and independent of circumstance. And that's really what we feel when we seek the joy of others: you could have having a terrible day but still experience joy when you help that fella get his wheelchair into the train. And when the joy is within you, what you're simply experiencing is enjoyment ("en" literally meaning 'within' and "joy" meaning 'great pleasure').

Here's the secret of happiness: 

You want to seek happiness? No you don't

It's joy you're seeking. Not your own but someone else's.

Cheers,

Matt

Short Series: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Retrospect is amazing. Often, we learn the most through looking back at our past experiences and reflecting upon them. We think about what we did, what we should have done instead, and how we should have done it better. Most of our lessons are learnt through retrospect, hence the phrase: "experience is the best teacher: it gives you the test first and delivers the lesson later". Therefore, cultivating a habit of reflection is arguably one of the most important aspects of growth.

Growth, however, cannot be sustained by mere retrospect alone. You simply cannot hope to improve simply by looking back and thinking of what you should have done. Our thoughts need to be put into action. This is where introspection comes into practice: We have to examine the state of our mind and then consider carefully what steps we should take next. This is where discipline and obedience comes in - while we don't know what the path ahead will present, we have to simply walk in the things we know, and in full integrity.

When we maintain the a balance of the two in our lives, we find progress; we find improvement; we find growth. This is true of spiritual growth: walk in faith obediently and faithfully, steadfast in the teachings of the Word; and when you blunder, reflect upon it, seek the mercy and grace from God and ask Him for the strength to move on. Above all, find delight and joy in doing the will of God. (Psalm 40:8)

God has an awesome and amazing plan for each of our lives, are you ready to starting living it out?

Cheers,

Matt

Short Series: Bigotry vs Dissimilarity

Hi all,

This is going to be the start of a series where I'll pen down certain thoughts and condense them into three short paragraphs (perhaps with a concluding liner). My goals are simple: to be succinct and to cultivate the habit of writing my thoughts down regularly.

Today's topic is as the title reads: Bigotry vs Dissimilarity. Let's explore!

Bigotry. That term carries with it a negative connotation for good reason. Bigotry is defined as the intolerance towards others holding different opinions. Usually, a person would have done something drastic or appalling, something driven by hatred and intolerance, to warrant the label of a bigot. For instance, a person who refuses to dine at the same table as someone of a race which he dislikes may be considered a bigot. Bigotry: it is stubborn; it is obstinate; it is hateful; it is borne out intolerance.

Tolerance, that is the next point. To be tolerant of someone or something does not mean you cannot say that that person or thing is wrong; in fact, a subject has to be wrong in first place for you to say: "It is wrong, but I shall tolerate it". Thus, tolerance is the act of accepting the difference in opinions and views, or accepting that something is not right. This brings me to dissimilarity: having a difference in opinion, views or stand. When we exhibit dissimilarity, regardless of entity or context, we are presented with the choice of either being tolerant or to discriminate upon the realization of our own disagreement.

As opposed to being a bigot, to be dissimilar can mean that you take an opposing stand but yet can be accepting and tolerant of the other party, treating them no differently than how you would treat someone otherwise. I may disapprove of gay marriages, for instance, but that doesn't mean I would necessarily jeer at a gay couple when I see one, or refuse to offer kindness to them. Dissimilarity with tolerance. That's not bigotry. It isn't the same thing. Therefore, you are free to disagree - on the condition that you can be tolerant. 

Bottom-line: Do not conflate standing against a view with standing against the person.

Cheers,

Matt

5 Truths of Life I Learnt on My 21st

Hey all! First post of 2016!

After having the biggest surprise yesterday for my 21st birthday, I've been overwhelmed by many thoughts. Some of these are thoughts of appreciation and feeling fortunate and blessed to be in the midst of a wonderful crowd of people - family and friends alike. Others are thoughts of contemplation and reflection: looking back at my life and realizing God's hand in every moment of it leading up to where I am now. 

For the former, I think I've said much already (in my trademark lengthy whatsapp messages) and I'm grateful for all of you whom I consider family. Thank you for making this birthday so special and meaningful. Each and every one of you are important and special to me.

As for the latter, I think I will pen them here in short, anecdotal form. Disclaimer: everything said here is from and only from my own experiences. So here we go:

5 Truths of Life I Learnt on My 21st

The path that I'd walk to where I am now wasn't an easy one. Wherever I went in life, be it in school or social groups, I never felt accepted nor did I feel belonged to anywhere. In fact, I had my fair share of betrayal, isolation and ostracizing; to which I used to feel bitter about. I suppose knowing pain allowed myself to relate to others who are in similar situations better, it somehow became part of me to reach out to people who felt out of place, alone, hurt, you name it. Perhaps it was because I was so adamant about reaching out to people and binding people together, that some friendships still remain and I guess, looking back, I did have some part to play in them. And what I realized is that when you live your life, placing all that's important to be the things of others, people come to value you as well. I think that's the beauty of human relationships: to be able to show love and to feel love.

Don't go about seeking love from others. Love others first, and you'll find love seeking you.

When I found a community that I finally feel belonged to, I found myself so in-adept at loving others. I realized how self-centered I could be, and how little I cared for others. I owe much of the growth in this area to the Word of God, for it is by the cross that I was taught to love. I was taught how denying myself could be so important to living for others. To live for someone else was to die to oneself, like a mustard seed dying so that it can grow into the mustard tree that gives shade and shelter to others. Of course, this is one of the toughest lessons to learn and it does not come without much suffering, pain, disillusionment and discouragement. However, the choice to learn to live for others is one that can lead to much growth.

I've yet to see a man grow from an easy experience. Inspired? Yes. Grow? No. It is in our lowest points that our character is molded.

In the journey of forging close relationships, there'll always be hurt, difference in expectations, disappointments, you name it. After all, when you're closer together like family, it's so much easier to step on one another's toes. That's probably why the people who hurt you most are the ones closest to you - you'd expect more from someone closer. I think that was what I struggled with. Through times of loneliness and disillusionment to how friends only 'come and go'; through times when I felt no one would be too bothered if I wasn't around anymore, I guess I've learnt to look beyond these feelings of doubt and obscurity and to embrace the difficulties of building a community, yet staying positive and hopeful of the relationships that are being built.

If you haven't been defeated, crushed, torn apart, discouraged, hurt, humiliated, misunderstood, or at least had a change of heart; then you haven't truly grown.

Through chats, cards, messages and kind words, I've learnt that people do appreciate my effort in building the community. I guess, however, there is a sad reason for that - which I have posted previously not too long ago. But hearing how the small things I do (which really isn't much) help to make the group livelier and comfortable or provide enjoyable avenues for fellowship pretty much give me the sense of fulfillment in the things I do. Whether it be hosting card/board games for others, making lame jokes at the dinner table, playing the fool in group settings or organizing something fun, I guess the love for making others feel belonged drives me to always want to do more. 

If you are building a community that is as big as yourself, you are not building a community.

Lastly, there are, indeed, times when I felt discouraged about my vision to build up the community. When things don't go the way I hope or nothing much that I do seems to be effective, I start to question the purpose that God has given me. "Is He really calling me to bring people together? Is that truly my God-given mission?" Honestly, till today, I am still contemplating this, and I've yet to be a hundred percent certain. I suppose from what others tell me and how I feel, I can at least say that it's something God has equipped me to do and its something that resonates with me. And I can't express enough how encouraged I am when I know that there are others who share the same vision as myself. Even more amazing, some of them have even been encouraged to do the same too! I'm sure of one thing:

Walk firmly in your God-given path. Even if you don't get to where you'd like to be, you'll have many others walking beside you.

That pretty much sums up the few important lessons I've learnt in my transition into adulthood. Though I can't boldly claim to be an adult myself yet (I still find myself lacking in many ways; plus, I like the term 'young adult' haha), I'm still in the process of learning and growing in God every day. I'm thankful that this journey, albeit rocky here and there, has given flavour to my world. I'm forever indebted to God and His grace for all that has happened and is happening in my life. I can only imagine and look forward to the brightest, most awesome community that is the Kingdom of Heaven!

Cheers,
Matt

The Fall Of This Generation

A poem I wrote while contemplating how the world around me works:

The fall of this generation

will come swiftly as the wind.

The destruction of human souls,

not from outside but within.

The eyes attempt to see the things

that we weren't meant to see.

Callous espionage, betrayal, deceit;

in the name of curiosity.

Oh, the irony of turning to trust

only the things in sight;

but failing to see the things that kill

are the things that bring delight.

The ears, they fool us, they make us think

that just because we listen,

we know more than those before us,

our obstinate nature hastens.

The experience of those who came before us

counts for nothing here,

For good is the advice we glean for ourselves

as the ones that fall on deaf ears.

The tongue, the greatest tool of evil,

bestowed upon our kind.

But woe to us, the words we say,

it has enslaved our mind.

For the glamour of speech has blurred the glimpse

of the knives that we have sheathed.

The bark is often worse than bite,

When the lies lie near the teeth.

The hands have made us capable,

for the wrong reasons it seems.

They have learnt to work on their own,

instead of in a team.

Worse still, the hands are idle,

unmoved in the face of need.

How contrived activism may be

when a movement mistaken for a deed.

The fall of this generation

hastens by the day

It obsesses with temporal gain

than the truth, the light, the way.

We think we know better:

We got morals, skills and goals

In the end, the harsh truth is that

nothing lasts, not one bit at all...

Not in this fallen world.