Providence « The Upper Room Diaries

March 26, 2011

Rice Bowl

I vividly remember the time when I was going through my internship at a local events company doing graphic design. Not that I had an easy time or was it some of my happiest days but rather something important happened, that on hindsight, played a pivotal role in my life.

It was in the spending of days (and nights) immersed into the overtime culture of the company, that I became exposed to the “Rice Bowl” concept. The word “Rice Bowl” basically points to your means of income, and most people take it as their current job. People talk about it, my colleagues teach me about it, there are just some things you do and some things you do not, so as not to put your rice bowl at risk. Of course, it was in the Army that I saw what it means to have a “Metal Rice Bowl”. The prior phrase points to an indestructible source of income, a job that will never get you fired. Some people there just do not know how to do their work, but somehow they would still manage to get their job done using expendable National Servicemen. Anyways, thats beside the point. I digressed. The point is that people live their life protecting their Rice Bowl. That was their paradigm.

Then comes one fine day when Pastor Ronald came over to my workplace to meet me for lunch. I was in his car telling him about what I learnt in the company. It was supposed to be all the good and interesting things that I have been learning pertaining to the honing of my skills. Then this “Rice Bowl” concept slipped out. At that moment, I vividly remember Pastor Ronald stopping the car at the side of the road, looked me in the eye, and told me these words: “Hey Matt, remember this, your job is not your rice bowl. God is your rice bowl.” And suddenly, everything seemed to snap back into place. I remembered that I am supposed to be a Christian who holds on to the values of God, but there I was, unconsciously being sucked-in to take on the values of the World instead. Maybe you can call this peer pressure, whatever; but now on hindsight, I realized that if this incident did not happen to me, I would be left to sink deeper into the values of the World. Thank God!

I used this incident of mine as an illustration when I was teaching my cell on Romans 12:1-2.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:1-2

Apostle Paul here talks about an exchange of values — exchanging our worldly values for the values of God. It is only when live our lives adopting the values of God, that are able to discern His will for our lives. Here, the passage urges us to change our paradigm of life. Do not live your life having no difference from the life of the unbeliever. It is interesting that Paul here did not talk firstly about our actions, but here he talks about our thought patterns. This brings us to a sobering reminder that the difference between believers and non-believers is not because they do Christianly things, but because they think Christianly. Right thinking would result in right action, however, seeming right actions need not be a result of right thinking.

When we read this verse, we should actually note something even more important. Paul actually says that this value-exchange is the characteristic that is expected of every believer. In other words, this lifestyle should be normal. To put it more across more painfully, Paul’s version of Christianity is actually rather narrow. If you succeed at doing this value-exchange you will become a testimony of God’s goodness. However if you do not do this value-exchange, your salvation is actually questioned. It is either you become a testimony, or you are not a Christian at all. Ouch!

Then Paul interestingly goes on to mention something which many people are interested in today — the will of God for our lives. He basically says that if we are not doing this value-exchange, we can forget about finding out the will of God for our lives. However, if we would just to focus on living our lives adopting the values of God, God’s will for us will naturally surface.

So then after saying all these, naturally the common question that develops would be “what are the values of God, and what are the values of the World?” No surprise. My cell members asked this too. Although there are many examples, too many to list down here, there is actually a simple guideline to this. Basically the values of the World urges you to trust in yourself, but the values of God urges you to trust in Him. This, sadly, is the timeless struggle for all believers; way back from the Old Testament (remember why Adam and Eve ate the apple?), to Jesus’ time, and into our present age.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
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Matthew 6:33

As for me, I must always make sure that Matthew 6:33 is embedded in my heart. Not to worry, but trust in God, because God provides for those who serve Him. We all make plans to be unbreakable, but God desires for His true followers to come before Him broken.

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December 29, 2010

Taking Stock – Part 1

Through the space of past three weeks I was reminded of the importance of this blog — that if I do not record my thoughts, I would eventually loose them. So here I am, after a long time of typing inactivity, I have decided to drag my fingers back to the keyboard to record my key thoughts.

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The past few weeks have been a time where my faith was tested sorely. Due to a lapse in my monthly allowance from the church, I ended up having to face a huge financial challenge. The greatest part of that challenge, however, was in the area of tithing. I have resolved a few months back to continue in giving to God what belongs to Him, and this meant ten percent of my measly allowance. I have heard people telling me that the more they have, the more painful tithing becomes, as they have to give even more. However throughout these few years I have learnt that the opposite is even more true. The lesser that I have, the more painful tithing becomes as I am left with even lesser. After paying all my bills (and sometimes I cannot even pay them), I can barely survive with that allowance. To tithe, for me, means that I would not be able to survive at all. This Christmas, due to the financial lapse, I ended up having to pay twenty percent of my month allowance. It was so painful. The next day after I have resolved to give the tithe, withdrew out the money, I received a small Christmas gift and it was a small red packet with the exact same amount that I tithed. I was told that God impressed upon the giver’s heart to give me this unusual gift. Wow, through that person, I felt God’s understanding that I needed the money, and now, God is giving it back to me.

I have learnt that to tithe, even when I do not have enough, is to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over my life. Many people have asked me the question “why does God instituted the concept of tithing?” The situation over this Christmas strengthened the conviction of my usual answer — that God does not need our money, but tithing is an opportunity set up for us to exercise our faith in God. Give to the Lord what is the Lord’s and God’s promise of providence to you, will stand. However if you do not, God says in Malachi 3:9 that you are robbing Him (a surprisingly stern word from a loving God), hence do not expect providence when you are robbing God. Some people prefer to use the word “blessings” instead of “providence”, but actually they are the exact same thing.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? . . . So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:26-33)

I do not know about you, but as for me, the last thing I want to do, is to be a Christian living my life as a non-Christian. Hence I decided to trust God. . . but sometimes trusting God is painful.

December 6, 2010

Back in KL

It is weird how I would usually find myself getting increasingly pensive, the further away I am from home. So here I am back in KL after a good long one-and-a-half-year absence from this current apartment of my lodging. Most times when I am free to come up to KL, Shawn would kindly host me. These times are usually times for me to think, get some work done while within close range of super good food and super cheap movies.

There are a couple of notable differences from this trip compared to the last. First is the night bus up. OH MANS, we were given such a surprise! We did not get what we paid for. We paid for a cheap bus ride up north but we were upgraded, for no apparent reason, to a super-class bus and the whole journey up took only like three hours! I was like waking shawn up trying to trick him by saying: “Eh Shawn, wake up, we reach Yong Peng already.” Wells, of course he was sharp enough to note my nonsense. Even now after a quick breakfast of timeless beef noodles, we are still raving at the fact that this is our fastest trip up ever. It really felt like we have travelled back in time.

Second, it looks like Shawn’s dad revamped the small studio apartment. Everything is so neatly arranged and clean that it really felt like we stepped into a hotel room, or service apartment. There is this new elevated ledge that allows for a good 180-degree peep into the busy streets of KL. So I took a mattress nearby, some pillows and set up a comfort corner (Jap style) for me to chill, sleep and think. So now I am lying down on a thick mattress chilling with my laptiop, while glazing out into a panoramic view of the streets in air condition comfort. What a chill spot!

Third, besides coming up here to eat, movie, meet up with friends and walk around; this time around I actually came up with some work to do. Actually to be accurate, I just merely changed location. Instead of working at home, I am working from KL. A couple of things to do. Guess I would devote my mornings and afternoons to work at Starbucks due to wifi, then night time would be spent meeting friends and bumming around. Anyways work is a real bummer. . .

So thats all for now. Gonna be back in Singapore on Thursday evening and gonna teach in cell on Friday. Happening week for me! Okay, now for something random; think I would design and print my own Christmas cards to give out this year.

Tata!

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On a side (site) note. My blog stats shows that many views are coming in from Google search by the word “Hendiady”. They would usually land on this post of mine. You may want to try googling the word.

The Upper Room Diaries

Category: Providence