J O Y C E

We all know there is a war going on in the Middle East.  And no matter who you talk to, you are bound to get a different opinion.  Sometimes you are forced to have an opinion.  Sometimes forced to listen to someone elses.  I believe the issue is more important than our actual opinions.  War - it happens on a small scale and it happens on a larger scale.  We don't condone it when it kills so many people, and yet when we kill our "friends" with our verbal strikes, we don't even batter an eyelid.

 

What makes an opinion WORTH listening to?  I believe, it's a good relationship with the person doing the listening.  And yet people randomly choose people to attack and expect their opinions to actually count, when at no point have they respected anothers' opinion.

 

How could you change someone's mind?  I believe, if they have made possible that choice for their mind to change.   We have no right to control or demand other peoples' thoughts to be in sync with ours.  We only have that responsibility to sort through our own thoughts and feelings.  And yet, when someone refuses to think the same way as ourselves, we chuck a tantrum, and throw some insulting, disrespectful or upsetting verbal ammunition at them.

 

I believe if we want to be heard, we need to tell the truth (not necessarily OUR truth) with love, and respect.  There is no place for judgemental or arrogant outbursts.  Because we belittle someone else, everytime we deem our judgement better than theirs.  Love is patient.  Love is kind... It is not proud.  It is not rude.  It is not self seeking.  It is not easily angered.  (Corinthians 13)  In any healthy discussion, there has got to be boundaries set, so that we can choose value-ing another person's spirit over the argument of being right.

 

God didn't disrespect us when we made wrong choices or had different opinions.  We have no right to treat others, otherwise.  Hatred stirs up dissention, but love covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12).  So, how can an intelligent person believe such "rubbish" is asked.  Well, how can another "intelligent" person NOT see that just as my outer appearance BEGS to differ from others, how can you not see that my brain, my spirit, and my heart is just simply, wired different to yours!  Therefore is it so surprising that I make difference choices to those around me, and those around me make difference choices to those around them!  Simple concept!

 

A horrible thing people like to bring into argument are their own MISCONCEPTIONS, about GENERALISATIONS, and ASSUMPTIONS about any particular individual or group.  "Intelligent" people (as they see themselves) somehow miss this at any given time.  If that's the case I'd rather choose seeming 'stupid and sensitive', than 'intelligent and arrogant'.  It seems in the middle of any discussion, they miss out so much because their own voice is too loud in their own ears.  There is nothing wrong with accepting other people's opinion whilst having different ones of your own.  We live by our own convictions, not other peoples'.  And therefore, other people don't have to live by your convictions.  Even if you think you are more intelligent.

 

Lots of people feeling strongly about certain issues.  I believe if you do feel passionate about something, you need to put action to it.  Otherwise your feelings are worthless.  Like talk.  Let us not love with words of tongue, but with actions and in truth (John 3:18).  If you also want to be heard, your life needs to speak clearly.  If we spent half our lives talking/blogging rubbish all day, what makes us think suddenly our 'strong opinions' are so important... to other people?  They probably think you're talking rubbish anyway!

 

We expect 'Christians' by name, to be 'Christians' by game.  It doesn't always happen.  We expect 'Christians' to 'turn the other cheek'.  All these are choices we choose or not choose to make.  Whether you believe in the Christian God or not.  Other people should not take advantage of any teaching that promote peace and forgiveness over revenge.   Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends (Proverbs 17:9).  It's funny how we expect others to treat us with the respect we don't give them.  We just expect them to "turn the other cheek" so that we can slap the other side.

 

Respect is given by mutual sharing and understanding.  Not by outbursts, shut downs, offline methods, or disrespecttul judgements.  Although it may help one person feel good by the feeling of control and power.  You know, the type to state your opinion then shut down so you don't have to hear someone elses.  How manipulative and rude!  We tend to judge ourselves through rose coloured glasses.  We think we are level-headed and relatively smart.  We judge others harshly, like somehow they are more foolish and impulsive.  Take the log out of your own eye!  We are really no better than the next person!  Let your life show who you are, not your talk!

 

That's why I find it hard to believe one cares so much about another country, war and genocide issues, when one is killing themselves daily with smoke, or can't even treat people they DO KNOW with love and respect.  War starts from within!  Some people talk of religion like this: A foreigner teaching a chinese, how to speak chinese.  I think it more effective to say your own view and not assume someone elses.  You are not a know-it-all.  And you will never know-it-all.

 

A person who knows God (as opposed to believe) knows God and has a relationship with Him, daily.  A person who doesn't know God (as opposed to believe) doesn't.  Yet you can believe in God and choose not to Know Him or Love Him or Obey Him.  Love comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1Timothy 1:15).  So if we're lacking pure intentions, compromising in conscience, and don't have faith in anyone but ourselves, how can we honestly say we are speaking the truth in LOVE.  All we're doing is stating our strong opinion without even asking another person if they're even interested to hear it!

 

If my dad is any reflection of my Father in Heaven, then I know I am truly blessed.  Without any bias, I know my dad is ONE OF the best dads in the world! (I say this, just in case yours is as well!)  I have so many examples in my life where he has been the protector, provider, encourager, peacemaker, friend, romancer, role-model, leader, forgiver, teacher, counsellor, comforter, moral standard, life saver... you get the idea!  Just TODAY I can share about what my dad continues to put in action, what he feels inside, and that is, his daughter is ALWAYS at the forefront of his mind!

 

I walked to one of my jobs today.  It was sunny.  Little did I know an hour later, it would be thunderstorms and heavy rain (what did I expect?  It's Melbourne!).  Here I was, worried about walking home in the pouring rain.  Any girl with the 'best dad' should know not to worry.  DAD WAS ALREADY THINKING OF ME!  In fact, by the time I called him, he replied with: "I am waiting with your car out the front".  He wasn't even in the parking lot, he had parked on the curb right outside the door!

 

Do you know that I believe my Father in Heaven has the desires of my heart, in HIS heart?  The problem wasn’t what my dad was going to do or not to do.  He did the best for me.  What I had to do however was call him, communicate with him, connect with him, so that I can find out where he is, and in God’s case, His will and plan for my life!  I didn’t have to do anything but connect!  Dad already had my best interests at heart and put them into action!  I would’ve missed out had I not: 1) had a relationship with him 2) not call out to him 3) looked for other help!

 

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Oh, how I love all you've revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. Psalm 119:97

 

I am an avid exerciser and fitness instructor.  Not only that, I am a physio, therefore I encourage a lot of my patients as they participate in their rehabilitation to exercise (according to their abilities) as well.

Why do I feel this is so important? It's simple: When I don't exercise several times a week, I don't feel physically fit. And my patients?  When they don't cooperate with their exercise program, they turn up sluggish and lethargic. In fact, after only doing exercise once a week (when I'm there) and non-compliance to therapy on the other days, one patient told me that his heart is giving him pain (he went to hospital, only to be sent home with the same instructions!), and his legs not being strengthened as it should be.

Fitness Training shouldn't stop with the physical part of life. We also need to participate in spiritual exercise. Not the once a week churchgoing type either.  Because in my experience, we don't grow by just attending.  It would be like to assume my relationship with my husband is great, if I just listened and talked to him once a week! (if even that!) In our walk with God we need "heart exercise" to stay fit.  And like ay fitness regime, it needs to a priority, otherwise it just gets lost with time. And before we know it, we have missed out a huge chunk of our lives.

How much more spiritually healthy we would be if we engaged in a godly fitness training program.  Spiritual strength requires a training program.

 

 

But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse as they deceive others and are themselves deceived. (3 Timothy 3:13)

 

You can say you are a christian, and not live like one.

You make mistakes and you only have others to blame!

You resemble all those who go to church, but when it comes to the crunch your life is no different.

You push yourself to the top, stores riches and call yourself successful, to make yourself look better I guess.

You position yourself (even though you don't have that role) as a missionary, pastor, leader, whatever it is, cuz it sounds good.

But deep down, you are more interested in giving yourself an achievement rather than serving in that role.

You claim to be many things, but you're never quite IT.  You don't even want to be IT.  You just want people to think you are IT.

 

Who are you when no one's looking?

 

A deceiver.

 

 

 

 

"i seemed to have let those influences affect me... i've allowed them to make me sensitive to passing comments... allowed statements to become judgements. But what i still can't work out is how to grow beyond it?  SO HOW DO WE GROW? HOW DO WE BECOME BETTER? " types a friend in her online blog...

 

Everybody has opinions.  Most people like to share their opinions.  Some people like their opinions to affect others, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively.  A blog about someone passing judgements, sorry, I just can't overlook!  Guilty as charged!   And also Victim as charged!  I don't know about anybody else, but my outspoken nature allows me to experience what it is like to be judged from a statement.  And also to give an opinion that have hurt others in the past (and encouraged others at other times!).

 

What I've learnt is, my opinion is not important or truthful enough (and neither is yours!).  Encouragement is great, but it almost has to be consistent with the beliefs of the person you are encouraging.  What use is it, if they don't believe what you are saying is true?  So I dare to put forward this idea, that the TRUTH is more important than any belief or opinion you or I could be hanging onto right now.

 

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV)

 

I'm not Jesus.  But I just happen to believe everything He says about me, and about my life.  You don't have to.  A relationship is such an intimate, personal thing, you can't make anyone experience it.  It's like love.  You don't have to love what I love or even the choices I make.  And I know I don't love everything or every choice that you make!

 

Wishing is 'nice'.  Hoping is looking forward to the future optimistically (my own definition - I could be wrong).  But faith is belief AND obedience put into action.  It is faith that allows me to experience God in my life.  It is faith that allows me to put aside my beliefs that "a leopard never changes it's spots", to the possibility that one can be a "new creation (in Christ)".  Faith doesn't stop at belief, it involves choices that SHOW you are willing to CHANGE YOUR WAYS, and in my case, choosing to love and keep someone in my life because I now believe this leopard has no spots!!!  It is faith that is going to allow me to have peace under personal war, joy in the midst of traumatic events, hope in the process of ageing and dying.  And living uncomfortably, outside of what I always held to be 'my truth' - my own opinion.  Putting that aside to experience an even greater truth, be the person I never thought I'd be capable of being.  I'm living that life now.  Thank God I didn't know better!