Back in those days in matriculation where I started to think of becoming a DOC

I always told people I decided to take medicine when I was in matriculation, the reason being that I watched Grey's Anatomy during free time in the hostel, and I found that saving lives is a cool thing to do. And today while I was clearing my laptop, I'm shocked to find things I written back in those days. I remember during my final year in medical school, which was not long ago, I told my friend I had a thing for paediatrics, perhaps a paediatrics surgeon...and I am real shocked to find that I wrote the same thing 7 years ago which I already forgotten...is God trying to tell me something? I dont know...and mind you at that time I was a physical science student, and it was a 180 degree turn when I change my ambition from being a geologist to becoming a doct

p.s do not laugh at my silly English and stories

[This is it.] written on 1/24/2010

Honestly, I don't like kids. I FIND nothing we called innocent in them, they make noise, they are a mean art and their affinity to cunning is despicable. I wouldn't say any word about imbecile, in fact, we shouldn't use that term on any normal human as well as yourself for some awkward, annoying situation. This is cruel and plus, I also would never use that on kids I dislike. They are not mental retarded, they are hyperactive which oppose an aloof person like me. Literally, Rachel is a passive person.
  However, Lord Jesus Christ loves children. He even said anybody who can do like a child gets to enter the kingdom of God. Don't misunderstand but we are not trying to act immature like a kid, but they have pure and clean heart, we hardly find evil in a kid either, none.
  But, I like babies. Not to say they are cute, but I have a rush in heart to hug a baby, close to my chest and tell the little angel that he/she is not alone and I love him/her. I once considered to be a pediatric surgeon, but it's hard for me to see kids fight for life, and sometimes they are miraculously tougher than any adult until we can no more labeling them as mischievous, immature and non-sense. And I wouldn't be able to grab a scalpel and cut them open.
  I'm still proud with myself that started at 5, I'm already capable of drinking and 5 tins of beers still can't beat me down. But strangely, on that wedding dinner I attended before got on the Konsortium that brought me back to where I belong to, my "lovely" college~, I didn't drink. I was not going to drive a bus after an hour and a half, instead I was the one who will lay down on the passenger cushion and sleep, but still, I didn't drink, even a drop. I drank mineral water at the whole dinner including the part where we stood up and shouted "Yum Sheng" (cheers)!!!
  It's sounded like I'm awake and aware of what myself is doing that I should take care of myself first before I go and take care of others. It feels that I am quite firm with myself now to be a doctor. And the vision seems clearer than ever. I would like to dispatch my love to the needy, to those who are in want, to those who can have a better life if we save them by our medical knowledge and of course, I wouldn't forget to pray for them and have them hearing gospel or to say, knowing that God loves them too.

of course during the process, I had doubts too...
[Dream~] written on 2/28/2010

No more rush to be a surgeon, perhaps it's just an instant passion.
  I find doctor is good, but that's just not for me. I felt quite ashamed of myself of not being as hardworking as the Life Stream students. Looking at them, I saw a group of future good doctors, and I'm just not one of them. Even before, they had known to their friendly smile which I'm sure, these would be just fine to the patients.
  Then, what about Rachel now?
  She is just another indecisive person.

[No Subject Today~] written on 3/5/2010

Well, coming to the main point, I had been ill for three days. But I'm getting better. The nasal congestion and coughing are subsiding. And I had an unexpected experience in the hospital. There's a Klinik Ibu dan Anak(pediatric unit). And I saw a mother carrying her child so delicate that she's holding the little angel carefully.

Translation of Malachi (I tried my best)

I remember during a semester break, I was asked by a Pastor to help translate the Malachi chapter in the Bible into Bahasa version. I knew that there was a Bahasa copy of Bible and I couldnt remember the reason given in doing so. I just remembered I was not thinking straight when I promised to do it. Eventually I managed to finish one chapter by God's grace. During the time, I only knew I had finished squeezing my brain juice. Each word when being translated must be carefully studied as not to sway away from its original version. So yes, this is Rachel Kho's version of translation. Please do correct me if there is any mistake. Keeping this here as a memory :)

Bab 1 Kata Pengantar

1:1 [Inilah pesan TUHAN kepada Maleakhi untuk umat Israel.]

Firman Tuhan (Yehuwa, Tuhan umat Israel), dengan perantaraan nabi Maleakhi[1], kepada Israel(umat Israel, iaitu keturunan[2] Yakub) Tuhan memanggil mereka sebagai bangsa-Nya, orang-orang pilihan-Nya, anak-Nya, anak sulung-Nya[3], umat-Nya serta milik pusaka-Nya[4].

Firman Tuhan bukan di dalam khayalan, tetapi nabi diamanahkan secara langsung untuk menyampaikan pesanan Tuhan, oleh itu kesemuanya 55 ayat yang terdapat dalam buku Maleakhi merupakan kata-kata Yehuwa kecuali ayat-ayat yang diuraikan oleh nabi dengan kata-kata sendiri dalam menyampaikan pesanan, oleh itu buku tersebut dikatakan sebagai percakapan Yehuwa. Pesanan-Nya amat mendesak dan keras kerana gaya hidup umat Israel yang rusak pada masa itu iaitu sebelum Perjanjian Lama berakhir.

Pesanan dalam buku Maleakhi disampaikan kepada umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Lama.

Ia juga disampaikan kepada umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Baru, iaitu mereka pada hari ini yang bergantung kepada kasih karunia menyelamat Kristus Yesus, yang dibenarkan karena iman, yang dipimpin oleh Roh Tuhan, mereka yang merupakan anak Tuhan[5], umat Israel.

Sebenarnya, pesanan Tuhan yang dicatatkan dengan perantaraan nabi adalah peringatan untuk gaya hidup kita hari ini. Pesanan-Nya dapat dibaca dengan mudah, pasti dan benar[6] serta semuanya bermanfaat.

1:2-3 [TUHAN berkata kepada umat-Nya, "Aku mengasihi kamu." Tetapi mereka menjawab, "Bagaimana TUHAN mengasihi kami?" TUHAN menjawab, "Bukankah Esau abang Yakub? Tetapi Yakub Kukasihi, sedangkan Esau Kubenci. Daerah berbukit Esau sudah Kuhancurkan, dan tanahnya Kuserahkan kepada binatang-binatang buas di padang gurun."]

Buku ini menyatakan tujuh keperibadian Tuhan sendiri, iaitu keperibadian-Nya yang berlimpah melalui tujuh penghinaan[7] umat Israel terhadap Tuhan.

Penghinaan pertama [Bagaimana TUHAN mengasihi kami?]

Keperibadian pertama Tuhan ialah [Kasih]

Nabi Maleakhi menyebut tentang keperibadian Tuhan ini dahulu untuk mengingatkan kita bahawa manusia dijadikan[8] menurut gambar dan rupa Tuhan, maka kasih juga merupakan keperibadian pertama kita(1 Korintus 13:1-8; 13:13).

Refleksi: Adakah kita sering kali menghina(berdosa terhadap) Tuhan?

Penyair mengajar kita supaya menyimpan ajaran Tuhan di dalam hati agar jangan berdosa terhadap Tuhan(Mazmur 119:11).

Tuhan mencintai leluhur[9] Israel, Dia hanya mencintai umat Israel, dari segala bangsa di atas bumi, merekalah yang dipilih untuk menjadi umat yang kudus bagi Tuhan[10], Tuhan memanggil umat Israel supaya memegang janji dan berpegang pada perintah, yakni ketetapan dan peraturan, maka Tuhan akan memberkati mereka yang dikasihi-Nya[11].

Umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Lama sering tidak taat dan membantah Tuhan[12], nabi Yesaya menyatakan bagaimana mereka membantah, meninggalkan Yehuwa, menista Tuhan dan berpaling membelakangi Dia; mereka sering dihukum oleh Tuhan namun masih berdosa[13].

Ayat mengatakan bahawa apabila mereka dihukum atas dosa mereka, mereka sanggup menghina Tuhan dengan mengata tiada sesekali Tuhan pernah mengasihi mereka, bermakna mereka tidak pernah lihat apa-apa kelakuan Tuhan yang menunjukkan kasih sayang terhadap mereka.

Refleksi: Sebagai anak Tuhan dalam Perjanjian Baru pada hari ini, adakah kita benar-benar memahami kasih Tuhan? Tuhan Yesus telah tahan menderita di kayu salib dan juga menanggung bantahan yang sehebat itu terhadap diri-Nya dari pihak orang-orang berdosa(Ibrani 12:2-3), namun tidak pernah Tuhan menolak umat-Nya(Roma 11:1), tetapi telah mati untuk menebus pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang mereka lakukan(Ibrani 9:15). Tidakkah ini merupakan kasih Tuhan terhadap umat Israel(umat Tuhan) dalam Perjanjian Baru dan Lama?

Tuhan menekankan bahawa meskipun Esau merupakan abang, Yakub merupakan adik[14], tetapi Yakub Dia kasihi, sedangkan Esau Dia benci. Ini adalah kedaulatan Dia, namun jangan sesekali kita mengabaikan bahawa Tuhan kita merupakan Tuhan yang adil, keadilan dan hukum adalah dasar kerajaan Dia[15], bermakna Tuhan duduk di atas takhta-Nya dan mengadili kerajaan sorga-Nya dengan adil. Oleh itu, adalah sebabnya di sebaliknya apabila Tuhan cenderung kepada Yakub.

Nama Yakub membawa maksud memegang[16]. Dia memegang hak kesulungan apabila ada kesempatan[17], memegang janji Tuhan[18] dan juga memegang berkat Tuhan[19]. Tidak hairanlah Tuhan cenderung kepadanya, memberi nama baru kepadanya, menamakannya sebagai Israel(Putera- Putera Kerajaan Sorga). Sebaliknya, bagi Esau, Tuhan hanya memberi dia satu kritikan, iaitu, [Demikianlah Esau meremehkan(berbanding dengan Yakub yang memegang) haknya sebagai anak sulung] (Kejadian 25:34; Ibrani 12:16)

Refleksi: Sebagai umat Israel pada hari ini, melalui pesanan ini, kita harus berfikir, sebagai Kristus pada hari ini, adakah kita benar-benar memegang(menggenggam rapat) hak sebagai anak Tuhan(Yohanes 1:12), memegang janji untuk hidup sejati dan kekal(1 Yohanes 2:25), memegang berkat untuk hidup ini(Ulangan 28:1-14) dan demikianlah mendapat kasih Tuhan Bapa?

Tuhan kata: [benci Esau], bermakna benci keluarga Esau (keturunannya), sudah tentulah ada sebabnya. Dalam sejarah, kita boleh bandingkan cara melayani saudara-saudara oleh keluarga Esau dan keluarga Yakub dan seterusnya mendapat tahu sebabnya. Semasa bangsa Israel keluar dari Mesir dan melalui daerah keluarga Esau untuk memasuki tanah yang dijanjikan, mereka bersikap cermat dan hormat kepada saudara mereka(Ulangan 2:4-6), namun bangsa Edom, yakni keluarga Esau(Kejadian 25:30) tidak izinkan laluan[20]. Tuhan memesan kepada Israel supaya jangan menganggap keji orang Edom(Ulangan 23:7), namun orang Edom berlaku kejam terhadap saudara-saudara mereka. Apabila musuh mengangkat semua kekayaan keluarga Yakub, orang Edom senang atas nasib sial dan bergembira pada hari saudara mereka binasa serta merenggut kekayaannya pada hari sialnya, nabi Obaja telah menyatakan lapan [kekerasan] orang Edom terhadap keluarga Yakub semasa mengumunkan dosa mereka(Obaja 10-14). Akhirnya Tuhan menyerang dengan serbuan orang asing[21] dan menjadikan tanah Esau sunyi-sepi[22], yakni pergunungan Seir yang pernah Tuhan berikan kepada keluarga Esau(Ulangan 2:5)

1:4 [Andaikata keturunan Esau, orang-orang Edom itu berkata, "Kota-kota kami sudah dihancurkan, tapi kami akan membangunnya kembali," maka TUHAN akan menjawab, "Mereka boleh membangun kembali, tetapi Aku akan merobohkannya. Mereka akan disebut 'Negeri durhaka' dan 'Bangsa yang kena murka TUHAN untuk selama-lamanya.”]

Tanah Edom sering diserbu dan dihancurkan, namun orang Edom berkali-kali membangunnya kembali akibat keangkuhan mereka[23], pengetepian dosa mereka serta berkali-kali berdosa. Tuhan sendiri mengira dosa mereka terhadap saudara mereka dan mengumunkan hukumannya[24]: oleh itu, bagaimana mereka membangun kembali, Tuhan akan merobohkannya juga, milikan mereka umpama pencuri datang pada malam hari dan mengambil semuanya, juga umpama pemetik buah anggur tidak akan meninggalkan sisa-sisa pemetikannya(Yeremia 49:9; Obaja 5-6).

Bermulanya dari Adam, manusia tidak setia melakukan perintah Tuhan, maka terkutuklah tanah disebabkan dosa yang dilakukan oleh manusia[25]. Orang Edom juga begitu, malahan keturunan mereka juga Tuhan membenci.

Mengapakah Tuhan marah terhadap orang Edom untuk selama-lamanya? Penyair pernah berkata, Tuhan tidak menghardik terus-menerus, dan tidak marah untuk selama-lamanya[26]. Lalu kita perlu menyelidiki secara mendalamnya cara keluarga Esau melayani keluarga Yakub.

Selain daripada dosa-dosa orang Edom yang dinyatakan oleh nabi di atas, keluarga Edom terus-menerus melakukan perbuatan jahat yang lagi besar terhadap keluarga Israel.

Doeg membantu Saul untuk memburu Daud(1 Samuel 22:9-22); jikalau orang Edom berjaya membunuh Daud, maka keturunan Daud, Tuhan Yesus(Wahyu 22:16) tidak akan muncul dalam Perjanjian Baru.

40 tahun sebelum Kristus, orang Roma melantik Herodes Agung sebagai raja Yudea, iaitu orang Edom(ataupun orang Idumaea dalam Perjanjian Baru) dan menurut kepada catatan kitab, merupakan orang yang hendak membunuh Tuhan Yesus yang lahir di bumi(Matius 2:1-18).

Anak Herodes Agung(orang Edom), Antipas telah membunuh perintis Tuhan Yesus, iaitu Yohanes Pembaptis(Matius 14:1-12).

Raja Herodes Agrippa I menekan anggota-anggota jemaat, membunuh Yakobus dan memasukkan Petrus ke dalam penjara(Kisah Para Rasul 12:1-4).

Soalan: Mengapakah bangsa pilihan Tuhan diburu oleh saudara dalam sejarah? Mengapakah orang Edom ingin membunuh penyelamat[27] yang dinyatakan dalam nubuat nabi? Mengapakah mereka ingin menekan anggota-anggota jemaat Tuhan?

Jawapannya:

Merupakan suatu peperangan yang seram di dunia roh(Wahyu 12:7);

Mengenai (darah Anak Domba);

Merupakan asal kejayaan anak Tuhan(Wahyu 12:11);

Syaitan/Naga dengan maksud menelan anak laki-laki iaitu Tuhan Yesus yang dilahirkan di bumi(Wahyu 12:4-5);

Ia memburu umat Tuhan dalam Perjanjian Lama(wanita/Israel(Wahyu 12:6)), anak Tuhan dalam Perjanjian Baru(Wahyu 12:17);

Ia ingin menghapuskan penyelamatan manusia oleh salib.

Perhatian: Yehuwa Tuhan merupakan Tuhan yang rasional; semasa Dia menjalankan kedaulatan-Nya, adalah sebab-sebabnya. Jika tidak, mengapakah kita perlu mengendahkan penghakiman Tuhan; mengapakah orang benar perlu ada kebenaran dan orang jahat perlu diadili? Jikalau kasih Tuhan tidak rasional, mengapakah Yakub perlu memegang rapat hak kesulungan dan penganut Kristus hari ini perlu memegang rapat hak sebagai anak Tuhan?

1:5 [Bangsa Israel akan melihatnya sendiri, dan berkata, "Sungguh besarlah TUHAN; kekuasaan-Nya sampai di luar tanah Israel!"]

Yakub mendapat hak kesulungun dan mewarisi perjanjian Tuhan dengan Abraham.

Kriteria perjanjian Tuhan adalah Abraham perlu hidup di hadapan Tuhan dengan tidak bercela dan perjanjian ini diwarisi oleh keturunannya. Segala berkat dalam perjanjian memerlukan dua pihak untuk menunaikan syarat; pihak pertama, Yehuwa akan menjadi Tuhan Abraham dan Tuhan keturunannya(Kejadian 17:1-2, 7), pihak kedua, Abraham dan keturunannya akan mentaati Tuhan dan melakukan apa yang baik dan adil(Kejadian 18:19). Perjanjian ini bermula dari Abraham, sampai kepada Ishak[28] dan seterusnya diwarisi oleh Yakub[29]. Disebabkan perjanjian ini hanya dimiliki oleh keluarga Yakub dan juga hanya dimiliki oleh Israel; selepas ini Tuhan menamakan Yakub nama baru Israel, Israel membawa maksud Putera Kerajaan Sorga.

Perhatian: Orang yang milik Kristus dalam Perjanjian Baru pada hari ini juga adalah keturunan Abraham(Galatia 3:29); sebab dia ialah bapa banyak bangsa yang berharap(Roma 4:18); keturunannya mewarisi perjanjian Tuhan, umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Baru adalah mereka yang memegang rapat hak sebagai anak Tuhan [Putera Kerajaan Sorga].

Yehuwa adalah Tuhan, Dia berada di segala tempat, sudah tentulah juga berada di luar tanah Israel. Ayat ini merupakan ubuat, menyatakan bahawa perjanjian antara Dia dengan Israel akan melampaui umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Lama dan menjangkau umat Israel dalam Perjanjian Baru; bangsa-bangsa [di luar tanah Israel] yang mendapat penyelamatan Yehuwa akan berkata, “Sungguh besarlah Tuhan![30]”

Hal ini akan berlaku pada masa depan yang terdekat, malah umat Israel akan lihat sendiri dan berkhotbah tentangnya. Disebabkan buku Maleakhi merupakan pesanan nabi terakhir dalam Perjanjian Lama, keluarga Israel akan transit ke Perjanjian Baru dan menyambut kedatangan Perjanjian Baru(Utusan yang mengumunkan perjanjian[31]) yang mereka kagumi.

Ubuat telah dicapai dalam Perjanjian Baru pada hari ini.

Tidakkah Israel pada hari ini lihat dengan mata sendiri Khabar Baik Tuhan Yesus di luar tanah? Tidakkah nama Tuhan Yesus diagungkan oleh bangsa-bangsa?

---

[1] Malaekhi=Utusan-Ku

[2] Kejadian 32:26-27

[3] Keluaran 4:21-22

[4] Yesaya 19:25

[5] Roma 3:24; 8:14; 9:4-8

[6] Habakuk 2:2,3

[7] Maleakhi 3:13

[8] Kejadian 1:26

[9] Ulangan 4:37

[10] Ulangan 7:7-8

[11] Ulangan 7:9-13

[12] Roma 10:21

[13] Yesaya 1:2-9

[14] Kejadian 25:21-26

[15] Mazmur 89:14; 97:2; Yesaya 9:7; Yeremia 23:5

[16] Kejadian 25:26

[17] Kejadian 25:29-34

[18] Kejadian 32:26

[19] Kejadian 32:26

[20] Ulangan 20:14-22

[21] Yeremia 49:14

[22] Yesaya 34:5

[23] Yesaya 49:16

[24] Amos 1:11-12

[25] Kejadian 3:17; Ulangan 28:15-20

[26] Mazmur 103:9

[27] Tuhan mengangkat seorang raja yang adil dari keturunan Daud (Yeremia 23:5-6)

[28] Kejadian 17:19; 26:2-4

[29] Kejadian 28:13

[30] Mazmur 96:4

[31] Maleakhi 3:1

Trust

While clearing up files in my computer, I found a welcome note which I had written for my university Christian Fellowship's Camp. At that time, I was the President of the camp and the theme chosen was Trust. Thought of sharing my thought here as the note reminds me again the beauty of Trust in Him!  Today when I shared this note, I was already graduated from the university after seven years of pursuing my studies where I would share the story another day. He is indeed faithful!

Shalom! :)

On behalf of the Christian Fellowship of USMKK, I would love to extend a warm welcome to all participants of CF Family Camp 2013!

The theme given for this year's CF Family Camp is ‘Trust’. I think it’s an amazing word. Maybe it is also an attractive word that explains why you are here today. Isn’t it a word that draws you and me to Him in the first place? We put our trust in Him because we know in Him we had the hope and the peace that we would never had before we knew Him.

Ironically, sometimes the person we said we put in our trust the most has always became the last option when situation arises. We tend to call upon Him after we run out of solutions. We always have this desire to handle and fix things up ourselves but the result always tells us it won’t work.

I think trust is something that we need to exercise on. Just want to share a tip here; the more you know Him, the more you put your trust in Him. And I know my trust in Him is still wavering too. There is just once when I was too overwhelmed with things happened around me and I didn’t know how to trust anymore and so I cried out to Him. And here is how my beloved Father God replied me (through a Christian blog I happened to read), “Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights-and in that darkness you will soon hear me whispering, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense…Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.” Then I know there is no one deserved more of my trust than Him.

I pray that through this camp, you and I could learn how to put our absolute trust in Him and may God touch each and every one of us in His amazing ways. I also hope all of us would have a good fellowship together during this camp as the Lord commands, “Love one another.”

Lastly, one question for you to ponder, “Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him?”

With love,

Rachel Kho

President of CF Family Camp 2013

Jordan river, taken from Looklex Encyclopedia

爱

有一种东西可能比金还宝贵，因为它看不见，摸不着，可是每个人都想要得到它。最重要的是，凡出现在“福布斯”杂志里的每一个人，没有一个能够用金钱把它换回来。没错，它就是在文学方面让你联想到莎士比亚，在电影方面让你联想到《铁达尼号》，在人文方面让你联想到特蕾莎修女的“爱”。

那么身为一名基督徒的我，如果你问我什么是“爱”，我便看见眼前有一位遍体鳞伤，鲜血淋漓的男子赤裸着上身，满身鞭痕，背着十字架，慢慢的走向“各各他”山，沿途中有很多人嘲笑他的愚笨，向他吐唾沫，扔石子。没有人理解他。但是他默默的走到“各各他”山，在那些讨厌他的群众欢呼之下，成就了历史上最伟大的一件事迹，就是为着世人的罪被钉在十字架上。在人们完全不理解的情况下，耶稣基督表现了他的“爱”。

“爱”是非笔墨所能形容的。它包含着太多意思了，但是无论是谁在给予爱或者是谁在接受爱，我们都能够明白那是一份爱。它是不需要我们受什么高等教育，满怀知识才能够理解的东西。爱只能通过行动来表现。它每一天都在影响着世界上的每一个人。有爱的地方就有幸福，没有爱的地方就有痛苦，所以它的存在可以改变一个环境。从前人们打战可能基于某些冲突，但是上阵的士兵们都是因为爱国，爱家才愿意牺牲性命保家卫国。如果人体会不到什么是爱，那么他可能已经失去了灵魂。因为我们内心似乎有一个很深的空洞，需要“爱”来填补。我们对“爱”充满了好奇。每一天，我们都在寻思，琢磨这个奇妙的东西。

我们还是比较写意的来谈谈“爱”吧。若你现在走到街道上问人什么是“爱”，我们或许会得到不同的答案。热恋的情侣会觉得爱很窝心， 刚刚失恋的会觉得爱是一种背叛，而由始至终形单影只的可能不怎么相信爱。至于抱着初生婴孩的妈妈，“爱”已经写在她的脸上了。

你可能会问，“爱在哪里呢？我看不到。”早晨，我们出门前会给母亲一个拥抱。走在街上，我们帮忙牵老婆婆过马路。在巴士上，我们离开座位，好让迎面而来的孕妇可以有地方坐。在学校，我们帮老师拿重重的公事包。有一位同学忘了带课本，我们就微笑的向他说，“来，我们一起看。”哇，我形容得还真完美，可能看到这里的你觉得有些不可思议。但是，难道你不觉得，每一天，“爱”都在等待着你我见证它的存在。

如果我们错误的认识爱。那么爱会由无私变得自私。人的爱会由给予变成占有，甚至到一种地步，“爱你爱到杀死你”。每一天打开报章，我们都会看到这些负面新闻，“为情自杀”，“少女离家出走与男友私奔”，“离婚男抱着孩子跳楼”，“因嫉恨杀害第三者”等等。这不尽让我们叹息，“问世间，爱为何物？”

其实，“爱”不只是看到心仪女生或男生时候那种小鹿乱撞的感觉。“爱”不只是搂搂抱抱或者每一天出去约会而已。“爱”不只是好像周星驰在《大话西游》说的，“如果非要在这份爱上加上一个期限，我希望是。。。一万年！”“爱”可能会认真的问回你，“为什么你要限定我呢？”无可否认的，这种情侣的“爱”会是很美丽的东西，不然莎士比亚也不会创造了罗密欧和茱丽叶，而我们中华的传统也不会出现这么感人的梁山伯与祝英台的爱情故事。其实，如果你认真的去认识“爱”，你会发现更多的奇迹。

容我引用圣经对于“爱”的诠释作为结束，“ 爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，爱是不自夸，不张狂， 不做害羞的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易发怒，不计算人的恶，不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理； 凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐； 爱是永不止息。”

But GOD Chose the Foolish Things of the World to,...

If some of you have noticed, recently I was playing this game called Crisis Action, a kind of first person shooting (FPS) game where you joined a team either Alliance or Rebels and fight the opposite team by shooting them to dead.

The thing I observed from the game was, its like a mini-world reflective of the real world.

At first, I really played badly, everyone hated me, voted to boot me out of the room because I was the culprit that the team lose. My bad performance, my death dragged down their scores. They called these people 'Noob'! They called you names you didnt want to hear and even use vulgar words to the extreme. And those who played better, they would said they felt so boring to kill us off.

And then as I practised more and more, to my surprise, most of the time I became the best players of the whole room (comprised of 8 players). And people started to praise me, "rey power! rey pro! hebat rey!" [rey is my nickname in the game]

And I realized one thing, we human always tend to look up to people who done better than us, those who working out more than us (looked muscular or fit), those who are more successful (earning more money and expanding their business), those who are smarter (knowing everything we don't). And I want to say there is nothing wrong about this or is it? But the thing is, apart from looking up to these people (or to say becoming inferior towards them), we find the sense of security by oppressing those who are weaker, worst than us.

I was talking to this good friend, who advised me with a good intention. He said if you wanted to blend in the group, if you wanted respect, you have to outdone everyone. Because this is basically how the whole group feeling now. Those who done better, the group was giving way to them. Those who done worst, people shut them off.

And to the world, this is totally the right thing to do. This is how we survive. The leopard runs faster, so it gets to prey on a gazelle. But guys, if you think this is the right thing to do, look up on the better, oppress the weaker, and if this is the voice we follow, may I ask you this question, what can Nick Vujicic do? If Nick Vujicic was confined to this world's rule, what can he do? He doesn't have any limbs, to the world, maybe he deserved to be executed, to be diminished from this system.

But God says otherwise. And in Christianity there is this thing called 'GRACE'. Grace is something people who doesn't know God, doesn't know love that couldn't understand. They will forever be unforgiving towards the weaker, the worst. They are the realist who think, strength is the key to survival. They wanted to be in control.

But God says otherwise.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 mentioned,

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

So, He chose Moses who was not very good with words to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 2:1-24);

He chose a kid named David to fight the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17);

He chose a group of fisherman to become His disciples 

 (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-34; Luke 5:1-11);

and He sat down in the house of a despised tax collector Matthew, to eat with him (Matthew 9:10).

And do you know how the Israelites won the battle in Jericho? They just need to obey God by marching around the wall of the Jericho for seven days, and on the seventh day, the wall of the city collapsed and the army marched in and took over the city.

This is the difference between God and the world. When He sees the lowly, the weak, He encourages them with love. He uses nobodies.  The world would have eliminated the nobodies.

And so in Christianity, its not about how much we had done, or who we are. Its about how much God had done or who He is.

And it doesn't mean Christian can get by the days without doing anything, in fact God called us to run the race, but for a different purpose than the world, 

1 Corinthians 9:25 says,
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

So oppresing the weak is certainly not a thing for us to do, not if you claim to be following a gracious God. 

A parable from Jesus to end this,

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Ahh, and one more thing they had done in Crisis Action, if they were unable to win the battle, they used cheat. And cheat had been justified in many ways as winning is more important :/