'The world needs people who cannot be bought;
whose word is their bond;
who put character above wealth;
who possess opinions and a will;
who are larger than their vocations;
who don't hesitate to take chances;
who won't lose their individuality in a crowd;
who will be as honest in small things as they are in great things;
who will make no compromise with wrong;
whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;
who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it";
who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity;
who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning and hard-heartedness are the best qualities for winning success;
who are not afraid to stand for the truth even when it's unpopular;
who say "no" with emphasis, even though the rest of the world says "'yes".'
whose word is their bond;
who put character above wealth;
who possess opinions and a will;
who are larger than their vocations;
who don't hesitate to take chances;
who won't lose their individuality in a crowd;
who will be as honest in small things as they are in great things;
who will make no compromise with wrong;
whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;
who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it";
who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity;
who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning and hard-heartedness are the best qualities for winning success;
who are not afraid to stand for the truth even when it's unpopular;
who say "no" with emphasis, even though the rest of the world says "'yes".'
and i couldn't agree more. but taking this in with a whole spoonful of sugar...
I don't like how things are run and how we keep taking more and more and never giving back.
I don't like the me-first mentality and how just being kind to people is unheard of.
I don't like that as much as we try to accept everyone, there is still a part of us that naturally classify people into the desirable or less desirable
I don't like that we who should be the salt and light of the world is wrestling with soooo much insecurity issues that we are incapable or paralysed to even give because we downright cannot give what we ourselves don't have
and as much as i don't like any of this - i am each and everything here.
and that makes me don't like it even more.
but i cannot stop this here...
because as much as this is honest; and i loathe how our fallen nature has changed us and our universe
I find another urge at work within me.
Despite the fact that i know my vices and faults are before me; i still want to change.
I want to know that there is still hope for change first within me then my world around me.
I want to be real with my convictions and know that although my weaknesses are always with me but there is strengths too in these bones of mine
and as long as i am still alive and kicking; i have no excuse not to give change a shot
and i think this is why i find the Grace of G0d the most beautiful truth of all.
that He gave me pardon and forgiveness; a new leash on life even if i don't deserve it in the first place
and as I see myself the way God sees me; that i am worth the death of His Son on that painful cross
i am totally indebted, that He would take MY penalty even when i was still in my rebellious 'it-has-nothing-to-do-with-me' mode
at first i hated that He had to make me feel that i owe Him something. Like a divine blackmail or a guilt trap.
Then i reaslised how wrong i was.
He knew i was sick and dying even before i did. All He did was to offer the cure.
All that was needed for me was to receive.and nothing could be more simple than that right?
yes and no...
yes! on the day that finally salvation made perfect sense to me..
no! for the continuous struggle that came after that..
i didnt understand that grace was needed everyday for me after that because it was only after saying that oh dangerous prayer of 'Jesus, I want to be more and more like You'
then it BAMS!! you start to see the world and yourself pretty messed up from what you initially thought.
and i hated how the guilt conscience became more and more unbearable now that you start really seeing things the way it truly is..and into self-condemnation and pity we naturally go into
and i thought 'this is it?! this is the new and wonderful life im suppose to be living on earth after i receive Jesus?' i was misreable.
and then the funniest thing happen; after the years of doubting yourself and willowing in self pity and regret and utter cluelessness - you found yourself surprisingly a bit tougher.
the speedbumps and roadblocks and 'tragedy' of life has totally humanised you and thrown you off your high and mighty pedestal that you realise that you cannot have gone through anything by yourself.
all through the grit and dirt of real life, you became dependent on your relationship with God and it forced you to probe deeper and read His word and just more driven to find out what He has to say about all of this.
and in your utter helplessness; you found yourself reaching out for help to those that you think might just be able to let you lean on them for a while. and that taught you that people need other people to survive. and the more you share your lives the more you realise that you're not alone in feeling this; and a journey travelled with a friend or friends makes it a whole less lonelier. strength grows in company at times.
so...where i'm at now; i am totally thankful for all that has happened and for all the people i've met along the way. and for the ones that have been in it all along; you realise how precious this God-given relationships are and am thankful to the core for it. it has been bittersweet but sweetest it is.
so, today. i still need the grace of God to remind me that I am love by God; therefore i must love and accept myself and the one that i am still learning- to love other people in return.
I cannot give what i don't have; so allow me to be fill first with this abundant life that He promised is in Him and as we pour our lives out for others and for the plans that are even greater than our own imagination - may we continue pouring out this life but yet never run dry.
may life continue to hold us fascinated even though we have learn rough lessons along the way.
may we look at things with a different eye because we do not settle for the shallow and superficial and natural things of life.
may our treasures are placed well in its rightful place and not all over the place and we stumble and fumble over our purpose in life.
may we be confident in our relationship with Him because the world can't wait no longer for us to speak and act out in full confidence of God's saving grace. The world still and must hear of this great good news. and we're the only ones that can tell it.
may we truly love each other too and as we uphold and encourage and understand and open up to each other; we hold this precious friendship as gems in our hearts. and as we spur one another in love; the world will know that we are His because of how we treat and treasure each other.
so, long? yes..yet again but its been too long too and God has been prettttyyyy amazing!!
be blessed, people.
be blessed, people.
