On Tolerance in a Pluralistic Society

TITLE: ON TOLERANCE IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 1:25
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 22 Feb 2012

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength." (1 Cor 1:25)

A Popular World Perspective of Tolerance

Nowadays, tolerance is being marketed in society as a do-it-all word in a pluralistic, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious climate. Intolerance is increasingly unacceptable, and in many cases illegal. Some activists take the issue even farther. For every mention of 'intolerance,' even without the presence of real facts and evidences, people will be up in arms to claim solidarity with the marginalized, the weak, the poor, or the minority.

A) An Intolerant World

Recently, there is a rather sensational news report about a pregnancy care center in British Columbia. The center provides counsel for pregnant women in crisis. The reporting is a case of an intolerant one-sided reporting against a Christian-based organization that is against abortion. A news reporter disguised herself as pregnant, and acted as if she was lost about not knowing what to do with her baby. Despite signing a standard agreement of services that prohibit any recording material, this journalist recorded the entire session using a hidden camera. Not only was this reporter not pregnant, she broke several ethical principles just to make the whole crisis pregnancy center look bad in public eyes. The end result is a classic case of spin reporting where a less than 5 minutes comment about the dangers of abortion becomes highlighted as if the ENTIRE counsel is about the dangers of abortion.

Nothing was said about how the counselor tries to comfort the woman. Nothing was said about the honest desire to connect with the client. Nothing was said about the counselor trying to console, and to understand the predicament of the woman 'in distress.' Instead, the news zooms in on one small segment of the interview and make the small thing the main thing. Not only that, it spins this short phrase over and over again throughout the report, manipulating viewers to believe the interpretation of the news station. Fact is, this report has been conceived by a pro-choice group. The end result is sad. Apart from the negative publicity, the center has been 'punished' by schools that cut all links from this group. Just one biased reporting can unravel all the good the center has ever done.

Things typically happen in 3 steps. Do it once, and people will remain skeptical. Do it twice, and minds change. Do it three times, and people start believing. You can read more about the sting operation here.

This week, I will write about the climate of tolerance in our modern society. I will argue that true tolerance is not about retreating to a position of "You have your opinions, and I have mine, so let's agree to disagree." Instead, tolerance has three faces. Firstly, it is humble enough to attempt to understand the different positions reasonably. Secondly, it is that conviction to affirm one's faith resolutely. Thirdly, it is the courage to disagree with another person respectfully. Any deficiency in any of these faces will be a deficiency in our practice of tolerance.

B) Tolerance #1 - Understanding Different Views Reasonably

In a pluralistic society, there are people of different faiths. Even atheists who promote their secularism in an active manner, are being religious about it too. A recent radio interview with the famous atheist Richard Dawkins is a case in point. In an interview with a Rev Giles Fraser on radio, Dawkins disses the Christians by saying that the majority of them cannot claim to be Christians if they cannot even remember the first book of the New Testament. Here are his exact words:

"Many of them don’t go to church, don’t read the Bible, and an astonishing number couldn’t identify the first book in the New Testament." (Richard Dawkins)

In reply, Fraser asks Dawkins if he himself can remember the full title of Charles Darwin's seminal work on Darwinism, often championed by atheists in the origin of life. The reply is indeed embarassing for this self-professed champion of atheism.

“‘On The Origin Of Species’ … Uh. With, Oh God,” “On The Origin Of Species.’ There is a subtitle with respect to the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life.” (Richard Dawkins)

This has become the talk of the town as Dawkins, the champion of atheism cannot even recall the full title of the book that made Darwism famous. Dawkins in dumbing down Christians as a whole, has made himself a laughing stock.

Bigotry or intolerance flow many ways. It is not enough to simply talk about it. We must all practise it. Though I disagree with Dawkins's many anti-Christian tirade, I feel that he has been given fair opportunity to present his views. What he is unfairly given is the literally free sphere of publicity and popularity just because he is an atheist. My question is, if the media regularly flaunts and paints Christians as 'intolerant,' why are they not giving fair representation to all parties? Why in the case of the CTV crisis pregnancy session, is the reporter breaking all the normal ethical principles just to gather a tiny bit of evidence and magnify the part to become the whole? Tolerance must occur from all parties. Tolerance means the recognition that all of us are guilty of intolerant behaviour. Even the atheists who attack Christians for imposing their faith, are often guilty of imposing their brand of secularism or atheism on the rest of society. Tolerance require us to give fair representation to all parties concerned.

C) Tolerance #2 - Affirming One's Faith Resolutely

Being tolerant does not mean we compromise our deeply held faith or values. If being tolerant simply means we stop becoming what we claim ourselves to be, it is no longer tolerant. It is hypocrisy. There is a way of being resolute about our faith without diminishing others. Recently, a student organization has been told to stop all campus activities after an unfortunate bulletin that appears to be intolerant and 'offensive.' As the complaints mount, as the media pounce on this unfortunate turn of events, it seems like the rest of society are seeking to exact more than a pound of flesh from the besieged student group. In cases like these, it is normal for people to retreat back into their shells or cocoons. I can imagine hearing the parents of students in the group to retreat and to simply hit their books. After all, Christianity is 'just a religion.' I can even hear prominent leaders trying to score political points by harping on the need for tolerance, while shooting down any accusations of intolerance. In times like these, it is easy for people to just live and let live, and to move back to a neutered position. Discouraged. Dejected. Disillusioned.

No. Every failure is but an opportunity to learn about seeking a better way to practice one's faith. There is no shame for apologizing for something not done properly. There is no shame in acknowledging humbly that we can do better. In fact, by standing up for what we believe, we will gain more respect and more credibility for our own positions. John Marks, even after abandoning his evangelical faith, continues to marvel at the convictions of his believing friends. He confesses with a surprising force of conviction.

"No force, neither political movements nor intellectual arguments, neither violence nor money, has ever been able to obliterate those beliefs. The refusal to surrender completely to reason, the choice to believe, doesn't prove the existence of God, as some claim. It's merely beautiful, the closest thing to a taste of the infinite in this life." (John Marks, Reasons to Believe, New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 2009, 372-3)

If Christians are so easily discouraged, and distracted by accusations whether true or false, people will start to question their convictions. If Christians honestly believe, let them earnestly stand up for what they believe. Falling down is no shame. It is the failure to get up, or the refusal to stand up for what one believes in, that is downright embarrassing.


C) Tolerance #3 - Disagree Respectfully

We live in a world with different beliefs. There is no turning back. Even during the New Testament times, there is a plurality of beliefs. Look at Paul's letter to the Corinthians.

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Cor 1:20)

Everyone claims their right and opinion to the truth, but what is truth? Is tolerance simply based on one's own definition of what wisdom is? Is the free citation of particular scholars make one more credible? Is the wisdom of the world going to save the world? In a remarkable understanding of the world, Paul writes,

"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength." (1 Cor 1:22-25)

 
Paul is able to understand the culture of his times. Jews are more sensitive to miraculous signs. The Greeks are more open to philosophies, and debates about ideas. It is good to be able to engage Greeks and Jews at their level. This is only the beginning. The Christian needs to learn the contexts in which they live in. There needs to be critical engagement with the world around us, because we are called to be the salt and light of the world. Remember that the greater our witness, the greater the resistance too. That does not mean Christians should start going around calling people names, or denigrating their religions. Christians need to engage actively but to always do so respectfully. One way to do that is to proclaim the faith of Christ. Let the Spirit convict the hearts of hearers that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We do the sharing. Let God do the converting.

D) Truth is Primary; Tolerance is Secondary

One more thing. Tolerance must never be obtained at the expense of truth. Christians are called to truth claims. Tolerance must always be done in the name of truth.  We need to speak the truth in love. We need to proclaim the truth at all times. We are to be truth tellers, speaking in love, in earnest, and in honesty. Let me close with this wise words of a missionary regarding cross cultural work.

"Cross-cultural reality testing forces people to examine both their own and others’ understandings of reality. Most people simply assume that the way they look at things is the way things really are, and judge other cultures’ views of reality before understanding them. These judgments are based on ethnocentrism, which closes the door to further understanding and communication. Furthermore, ethnocentric judgments keep missionaries from examining their own beliefs and values to determine which of them are based on biblical foundations and which on their cultural beliefs.” (Paul G. Hiebert, R. Daniel Shaw, and Tite Tienou. Understanding Folk Religion. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999, p27)"

Thought: Conversation is our job. Conversion is God's.

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

The Character of Leadership

TITLE: THE CHARACTER OF LEADERSHIP
SCRIPTURE: Ps 26:1
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 16 Feb 2012

"Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering." (Ps 26:1, NAS)

For the past two weeks, I have been preaching on leadership matters in my Church. It has made me more aware of all things leadership. I read about it. I pray. I talk with friends. I pray. I write about it. I pray. One word stands out clear: Character. If there is one word to describe spiritual leadership, this is the word.

What is character? For Henry Blackaby, character essentially means people follow leaders and are influenced on the basis of their leaders' integrity. For that, there are two kinds of influences: illegitimate and legitimate.

A) Illegitimate Sources of Influences

Blackaby goes on to indicate three kinds of illegitimate sources of influence. Firstly, good leaders do not need to depend on a position to be authoritative. People who depend on their titles or the power associated with their titles are merely leading by position. Such a manner will lead followers to chase after positions for all the wrong reasons.

Secondly, power is another illegitimate source. In this world, we hear about money is power, and that money can make the world go round. Like the rich man paying money for a prostitute to sleep with him. One can buy sex but not love. Worse, the rich man loses respect for self because he has failed to respect the woman for who the woman is. Even in churches, there is that common concern about power struggles within the board and the clergy. When things do not go the way of either party, it is common to see each group garnering support in order to force a majority decision. The fact of life is that, majority decisions do not necessarily mean they are right. Just because more people voted for A does not mean A is ethically more correct.

The third illegitimate source of influence is personality. Nowadays, we see personality cults in all places, including churches and Christian groups. Hire a famous name, and we can see people queueing up every Sunday morning to enter the church. Get a charismatic speaker and the congregation grows by leaps and bounds. The fact remains is that spiritual leadership has got nothing to do with personality. It has more to do with Christ-like humility.

B) Legitimate Sources

Thankfully, Blackaby does not stop at just giving us the bad aspects of leadership. There is hope. He gives us 5 sources of legitimate leadership influences. First and foremost, it is God who chooses the leader. God chose Moses, Joshua, David, Deborah, and Jesus. God chose John Wesley, John Calvin, the disciples, and many others. Good spiritual leaders will recognize their being chosen by God.

Second, the spiritual leader will have that vibrant relationship with God. If anyone does not have that special intimate relationship with God, he/she cannot be a leader.

Third, a spiritual leader has character and integrity written all over him/her. I preached last week that 'what a person is doing when no one is looking is a test of his true character.' The story of Ted Haggard is a sad case. Haggard was once a prominent evangelical leader, and had many followers. Due to one hidden sin in which he solicited sex in private, while appearing pious in public led to his downfall.

Fourth, how a leader is can be seen from his/her past track records. Here, I want to caution anyone from merely looking at the results or the highlights of the person. Remember that all of us go through periods of ups and downs. Look at the trending. Are the ups and downs trending toward a greater and deeper trust in God? Look at how potential leaders handle their highs with humility? Notice how the leader manage their disappointments. It is ok to be disappointed from time to time, but if one remains in disappointment for a prolonged period of time, it is a red flag.

Fifth, how much is the potential leader preparing himself for leadership? Is the leader actively exercising his/her gifts and talents? Is the leader always telling the same old stories without any sign of himself or herself learning things new?

C) Leading From the Spirit

Spiritual leadership is not for the faint-hearted. It is definitely not for the fleshly-minded. Here, Oswald Sanders gives us a valuable contrast between natural and spiritual leadership.

[Adapted from Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1994, p29]

It is a helpful table to remind us the difference between self-dependence and God-dependent. Spiritual leadership is wholly dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to respond to the Spirit's work. Let me close with Sanders's powerful words about spiritual leadership.

"Spirituality is not easy to define, but you can tell when it is present. It is the fragrance of the garden of the Lord, the power to change the atmosphere around you, the influence that makes Christ real to others." (31)

Pray for your leaders. Pray for future leaders. Pray that your spiritual leaders will not lead from illegitimate sources of leadership, or natural skills only. Pray that they will lead with the Holy Spirit guiding them. For the spiritual leader himself is led by God first. Then and only then he can lead others spiritually.

THOUGHT: "The development of a strong Christian character is the development of a man after God's heart. Your character is who you are when no one is looking and what you are willing to stand for when someone is looking. Character is who you are striving to be and what you can be trusted with." (Henry Blackaby, The Man God Uses, Nashville, TN: B&H Publishers, 1999, p6)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Is Worry a Sin?

TITLE: IS WORRY A SIN?
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:24-25
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 8 Feb 2012

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? " (Matt 6:24-25)

This prickly question can be controversial. It invites all kinds of theological interpretations. It has the potential to split groups. On the one hand, there are those who insist that any forms of worry is sin. Some argue from the Bible that because Jesus calls his disciples not to worry, and if the disciples still worry themselves out, it is a sin (Matthew 6:24-25). This is based on the contexts of serving either God or Mammon. If one serves God, one will learn to trust God, and not be given into worry. If one serves Mammon, the pressure will be to perform and to accumulate to the level of our own expectations. Worry comes as a result of the lack of trust. That is why they say worry is a sin.

On the other hand, others reason that there are legitimate worries. For example, a mother worries for her son when he fails to return home at his usual time. It can also be a frantic brother outside a hospital operating room worrying about his sister after a bad car accident. Is it a sin to worry like that?

A brother in my discipleship group shares that biblically, worry is sin. What is important is to be sensitive to the underlying concerns that surround such worries. Another brother shares wisely about worry being more of an 'attitude' rather than an act. He also advocates distinguishing 'concern' from 'worry.'

Wise words. I am inclined to agree with both of my learned brothers in Christ. There is a lot of wisdom in that. Yet, the questions remain. Is worry really a sin? How do we know when is it 'concern' and when is it 'worry?' The problem continues.

As I think about it, one of the most important ways to determine whether something is sin or not, is to know the Scriptures. Here are some of the verses dealing with sin.

• "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Ps 119:11)
• "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)
• "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4)

It is the Word of the Lord that is the reference. Disobedience to it is a mark of sin. In other words, sin is not what we human beings argue out to be. Sin is defined by God in the Bible.

A) Sin in the Bible

The Bible deals with many different aspects of sin. There is no one concept that is nicely packaged for us to take home. I will draw out some aspects of sin from the Old and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, sin is basically disobedience to God, as evidenced in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve intentionally ate the forbidden fruit. Then we have the intentional worshiping of idols by Israel through the ages. The Law of Moses are written to instruct Israel about what is sin and what is not. The book of Amos contains multiple references to the different acts of sin.

In the New Testament, we see how the devil tries to tempt Jesus to sin in the wilderness. There is the sin of Judas Iscariot, and subsequently in the Pauline epistles, Paul warns the church against false and deceptive teachings that blur the lines of what sin is. The Greek word for sin essentially means 'miss the mark.'

Our working model for determining what is sin can be described this way. Sin is that deviation from the divine path. It uses anything to manipulate, distract, deceive, and disrupt any person's path toward God. The nature of sin itself is to miss the mark, and in the process, cause anybody to miss their mark, to miss out on their original calling. William P. Young, author of the bestselling book, The Shack, calls sin as follows:

"Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside."

B) Worry as a Legitimate Human Emotion

Credit: CompleteSalesActionSystem

Let me try to reconstruct our understanding of worry in terms of a legitimate human emotion. Jesus in Matthew 6 realizes this as a typical human reaction to the problems and the struggles of this world. His remedy is simple: Do not look at the problem of what we ought to eat, what to drink, or what to wear. Instead, look at the certainties of God's providence.

Look at the birds of the air, and marvel at how God feeds them. Look at the flowers of the field, and take in the beauty of God's providence. A story was told of a man who happens to get everything that he wanted from the Lord.  He planted an olive sap. He asked God for rain, and God sent rain. He asked God for sunshine and God gave sunshine. He asked God to provide frost to firm up the leaves. God provided the frost. However, by the evening, the plant died.

In contrast, his friend planted a little tree about the same time. All he did was to pray to the Lord:

"Lord, whether, rain, sunshine, or frost, I do not want to bind your hands, but trust you to provide for this plant. Amen."

This friend's tree blossomed.

Through this story, it reminds us about who is actually trying to control life. Worry if it is an attempt to try to control events in this world, will lead us farther from God. Trusting God is a way that leads us away from sin.

C) Where There is Worry, Sin Abounds

It is quite hurtful to tell people that worry is a sin. Let me say that worry is a human emotion that we need to learn to manage with faith and with hope. Where there is worry, sin abounds. Sin will try to manipulate oneself into thinking one knows best, instead of God knows best.

Principle #1: Worry is not necessarily a sin, but where there is worry, sin is lurking very closeby.

It is one thing to worry and then forget all about it. It is yet another, to remain in a state of worry. It is in this state that sin wields its most powerful influence.

Principle #2: Worry becomes sin when it moves one away from God

When we try to take control, we are not trusting God. We are trusting anyone or anything other than God. Christians sometimes pay lip service to their faith. On the one hand they say they trust God. Yet, in their private moments, they worry themselves to death. Like the serpent that tricks Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. The evil thought that is planted in their heads causes them to question God's original command.  Their first result is to fear their own nakedness. This leads to the first murder where one brother killed the other out of envy. Cain's envy of Abel, leads him to take things into his own hands. Each act of sin moves people farther and farther from God.

If worry causes us to move away from God, that is sin.

Principle #3: Turn Worry Into a Journey Toward Contentment

For those who worry a lot, think of each worry in terms of an opportunity to trust God. Treat it as an invitation to start the journey toward a state of contentment. This is what Linda Dillow suggests. Learn to treat our anxieties and worries with a journey from control to contentment. Whenever things do not turn out her way, she worries a lot. Anxiety becomes depression soon after. It takes a friend to gently counsel her.

"Linda, you like control, and there are too many uncontrollables in your life."

Indeed. Worry is a sign that we are trying to control the uncontrollable. It is an attempt to wrest control from God. It is a stubborn retort that spits at God saying: "I know what is best."

When worry orientates itself away from God, it becomes sin. If worry is turned back toward God, and the person embarks on a journey from control to contentment, it becomes redemption.

D) Worry Little, Stop Quickly, Trust Fervently

It is ok to worry a little while. The important thing is not to remain in that condition. Worry is a result of our imperfect self, and it is not sensible to deny our basic expression of our emotions. It is a little bit like anger. We all do react angrily at matters of injustice. However, remaining in that state of anger for a prolonged period will breed harmful pride and destructive wrath. Righteous anger is acceptable. Jesus has been angry before at the merchants hawking goods outside the holy temple of prayer. It is normal for parents to worry about their children. The key is what happens AFTER the worry. Do we seek to grasp control for ourselves? Are we trying to claim we know best, more than God?

Each time we worry, take the 3-step process. First, let ourselves a little room to express our emotions either through sharing with a friend or loved one. Keep a leash on the time. Set a worry time if necessary.

Second, stop. When it is time to stop worrying, try to stop worrying. Pray. Meditate on the word.

Third, trust. Memorize key verses in the Bible that enables us to trust. Let me share three.

• "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " (Romans 8:27-28)
• "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:6-7)

As for me, whether worry is literally a sin or not is not something we need to argue about. What is important is to love the person who are in the state of worry. Do not condemn or downplay that person's concerns. It is what that worry leads to that we need to pay careful attention to.

Worry is not necessarily always sin. It can lead to sin. What matters is not to remain in the state of worry. Worry loves to feed on more worry. If needed, worry but limit the worry. Then stop and turn our eyes to God and trust God.

THOUGHT: "The temptation of the age is to look good without being good." (Brennan Manning)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Parents, Are You eReady?

TITLE: Parents, Are You eReady?
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:4
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 1 Feb 2012

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)

MAIN POINT: We raise teens in a Social Media world by first becoming eReady parents ourselves. A lack of understanding is a major cause of parents exasperating their children.

You have heard it all before. Statements that reference young people as being addicted to electronic games, computers, video gaming, and electronic gadgets. Now, we hear parents complaining about their teens getting hooked on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and so on. Adults say that the children are wasting time on the Internet. Teens argue saying that it is the way of life for them. Adults insist on doing some kind of monitoring of their children's activities online. Teens say that the Internet is part of their whole education process. Adults assert the problem of distractions in the new e-media. Teens rebut by saying they are able to multitask very effectively. It is a familiar pattern. Parents push. Teens push back.

(Credit: stylex.ca)

The Internet has changed the world. The bludgeoning world of social media is set to change the world even more. As Facebook prepares to launch its first initial public offering, pundits are betting on how much the value of the company will be. According to ComputerWorld, Facebook may be one of the largest IPO in the history of the American stock market. With an estimated 800 million user accounts, Facebook is the face of the Internet today. Even the traditional stronghold of emails is being threatened. One European technology company, Atos,  has even eliminated emails, in favour of the new media such as social media. After all, it is easier to locate friends on Facebook than to search Google for them. Like it or not, social media is here to stay. The question is: "What are the implications for our relationships?"

This week, I want to suggest five ways that parents can adopt to connect with their teenagers. Every effort to connect is an act of love. Every effort not to connect breeds distrust. For parents, understanding our children is a major first step toward connecting well.

Sleeping with Idols

TITLE: SLEEPING WITH IDOLS
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 50:38
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 25 Jan 2012

"A drought on her waters! They will dry up. For it is a land of idols, idols that will go mad with terror." (Jer 50:38)

MAIN POINT: Idols are everywhere. The worst state of idolatry is to sleep with idols without even being aware of it. Beware of the three dangerous forms of idolatry.

Idolatry. What is idolatry? The great reformer, John Calvin, has this to say:

"Man's mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain." (John Calvin)

A) An Unnatural Incline

The human tendency is to lean toward idolatry. This is why God is so insistent about Israel removing idols from their land. Idols have no respect of nationality. It does not care about ethnicity or language. Idols fuse themselves to human flesh and feelings, and turn the possessor into the possessed. Sometimes, I feel that the media has completely transformed the word 'idol' from danger to desired. Instead of sounding out the alarm on the threat of idolatry in the human heart, the world has waxed the image of idols and made them more sought after. Look at American Idol. We have contestants so focused on winning the ticket to Hollywood that they cry and jump for joy when selected, or pour out scorn and profanities when not selected. Our modern culture has turned idols into deceitful prizes to capture our hearts' attention.

Problem: We tend to seek after these things so uncritically, that we sleep over thoughts of wanting it.

B) An Ancient Curse

If the Creator understands how humans naturally behave, should we not listen more intently, and obey God more fervently? Calvin perceptively points out that idolatry begins in the heart. In the human heart, there is only room from one person. If it is not God, then it is an idol.

The verse from Jeremiah is a reminder to us too, that although we do not live in an ideal world, we live in a world furnished with idols. The passage is a hard hitting prophecy against Babylon during the times of King Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonians (or Chaldeans) are known to be harsh rulers over the exiled people of Israel. In a way, this prophecy is laced with a triple purpose. It warns the Babylonians not to be proud and arrogant about their riches and power. It encourages the Israelites that God is mightier than Babylon. It reminds all the nations that God is in control, and idolatry will cause the downfall of anyone.

Problem: We live in a world of idols but often fail to see them as idols.

C) No Lack of Idols

In our modern world, there is no lack of idols. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, suggests that there are three 'mid-day demons' that we all need to be wary of, namely; ambition, boredom, and vainglory. All of these are actually distractions from a true seeking of God. Ambition makes us focused on our primary targets of the world. Boredom makes us easily dissatisfied. Vainglory is an attitude of self-seeking that puts oneself more important than others, even God.


Problem: In vainglory, we substitute holy ambition for God with an unholy pursuit of idols.

D) Idol #1 Ambition

We are used to having fresh water from our taps. Sometimes, we take the convenience for granted. Water is a gift from God. The distribution of the water is a service we have also taken for granted. In those days, when the water dries up, it creates havoc in the daily life of ancient Babylon. Worse, the dried up river means that enemies can march along the river and attack Babylon. With the river the source of life, it is easy for the enemy to strike at the hearts of Babylonian homes.

The same applies for ambition. When we take things for granted, we are not easily satisfied. When our rivers of contentment dries up, the enemies of temptation will march up our dried rivers, offering all kinds of promises that look good on the outside, but fatal on the inside. Wilson-Hartgrove calls ambition as a 'whisper.' Human beings tend to pay more attention to seductive whispers of the world than the instructive commands of God. Wilson-Hartgrove writes:

"We are so easily unimpressed by the ordinary, longing for the feeling of excitement that comes with a new task to take up, new people to engage, new challenges to face." (114)

Isn't that true? Some of us change our cellphones so much that every new flashy phone makes us despise our prized phone obtained a few months ago. Some of us think that only the latest and the greatest makes us cool. This is not a problem of technology. It is a problem with the human heart that is not easily satisfied.

E) Idol #2: Boredom

Boredom is very much the state of the mind. While it may not be a directly categorized form of idolatry, it leads one rapidly toward idols. Even the monks who are supposed to be 'spiritually sensitive' are guilty of boredom. One story speaks of a monk opening the door of the monastery. On seeing a familiar face, the monk shakes his head and says: "Oh. It's you again." Wilson-Hartgrove warns us about the effects of boredom that leads to idolatry.

"Boredom tempts us to give up on the people God has given us. But simply walking away from our commitments usually requires too much initiative when we are weighed down by the heaviness of life. . . . When spiritual boredom sets in, we fight over the smallest things, unable to care for the other person whose will is bumping up against our own." (119)

PROBLEM: When boredom steps in, we find it more difficult to love our neighbours. We turn the command to love our neighbours into a demand for making our neighbours love us instead.

F) Idol #3: Vanglory

The third 'idolatry' that Wilson-Hartgrove points to is 'vainglory.' He writes:

".. vainglory is the evil thought that suggests that we should care only about our own success." (Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture, Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2010, 122)

The dangerous thing is that many people sleep with one or more of these idols without really realizing it. Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy Graham, describes this scenario in terms of the formula for Christianity.

"Jesus + Nothing = Everything."

Instead, many Christians add something to Jesus in order to mean everything.

• Ambitious researcher formula: "Jesus + New Discovery = Everything."
• Bored believer formula: "Jesus + cool-stuff = Everything."
• Money-Minded formula: "Jesus+More-Money = Everything."
• Vanglory Formula: "Jesus + Glory+Fame = Everything."
• General Idolatry Formula: "Jesus + anything = Everything."

G) Summary

No! Let there be no idols in our hearts. Let them in, and it will be very difficult to flush them out. My readers, is ambition your idol? Is boredom leading you to other seemingly more attractive idols? Is vanglory your idol? Is discontentment your idol?

• When you are ambitious, think: "What is Jesus telling you about your ambition?"
• When you are bored, ask yourself: "Is Jesus not enough for my happiness?"
• When you are tempted toward vainglory, ask: "Is the glory seeking for self or for Jesus?"

Do not sleep with idols. You have been warned.

Thought: The first step to turning away from idols is to unmask them.


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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Lessons from the Costa Concordia

TITLE: Lessons from the Costa Concordia
DATE: 18 Jan 2012
SCRIPTURE: 2 Chronicles 32:7

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him." (2 Chronicles 32:7)

MAIN POINT: Leaders Need Courage, Initiative, and Integrity.

King Hezekiah faces a formidable enemy. As king of Judah, the beloved King Hezekiah has done a lot of good for God throughout the land. Living amidst pagans that worship idols, practise human sacrifices, and all kinds of despicable religious acts, Hezekiah bucks the trend. He obeys the laws. He seeks after God. He does everything that is right in the eyes of the LORD. Amid all of these righteous acts, comes a terrible Assyrian king by the name of Sennacherib, whose very name is 'bramble of destruction.' Instead of backing off, Hezekiah instructs his people:

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said." (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)

Hezekiah is one bright light in a situation of dark gloom and potential doom. With courage, he encourages the people to stand up against the enemy. Simply because, God is with them. He knows it. He wants Judah to know it. He makes sure that the enemy knows it. As a result, Sennacherib becomes the frustrated Assyrian king who never really did conquer Judah. Despite his taunts to the Jews, and him stirring up his own forces for attack,  plus a large efforts in war propaganda, Sennacherib suffers a humiliating defeat.  He ends up slain by his own children (2 Chronicles 32:21). As Hezekiah leads boldly as leader of the nation, the LORD protects Judah and fights against the enemies. Kudos to King Hezekiah!

Such courage is commendable. Leaders are expected to manifest this trait. Unfortunately, there are some leaders in this world that does the exact opposite. Instead of fighting fear, they flee. Instead of standing up to be responsible, they shrink back from taking charge. One example is Captain Francesco Schettino of the ship, Costa Concordia, one of the largest luxury cruise liners in the world.

A) Failure to Act

(Credit: monstersandcritics.com)

On the evening of January 14th, 2012, the Costa Concordia ran aground when it hit rocks along the island of Giglio, in Italy. Carrying 4234 passengers including crews, with more than half a million gallons of fuel, there is danger to both humans as well as an ecological disaster. As the ship keels over to its side, passengers jump off the ship for their lives. The captain of the ship flees on a life boat, paralyzed as to what to do. For more than 70 minutes, while crews wait for the command to abandon ship, the captain is non-existent. Schettino has fled on a life boat, leaving both crews and passengers to fend for themselves. This failure to act has become a police matter. Schettino has been charged for manslaughter, for running the ship aground, and for failure to be the captain he has been expected to be. He fails as a leader because he has not demonstrated a critical initiative to act.

B) Failure to Save

Preferring to save his own skin, the lives of the crews and passengers appear to be the last thing on the captain's mind. A voice recording has been released to the public, showing how the captain shrinks from his responsibility as a captain. The Coast Guard in charge of the rescue operation has to literally order Captain Schettino to get back on the ship to direct rescue efforts. After all, the ship is the captain's responsibility. Instead, it takes an off-duty personnel on the ship to give out the order for the occupants to abandon ship. Roberto Bosio, himself an off-duty captain, condemns Schettino's actions as 'disgraceful.' He fails as a leader for failing to be courageous when called.

C) Failure to Own Up

When asked why he has abandoned the ship in the first place, Schettino's confession turns out to be a bigger joke. He gives the excuse that he 'fell off from the sinking ship into a lifeboat.'  Fear causes him to flee first for his own safety. Fear also makes him fend off blame by giving the most incredible excuses. Such a captain is no leader. He has no courage to take action. He has no initiative to direct the rescue efforts. He has no integrity to own up for what he has done, or not done. The disaster itself is already bad. Schettino's actions have made it worse. He fails as a leader for the lack of integrity.

D) Courage, Initiative and Integrity Are Essentials

It is the quality of the inside that leads to the quality shown outside. Far too often, people seek after accolades and prestige on the outside. They want the title. They desire the fame. When the bough breaks, and the cradle falls, and when everything comes crashing down, the one possessing the title is put to the test. Courage is essential. Initiative is expected. Integrity is exacted. All of these are missing from the actions of Captain Francesco Schettino. I wish this has never happened. It gives me no pleasure in seeing leaders trip over themselves.

Hezekiah has been able to demonstrate true courage because of his trust in God. He keeps to his obedience of God. God sticks to His promise to deliver. Hezekiah believes. God honours that faith. Hezekiah urges the people of Judah not to fear, beginning with himself. God is pleased with the trust, and strikes fear in the hearts of Judah's enemies.

Do not covet the title of 'leader' without understanding the three important traits that come with it: Initiative, Courage, and Integrity. If one is not prepared to be a leader, do not chase after the title. It may cause grievous harm to others.


Thought: "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." (John Maxwell)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Unbroken People = Fragile Relationships

TITLE: Unbroken People = Fragile Relationships
SCRIPTURE: Ps 51: 17
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 9 Jan 2012

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Ps 51:17)

MAIN POINT: Unbroken people makes for very fragile relationships. Worse, unbroken people hide their brokenness and refuses help. Effective ministry to broken people begins with a broken spirit and contrite heart. When we recognize our brokenness, we are less susceptible to hurts when we do ministry.

I remember a time sharing about my ministry reflections with one good pastor friend: “Sheep can bite!”

Admittedly, the phrase catches him off guard. Both of us subsequently laugh out loud. Laughter soon turns into an awkward moment of contemplative silence as both of us reflect on our own packages of hurts and disappointments in ministry.

The word ‘ministry’ is often seen as a high and noble calling by laypeople outside. It is sometimes elevated above other professions. It is also well-known for its low financial compensation. That aside, people do not enter the ministry for the money. They enter into it because they want to be channels of blessings for the people they love. Ministry work is not necessarily a higher calling. It is a unique calling, especially of its promised reward in spite of many discouraging moments.

A) Rewarding but Often Discouraging

Ministry is exciting. I am energized by people who take initiative to grow, and to empower others to grow. I am encouraged by those who lovingly give me hints by offering me a way out of tricky situations. Such people provide lots of wisdom and experience to help the unsuspecting clergy. Every ministry happens within the context of culture. It takes a while for anybody to understand culture. The better one understands the culture, the less likely the frustrations and discouragement. Culture in itself is a tricky thing. Misreading it can at best be laughed at or forgiven. At worse, it can mean a premature termination of the clergy contract.

While ministry can be rewarding, it can also become very discouraging as well. In some cases, church workers not only are dragged through the mud of unhealthy expectations, they end up becoming the sacrificial lamb. The one giving the sacrifice becomes the very sacrifice. A rural pastor shares this sad story:

"It is very frustrating to be a rural pastor," he says. "Church members are whipped and beaten down by the economy, then they pass that on to the pastor. One member even suggested that my salary increases be tied to the hog market." (Jennifer Schuchmann, "What to Pay the Pastor", in ChristianityToday, Jan 2000)

Thankfully, not all churches are like that. As the economy for 2012 continues to become more unpredictable, it is very likely that serving in ministry will become more challenging, salary wise as well as service wise. I know a lot of friends in ministry who have given up lucrative salaries, and have chosen instead to take a huge pay cut just to serve the people they love. Even though money is not the purpose of ministry, we cannot subdue its importance to helping the clergy make ends meet. While financial compensation is challenging, it is a distant second to what is most challenging in ministry: Discouragement.

Pressing On

TITLE: Pressing On
Written by: Conrade Yap
SCRIPTURE: Hosea 6:3

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:3)

MAIN POINT: If God does not give up on us, why do we give up on ourselves? This week, I share 7 reasons why we ought to press on.

A Happy New Year 2012 to all my readers!

On the last week of 2011, I had pockets of quiet moments to reflect. Like the preceding year, I preached on New Year's Day. Again. Thus, my countdown celebration had been mixed with both anticipation of the New Year and at times anxiety about whether I would be too tired for a morning message. Thankfully, our service started an hour late, as we knew that most people would appreciate an additional hour of rest for New Year's Day. In my sermon, I challenged my congregation live beyond their average lives. Based on 1 Cor 12:31, my intent was to prepare my hearers for the pulpit theme for January 2012: Love according to 1 Corinthians 13.

After my sermon, I was exhausted. When I arrived back home, I watched "Dolphin's Tale" with my daughter. It was a good movie, and a nice way to simply chill out on a cold and rainy day. From tired, I became moved. I was inspired. The story was a dramatization of a true story of how a little boy (Sawyer Nelson) became re-energized about his own calling, and how he channeled this calling into saving the life of a dolphin. I was particularly fascinated by how Lorraine talked about her son's revived energy and passion. It was like a lamp inside him had suddenly lit up. Before I share 7 points about not giving up in the midst of adversity, let me reflect on the passage above.

A) Hosea's Predicament

Hosea is the first of 12 minor prophets in the Old Testament books. The 'minor' here is used with regards to the books being shorter in length, and does not mean they are of lesser importance. At the time of writing, the Jewish nation had already been split into Northern (Israel) and Southern Kingdom (Judah). Hosea spoke out against the spiritual atrocities of Israel, and called them to return to the Lord. Hosea 6 is written within the context of asking the people to hang on to God in the midst of hardship and persecution. One thing about reading the Old Testament is that we need to always look at judgment from the perspective of redemption and restoration. Hosea 6 is an excellent example. Even after judging the people by letting their enemies conquer them, the Lord provides a way back to Him. Note how Hosea develops his exhortation:

• "He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;" (Hosea 6:1b)
• "He has injured us but he will bind up our wounds." (Hosea 6:1c)

Like Hosea 6, Hosea encourages the people to hope in God, and to never give up. He urges them to 'press on to acknowledge the Lord.' Punishment is not forever. Redemption will finally come.

B) Pressing On: #1 - Sawyer's Calling

Great Family Movie: 5 stars!

Coming back to Dolphin's Tale, there are many elements of how those who have been down and out manage to press on despite their struggles. Firstly, the movie shows Sawyer as a boy without passion or energy. He goes to school late. He hardly pays attention in class. He looks uninterested in anything. Until one day, he sees a wounded dolphin landed on the beach, whose tail is caught by a nasty crab trap.  He develops a special connection with this dolphin. As he tries to help the dolphin survive and live, little does he realize that he has triggered an inner desire and purpose to live: To save the dolphin. From that day on, Sawyer becomes a passionate boy pressing on toward doing all he can for the dolphin.

KEY: Hosea recognizes his calling to be a prophet for a kingdom doomed to destruction. Imagine how Hosea feels when he sees only the threats and the coming judgment. Thankfully, he sees God's hopes more and the threats of judgment less. Hosea does not simply pronounce judgment. He announces hope.

C) Pressing On: #2 - Sawyer and Hazel

Secondly, both Sawyer and his friend Hazel have something in common. They are children of single parents. Together, they share a common bond in trying to help the dolphin called 'Winter.' It is encouraging to see that when one suffers, one needs not suffer alone. In one very special scene, when Sawyer laments about his dad who 'never calls' and 'never writes,' Hazel chimes in about her feeling the same way about her own mum. Pain when shared is halved. It seems like in moments of disappointment, one can find comfort and understanding with those who have gone through somewhat similar experiences. In other words, we are able to press on with the help of fellow strugglers.

KEY: For us, we can think of Jesus as a fellow sufferer, persecuted by the world. It is because He has suffered, we too can press on in spite of any disappointment or suffering. Pain shared is halved.

D) Pressing On #3 - Amputated Tail

Thirdly, due to the extensive damage and potential infection, Winter's tail has to be amputated. Without a tail, Winter cannot swim. Worse, it can lead to early death. With the lack of financial support, the rescuers are looking at the possibility of putting down Winter humanely. Just when all hopes seem lost, one of their friends agree to build a new prosthetic tail for free! That raises hopes in the midst of an impossible situation. Thankfully, the story's characters do not simply give in to their circumstances and give up on their hopes. They press on with whatever little they have.

KEY: Losing a part of us does not mean all hopes are lost. One small flicker of hope shines brighter than a large shade of gloom.

E) Pressing On #4 - Multiple Rejections

Time and again, the dolphin refuses to wear the tail. Each time a tail is put on it, it destroys it in no time. This is not only financially damaging, it is emotionally discouraging. It seems like the dolphin is destroying its very hope for survival. Yet, Dr Haskell presses on. Until Sawyer reflects on a possible reason for the rejection in the first place. When all hopes seem lost, Sawyer brilliantly comes up with a reason why Winter does not like the new tail. Sawyer eventually saves the day for all.

KEY: When the same way fails, try a different method. 

F) Pressing On #5 - Kyle

Sawyer's cousin, Kyle, was once a champion swimmer serving with the military forces. Unfortunately, an accident leaves his right leg maimed. Kyle goes into depression and refuses to live for anything. The turning point arrives when he sees some similarity between Winter and himself. He sees how his cousin, Sawyer, presses on to keep Winter alive, and at the same time, keep encouraging Kyle. Toward the end of the show, Kyle was seen proudly swimming his best, with his artificial limb, just like Winter was swimming with its artificial tail. Sometimes in life, we learn to press on when we see someone else doing their best to get back to normal.

KEY: God can use anyone to encourage us, even a dolphin.

G) Pressing On #6 - Financial Disaster

Hazel's father, Dr Haskett had poured his money and energy in building up a non-profit hospital for animals. Without additional money, they would have to close down the whole operation. As they prepare to shutter the doors, to give all their animals away, and call it a day, that would also mean certain death for Winter, as no buyers wanted Winter. Someone came up with a great idea to have a "Save Winter Day," a day in which they would highlight their plight to the world, and showcase Winter the amazing dolphin. Miraculously, it worked. Eventually, they landed a generous donation that allowed their entire operation to continue. It took a creative idea to avert a near certain disaster.

KEY: When we do our best, we let our best shine for all to see. When that happens, chances of a dramatic turnaround are higher. When all hopes seem lost to men, it is never lost with God. God always has a better way. We need to give ourselves time to hope in God.

H) Pressing On #7 - Never Give Up

The story of Dolphin's Tale is not simply about a dolphin's tail. It is about the spirit of pressing on, regardless of the mountain of challenges. Scene after scene, we see how every adversity has been overcome by a sudden turnaround of hope and faith. Sometimes, like the case of the failure of several prosthetic tails, one discouragement leads to another. During moments like these, we need to remember to press on, perhaps through another creative manner. As long as we do not give up, there is always hope.

My fellow readers, as we begin this New Year, we will all experience our fair share of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, encouragement as well as disappointments. The Bible tells us to hope in God. It tells us to press on. It calls us to look always to God. The certainty of God's coming is as certain as the sun that will rise in the morning. It is as certain as rain that will come one day to water our crops. It is because Jesus says He will come again, we can be sure to see it becoming a reality. Soon.

Press on. If you find it hard to press on, do yourself a favour. Watch "Dolphin's Tale."

Thought: "Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it." (Anonymous)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Overcome Evil with Good

TITLE: Overcome Evil With Good (The Year in 2011)
SCRIPTURE: Ps 90:9
Written by: Conrade Yap

"All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan." (Ps 90:9)

MAIN POINT: The Year 2011 is associated with a year of protests. Christians need not protest like the world. They can do more than protests. They can witness with good works, with good behaviour, and with hope. Even though the world treats you badly, do all the good anyway.

This week, many people worldwide will be slowing down to prepare for the New Year's Eve bash. As they prepare to ring in the New Year 2012, invariably many will be reflecting on the past year. All around the globe, stories abound about the joys of victory for winners, and the agonies of defeat for the losers. We welcome new births, and say goodbye to loved ones who died. Some find new jobs while others lose theirs. With the continuing slum in the US economy, and the economic uncertainty worldwide, there seems to be more reasons for gloom. In relationships, some have gotten married to their sweethearts, while some have to annul their marriages through divorce or other kinds of agreements for separation. Students busy with their studies while parents busy themselves with bills and making ends meet for their families. The year has been mixed but many will say that there are more bad news than good.

A) Year Review

This morning, I read an article published in Huffington Post about the top stories in Canada for the year 2011. They are numbered as follows:

1. Stephen Harper's Conservative Party winning the majority vote to govern Canada. (politics)
2. Riots in Vancouver after the Stanley Cup final game. (sports/culture)
3. Wildfires in the town of Slave Lake. (environment)
4. Coverage of the Occupy protest movement (culture)
5. End of the military mission in Afghanistan (politics)
6. Corruption Scandal in Quebec (politics)
7. Hockey Headshots Controversy (sports)
8. Prince William and Kate's Visit to Canada (politics/leadership)
9. Decline of the Separatist Movement in Quebec (politics)
10. The Proposed Keystone LX Pipeline (environment)

Most of them are stories about politics and power, sports and leisure, and some concerns about environment. They reflect the general concerns of the people. Very little is mentioned about spiritual stuff. Although the Occupy protest movement is #4 in the list above, note that there are other similar movements around the world that produces the protests. There is the Arab Spring protest movements that are continuing to bring down long-time governments and rulers.

B) Year of Protests

(Credit: Time Magazine)

The death of a boy who committed suicide in Tunisia sparks the Arab Spring revolution. Bouazizi was a 26-year old boy just minding his own business. For a boy his age, he carried huge responsibilities. His meager income basically supported his family of 8 persons. He sold produce on a cart in the market. Along came a female enforcement officer who not only confiscated all his goods but also made derogatory remarks about his father who had passed away. He tried to complain to the authorities. Instead of being given a just hearing, he was ignored, slapped, and pushed away with a challenge to kill himself instead. Bouazizi in despair set fire to himself. He died on January 4th, 2011.

The Bouazizi suicide is the spark that lits up the Arab Spring movement. As Tunisia falls to public cries for justice, the other autocratic regimes quickly follow suit. Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen all have similar uprisings which led to the deposing of their hardline autocratic leaders.

In the West, there are protests too, albeit over economic disparity. Even after the US government bailed out large US corporations with public money, the economy did not seem to improve. Main street people continues to question Wall street corporate bigwigs. This produces the 99% movement (Occupy movement) where protesters claim to represent the 99% of common folks over the rich guys (1%). Rightly or wrongly, the logic is simple: Corporate greed of the 1% is the cause of the economic problems affecting the 99%. It is no surprise then that Time Magazine this year declares 'The Protester' as the person of the year.


C) Ending the Year with a Moan?

Psalm 90 has been attributed to Moses. Called the 'man of God,' Moses declares that all of life has been held together because of God's mercy and grace. The generations of Israel have been kept in existence because God has been their dwelling place. The creation of the world has been sustained because God is at work. Time is limited but God is not (Ps 90:4). There is the image of powerful men and women of the day become nothing by the night (Ps 90:5). Due to sin, and the continued rebellion of Israel, God has allowed justice and judgment to follow suit. Without God's mercy, man would have ended their years with a moan. The trouble with the world is this. Man's continued rebellion and disobedience will lead to man ending their years with a moan.

(Credit: Biojobblog.com)

The events of the year is less of God's judgment but more of man's failure to come back to God. All over the world, people are more concerned about their own things which lead to widespread corruption, power hungry moods, and a general lack of compassion. Even the protests are symptoms of an underlying discontentment with life. When the economy is good, it is like sweeping the dust of unhappiness under the carpet of good jobs and comfortable materialistic living. When the economy turns nasty, when the carpet of comfort and affluence is removed, the dust of discontentment is revealed once again. Man is sinful, regardless of the state of the economy. Sin produces more sin. It leads to God's wrath. Contrary to what some people think, God is not angry simply because His Law has been broken by sinful people. God is angry because man is setting themselves up for failure right from the start, and chooses to condemn themselves. Man tends to blame everyone else except himself. Playing the blame game, man names all manner of excuses and problems, pointing at everything else except himself. Days of blaming leads to a final puff of moaning.


D) Overcome Evil with Good

Christians should go beyond protesting. They can do more. Christians have a higher mandate to witness regardless of their positions in life. They can overcome evil with good. Mother Teresa is not a high and mighty queen who can command large military ships or powerful armed forces. She is a gentle and humble lady, serving among the poorest of the poor, with whatever she has. Mother Teresa overcomes the evil of poverty by the good acts of mercy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer stands up against the tyrant Hitler during World War II, knowing that his resistance against the Nazi regime can ultimately mean him losing his life. He protested with boldness for God. Bonhoeffer overcomes the evil of Nazi power with the good of Christlike courage. Recently, the CEO of American Airlines chooses to resign in protest against the 'immoral' behaviour of corporate politics when AA declares bankruptcy. In an age where CEOs who failed their companies can still depart with generous severance pay, Gerard Arpey left AA without any golden handshake. The previous CEO of HP, Leo Apotheker takes home nearly US$25 million after leading Hewlett-Packard through one of the worst performances in corporate history. The ex-CEO of Yahoo, Carol Bartz receives about US$10 million after failing to turn Yahoo around. John Chidsey pockets about $20 million after his failure at Burger King.  In an age where leaders are rewarded despite doing a lousy job, Arpey bucks the trend. He has no such financial windfall. He leaves based on an ethical principle, that by declaring bankruptcy, AA is legally free to avoid meeting their obligations. From pensions and medical benefits to negotiations with worker unions, the corporation hides under the legal umbrella of Chapter 11, to walk away from their ethical responsibilities. For Arpey, such acts are immoral. We may agree or disagree with Arpey's manner of resignation. One thing is clear. He lets the desire for doing right, overcome any temptations for doing wrong.

Paul exhorts us: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom 12:21)

We may not be able to control external circumstances, but we can certainly control our inner selves. We can control how we respond to evil. While the rest of the world spins away in their protests and despair about life, Christians can continue to do all the good that they can. They can give thanks rather than complaining. They can do something good regardless of what happens to them. They can trust our dependable God instead of the undependable rulers of this world.

As we prepare to ring in the New Year, let us do soul work to prepare to welcome the coming of the Lord. Do all the good that we can. Say all the good that we can. Be all the best that we can. Hope is simply this: When the world around us calls us to give up, to complain and to drown ourselves in despair, hope tells us to 'Give good works another go!"

Have a Happy New Year 2012!

Thought: "Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway." (Kent M. Keith)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Standing Up For Jesus

TITLE: STANDING UP FOR JESUS
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 21 Dec 2011
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:74

"He promised to rescue us from our enemies' power so that we could serve Him without fear by being holy and honorable as long as we live." (Luke 1:74, GW)

MAIN POINT: Fear not. Do not be afraid to stand up for your faith, even when society frowns on your worship of Jesus during this festive period. If believers do not stand up for their own faith, how will others take any interest?

Credit: Blackshear Place Baptist Church

It is this time of the year where spiritual and secular battle lines are drawn once again. Santa Claus vs the Son of God; 'Happy Holidays' vs 'Merry Christmas;' or commercialization of the Christ's event vs concentrating on Christ. Last year, I wrote about what Christians ought to do with 'Santa Claus.' I had argued that instead of confronting others about the use of Santa Claus, and become killjoys of people's happy occasions, Christians could use the relatively happy mood to point people to Christ. By our very presence, we can be living reminders of God's grace.

A) Banned from Wearing the Cross

It is no secret that many countries in the West are increasingly secular. Even Europe which has had a long and colourful history of Christian roots have swung to a secularism that tends more toward anti-Christ. In 2006, a British Airways employee by the name of Nadia Eweida was banned from the workplace because she was wearing a small cross around her neck. According to a spokesperson from BA, the official policy is that no religious symbols are allowed to be worn in the workplace. Since the wearing of the cross around Eweida's neck is a religious symbol, it has to be removed every time she goes to work for BA. Eweida refuses to back down, and opts to stay home rather than to compromise on her right to display her affection for Jesus. The main BA contention is that they are not saying Eweida cannot wear her cross. The only condition is that she has to keep it hidden away from customers, colleagues, or anyone in the workplace.

Eweida refuses to comply and accuses her employer of religious discrimination. It is her freedom to practice what she believes in. This sparks one of the biggest uproar in the United Kingdom, as both camps trade angry arguments. While the secularists and the atheists are cheering the BA decision, church leaders in England are not pleased. They protest their public displeasure. The archbishop of Canterbury threatens to boycott the airline and initiate the sale of all of the Church of England's share in the national airline. That will have created havoc to the share price of British Airways. The archbishop, Rowan Williams finds the lack of tolerance of people wearing a cross to work, 'offensive.' The archbishop fearlessly fights for the right of Eweida to practice her faith. Thankfully, BA finally backs down. If they have been allowed to ban the wearing of the crucifix, then BA will have to ban turbans for religious Sikhs, or veils from Muslim women.

B) 'Happy Holidays' or 'Merry Christmas'

This saga repeats itself every year. Somehow, while many countries in Asia do not see it a problem to use 'Christmas' as an open reference to commemorate the birth of Christ, not so in the West. It seems like the West is beginning to banish symbols of Christianity not only on normal days, but on the Christmastide as well! What is happening? Even the humble Christmas tree has been banned from one Ontario courthouse, based on the judge's logic that the courtroom must remain secular. People are replacing Christmas greetings with 'holiday' greetings. Crosses are removed if it offends the secular eye. If that is so, maybe churches in future will not be allowed to ring the church bells if they sound overly religious to the secular ear.

Personally, I do not have a problem with 'Happy holidays.' The problem comes when people tries to shove secular ideals down the throats of religious people. Tolerance must happen both ways. For instance, just because Canada is a secular society does not mean Christians have to toe the line to refrain from verbalizing 'Merry Christmas.' Hey! You are free to say 'Happy Holidays.' Don't tell us that we cannot wish people, 'Merry Christmas.'

Recently, at the commemoration of 400 years of the King James Bible translation, the British Prime Minister boldly calls the UK a 'Christian nation.' Lots of displeasure and bemusement begins to circulate all over the Internet, that David Cameron has lost touch with the fact that modern Britain is more secular than Christian. In his speech at Oxford, he emphasizes the need for Christians to stand up for what they believe, instead of bowing down to pressures by secularists to quieten down their practice of faith. Being a Christian does not mean dumbing down others. It simply means being bold to testify of one's Christian heritage.

"We are a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so," he told the audience at Christ Church. . . . Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith - or no faith - is somehow wrong. . . .I know and fully respect that many people in this country do not have a religion. And I am also incredibly proud that Britain is home to many different faith communities, who do so much to make our country stronger.. . . But what I am saying is that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today." (BBC report, 16 Dec 2011)

Don't be afraid to stand up for Jesus. Those who insist on 'Happy Holidays' should not insist on Christians' right to call the season, Christmas. Christians have rights too. They have rights to worship Jesus the way that they want. If secularists insist upon Christian not to impose faith on them, the reverse is equally true. Secularists cannot insist that Christians stop worshipping or proclaiming their faith. They can do their shopping. Let Christians do their worshipping.

C) Fearless Faith

Zechariah the priest has seen the power of God. After his unbelief, he is struck dumb (Luke 1:20). Once the Word of the Lord has been fulfilled, his mouth opens and he proclaims the powerful works that his son, John the Baptist will be doing for God. Luke 1:67-79 is his prophecy. It is a prophecy of God working in the lives of his people. God rescues the people from their enemies, that they will serve God without fear. The gospel writer mentions two things that demonstrates bold and fearless faith: Be holy, and honorable all their lives. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his wonderful book, the Cost of Discipleship reminds us,

"When God calls a man, he bids him come and die."

This is discipleship at its core: Proclaiming the Name of the Lord boldly. No fear. It is fearless faith. Several years ago, Nathan Chan, a student at the Stanford Graduate School makes this insighful comment about how multiculturalism is actually individualism in disguise.

"If you take multiculturalism to an extreme, it is very individualistic, you have your own bias, and you can think what you want in that box, so long as you don't affect others' boxes. When you say that Christianity is the only truth, you are imposing on someone's box." (quoted in Tim Stafford's article, 'Campus Christian and the New Thought Police' in Christianity Today, 10 Feb 1992, 19)

D) Heroes of the Faith

Only those who have been changed by the gospel will proclaim fearless faith. There is no halfway faith. It is either we believe in Jesus or we do NOT believe in Jesus. The tragedy in many Christians is that they shun away too easily from any debates with people who disagree with them. This is not necessary. Even if we are not able to command a wide range of theological points for debate, each of us has a story to tell. Our testimony. If we fail to tell the story of how Christ has changed our lives, we not only lose the opportunity to share Christ, we fail to live up to our own calling as disciples of Christ. There are other modern heroes that have boldly stood up for their faith. There is the Coptic priest called Zakaria Botros, who is currently heavily protected because of his fervent preaching of the gospel. He has become so influential that some Muslim radicals have promised to pay out $50 million to anyone who assassinates him. Yet, Botros speaks out fearlessly, preferring to fear God rather than man.

There is Charles Colson, the man who is one of the driving forces behind the Manhattan declaration that seeks to stand up for traditional values such as marriage being between a man and a woman, and other fundamentals of faith. He is constantly ridiculed by many, including some Christians for his stand. His conviction to Christ leads him to start many powerful ministries, of which the most well-known is the Prison Fellowship. Then there is Corrie Ten Boom, who boldly demonstrates the love of God through her forgiveness of her most bitter enemies. Apart from these people, there are many unsung heroes of the faith. One of them is the British Airways employee,  Nadia Eweida, who prefers to take a no-pay leave to fight for her right to stand up for her faith even in the workplace.

We do not have to be a Ten Boom, a Colson, or a Botros. All of us can be like Eweida. My fellow readers, do not be afraid to call the name of Jesus, especially during this Christmas and every Christmas season. Jesus after all, is still the reason for the season. Don't be afraid. Be fearless. Stand up for Jesus, ye soldier of the Cross. Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive the King!

Thought: "The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But their strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians - when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.." (Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy, New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1977, 85) 

Sabbathwalk.

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