Talk is Cheap, Actions are Deep

Darker days grow ahead as the morality of this world is being turned upside down... Sin is becoming the norm and there is a blurred line between right and wrong... Some Christians are living in ignorance and apathy and don't want to fight the spiritual battle we were all called to do... Some bored by long and tedious sermons, wanting to get caught up solely with fun church activities like a BBQ or sports session... missing important prayer and bible study meetings... Sometimes fights happen inside the church, the place where sacrificial love and forgiveness are supposed to be most present... Disputes about traditions, methods, doctrine, music, etc... They take away the focus from what our real purpose is... Non-Christian spectators observe everything going on within the church and are left confused and hurt, wanting to disassociate themselves with anyone who calls himself 'Christian'... Tired of countless arguments like, 'Does God exist?', 'Why is there suffering if there is a loving God?', 'Are morals absolute?'... Each side not listening to another...

I've found that a lot of the Christians who have grown up in the church, including myself, have had this 'I am saved, therefore I most know everything' kind of attitude... It only breeds disgust from many who are unsaved... 1st of all, I don't know it all, I'm still learning and I must check out whether everything I hear is true... Like the Bereans in Acts 17... check out everything from BOTH sides... both Non-Christians and Christians don't bother to do that a lot of the time... They seem to be stuck in their way of life, the way that works for them...

I've had some uncomfortable experiences with both Christians and non-Christians... One would be the time where I decided in my head and heart that I knew it all and had this verbal sparring with a non-Christian and of course, God humbled me, I didn't know the answers to some of the questions... I checked it out afterwards though and realised that there were lots of things that I hadn't learnt. Another time was when I was sharing these experiences with various Christian brothers, one was a pastor... They however, would just shake their heads and contort their faces in unbelief and I could see that it was written on their face the 'How can they (non-Christians) be so stupid, I don't want to listen to this nonsense' kinda look... And they gave a sort of snort of disgust after I shared my experiences with them... In my head I'm like 'Come on man, they are not saved, obviously they won't know about moral absolutes and God's law so why the look?' I guess their reaction took me by surprise, especially with all this talk about loving the lost wherever we go...

So I questioned myself... What happened to a heart of compassion that Christians are supposed to have? Where is the love of God within a Christian that would want to see this soul saved and answer him in a meek and gentle spirit? Why are we segregating ourselves from the very people we are supposed to reach out to? I also questioned the non-Christian's viewpoint... Just because a Christian disrespects and hurts you, you are going deny a God? Aren't Christians human too? NONE of them are perfect, so why judge God based on the bad experiences of his representers? Why base your own salvation on that? All the questions could go on forever... None of them are conclusive so please refrain from emailing me with points that I might have missed out... XD

I watch movies about how missionaries go to the Amazon and sacrifice their lives for the gospel... Just with one powerful sentence when they were asked, 'Are you going to use the guns if the natives try to kill you?' And their response, 'We are ready for heaven, they aren't'... 5 of them died by the hands of the Waudani tribe... And today, the Waudani tribe is taking the gospel to its own people... And then I wonder why a lot of us complain about Sunday sermon being too long so that we can't have lunch... I wonder why we complain when a preacher prays too long about the very people who need God the most... I wonder why I was so selfish being a Christian from birth, maybe it's because I've never really experience extreme suffering at all... maybe suffering helps a person realise the value of life, the basic needs and all that stuff... Sure I got the times where I had fights with my family, fallouts with friends, but today I'm here living better than most of the people in the world... Why should I complain about my situation and how no one understands me? Why should I worry about my tomorrows when God has taken care of everything... Shouldn't I be more compassionate about those around me who are not as fortunate? Shouldn't I be more loving towards those who hurt me and call me stereotypical names like 'hypocrite'? Shouldn't I forgive them for what they say and bless them?

When I stop focusing on myself, I put God and others 1st, then I'll be able to see the change... Too many times, Christians want to change people's behaviours straight away... They see it more like a mission to be accomplished, they view the person more as an object to process rather than a human who need compassion, rather than a lost soul and wandering spirit, in need of the creator's love...