Wrong Approach

John, the top marketing guy of a cola company, returned from unsuccessful assignment in the Middle East. A friend asked him: "Why weren't you successful with the Middle East?"

John said: "I didn't know any languages there (Arabic, Hebrew, ...), which didn't bother me at the beginning. I was very confident that I would make a good sales pitch. I planned to convey the message through 3 posters:

1st: A man lying in the hot desert sand totally exhausted and fainting;

2nd: The man is drinking cola;

3rd: Our man is now totally refreshed.

And then, these posters were posted all over the place."

"Terrific! That should have worked!" said the friend.
"It didn't!" John said "No one told me people there read from right to left!"

No idea who made up this story. It helped me getting things straight today. Recently, I posted my personal opinions on a few sermons. This story reminded me to look at things from different ends. Preachers deliver God's message. Message is there for everyone but not everyone will be touched. Because God will be gracious to whom he will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom he will show mercy. My opinions are really unnecessary in any cases. Psalms 106:25 came to touch my heart: “Talking against him secretly in their tents, they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord." It touched me the most in Chinese: "在自己帳棚內發怨言, 不聽耶和華的聲音.” Wow! That's exactly me. God, please forgive me. I had no intention to talk against you. Thank you for cleaning my thought and leading me back to the brightness.

聽道

馬太福音3:2説, “天國近了, 你們應當悔改.” 人生在世, 日子越過越少, 我因為律己甚寬, 還没認真悔改. 倒是一年比一年渴慕聽道, 對傳道人的要求也越來越嚴, 存著This one better be good的心聽道. 要求高但靈命不夠, 這是在潛意識中為自己找出路, 想把還没認真悔改歸咎於聽道没有得著.

 

今年(2012)到目前為止, 我只有三次聽道時没打瞌睡. 01/29, 楊長老在NLGC證道, 很有得著; 03/19, 鄔牧師在我父親的安息禮拜證道, 心情沈重, 無法入眠; 還有今天(08/12), 王牧師證道: "獻上神所悅納的靈祭", 其實我是很想睡的, 可他在台上講: "聽道睡著是不好的…" 我還真不好意思睡.

 

聖經說: "衪替我們死, 叫我們無論醒著,睡著, 都與衪同活." (帖前 5:10). 雖然不能用這段經文來漂白聽道睡著的行為, 但是我真的相信, 只要願意來參加主日崇拜, 無論醒着,睡着, 我們都在為與主同活努力... 感謝讚美主.

分別為聖

最近主日的信息, 都和分別為聖有關. 今天(08/05/2012)再次提到我們是被揀選的, 是有君尊的祭司, 是聖潔的, 是屬神的子民, … 出黑暗入奇妙光明. 又聽的雙耳發燙, 唉! 我哪配啊? 心裡不安的左顧右盼, 這回有了Vision: "就算不配, 已經信主了, 混跡在聖人當中, 與信的人同負一軛, 對生命絕對有幫助." 就像坐在我旁邊的那位聖人, 牧師還沒講幾句, 他就安息了, 這是信心的操練, 見證了牧師不會活捉聽道時睡覺的人. 見賢思齊, 我也安息了. 因為一些技術上的問題, 把脖子睡僵了, 痛到現在.

分別為聖, 總會碰到"信與不信不能同負一軛"的困難. 世人認為, 基督徒的"信與不信不能同負一軛", 是自命清高, 刻意劃清界限. 2011年10月回台灣時, 參加了政府為海外僑胞辦的旅遊團, 去台灣的中南部觀光. 同車有位僑胞, 聲音很宏亮, 他和鄰座聊天時, 其他人都能聽得很清楚. 所以幾小時車程後, 我對他已有大致的了解. 當他在休息區和我搭訕, 我的反應不怎麼熱烈. 大概是他的問題我都回答的太簡短了, 不能讓他滿意. 他就針對我說自己半退休, 沒有什麼特別的投資, 鍥而不捨的追問下去. 蠻麻煩的, 但是我還是有問有答, 沒有走開. 最後, 他問: "你不可能半退休什麼都不做吧? 那你平常都在幹什麼?" 我答: "讀聖經, 去教會, 很多…" (不好意思, 是有, 不過稍微誇大了一點.) 若能繼續下去, 或許有機會播種. 但是才說完"很多", 他選擇了不和基督徒同負一軛, 以上小號為由, 一去不返, 這種現象, 世人稱為尿遁.

我還沒信主時, 常選擇不和基督徒同負一軛, 也曾遁過. 記不得是1999或2000, 有一個週末, 不小心被老婆說服, 去參加北德教會的退修會. 在Denton附近的一個Camp, 吃的清淡也罷, 房裡連個電視也沒有, 還沒滿一天, 我就撐不下去了. 編了一堆理由, 吵著要回家. 老婆拗不過我, 只好去向Oliver打個招呼, 和我一起離開. Oliver覺得可惜, 但是留不住我. 結果, 下樓時我轉錯了邊, 馬上回轉, 一頭撞在樓梯的角鋼上, 痛徹心肺, 一輩子也忘不了. 現在往回看, 是我攔阻老婆信主, 神當場給了懲罰. 感謝主, 分別為聖後, 有衪開路, 再也不需要遁了.

Vision

There was a story in this Sunday's preaching made me feel very uncomfortable. It's really unnecessary to whip a 2-years old multiple times for "not praying before going to bed". There are many milder and more educational ways to handle that. My mind blocked my ears after listening to that story. I might miss some good points followed by, but... Oh well, all my personal opinions. 

I've been coming home empty (no visions) for many Sundays, which is nothing unusual to me because my spiritual life has been low. I was alerted by coming home not only empty but also uncomfortable this time, because that's something unusual to me. After seriously thought over, I got this quote from the Bible: "Where there is no vision, the people are uncontrolled; but he who keeps the law will be happy." God words came in time again. God is good, all the time!

From now on, I'll remember to pray before going to church Sunday morning. Make sure to get myself ready for visions (not just for social). For me, a vision always comes with a touch feeling. A touch feeling never comes with those 1,2,3,4,... on a list which only help me fall into sleep quickly. Maybe expect too much from preachers, but nothing wrong to wish. Good to dump them out though. I'm happy as usual again. Praise the Lord.

[後記]

有人覺得我中文用的好好的, 為什麼有時候要用英文寫? 唉! 當我也想和兒女分享的時候, 只有用英文寫, 他們才會看. 從前女兒說我的English是Chinglish, 不用母語, 就是表達不好. 這次看Vision的人各有解讀, 被看成了好幾個Version, 都是出自善意(包括我在內), 不多作文章了. 管教小孩的方法和輕重, 相信大部份父母心裡都拿捏得準. 林書豪(Jeremy Lin)小的時候, 曾經多次藉著用頭撞牆來達到目的, 後來被他媽媽識破, 幫助他撞了一次, 他就再也不了. 寫到這兒, 心裡不禁嘀咕, 當年兒子和女兒不肯去中文學校的時候, 若是用鞭子狠抽一頓(甚至好幾頓), 他們現在說不定… 說不定只記得挨了揍, 還是看不懂中文.