On well-meaning advice...
Today, my aunt (whom I treasure a lot) passed me a letter. In it, she gave some parenting tips and addressed some of her concerns. She ended the letter with some well-meaning advice- "when you are writing, you must set aside your 'belief' because that will affect your writing."
Honestly, as a scriptwriter I find it hard to set aside my 'belief' when I accept jobs and when I do my job because to me, the relationship I have with Jesus is something I really treasure.
He is my first love and Yahweh Abba is my treasured perfect Heavenly Daddy.
I find it hard to say, "Ok lah let me compromise and do this job for the money"- because I know that even if I don't take on that job that doesn't sit well with me, it is not the end of the road... Daddy will just present me with another opportunity and other blessings.
Since I am able to choose my job as a freelance writer, I make it my imperiative to select jobs that I am able to do without feeling uneasy.
When I write, I can't set aside Jesus nor my belief in Him because I believe that I have the mind of Christ and Jesus is my creativity when I work.
I am not going to by-pass or step around Jesus thinking that I can get this work done based on my own efforts and own "everything" because I know that it is prideful thinking like that which will lead to more trouble later on.
The trouble is not from Christ either! He is so misunderstood.
You see, Jesus is not going to smite me simply because I choose to ignore the Holy Spirit's promptings- that's not His way. If not, why give us the freedom to choose?
The trouble comes from the devil because upon choosing not to consecreate the job to Christ first and taking it on based on our pride and self-confidence, he will find it easy to come and kacheow and cause all sorts of problems.
So despite the well-meaning advice, I can't walk with it simply because it is an elder's advice. My walk is with Christ! =)
This same aunt (who is Catholic but admitted to me she only became Catholic because of marriage, and is more agreeable towards buddhist ideology) also told us prior to the wedding to not give so much to the church. "Why must you give that 10%? You save it up for a rainy day. It is a very significant amount and might come in handy some day." I know her concerns but I also know that I don't have to save for a rainy day because God is my provider, my protector and my shelter in the storm. Pastor always tells us that saving for a rainy day is like confessing that a rainy day will come! =) LOL.
Instead I know this - God perfectly provides. He always has and He always will. I tithe out of understanding of the principal of first fruits and His covenant to us... not out of blind obedience or legalism. I know that our first fruits have been set apart and made holy so the rest of the 9/10 of our fruits are also made holy and are protected in Christ =)
And besides, we have been so greatly blessed by Christ and we know that despite the economic problems around us, that we will come out fine and will be well-provided for because there is no shadow of turning with our Daddy who is our constant provider.
He has provided before, He is providing even as I type and He will continue to provide because Christ has made sure of this on the Cross! AMEN! =D
Honestly, as a scriptwriter I find it hard to set aside my 'belief' when I accept jobs and when I do my job because to me, the relationship I have with Jesus is something I really treasure.
He is my first love and Yahweh Abba is my treasured perfect Heavenly Daddy.
I find it hard to say, "Ok lah let me compromise and do this job for the money"- because I know that even if I don't take on that job that doesn't sit well with me, it is not the end of the road... Daddy will just present me with another opportunity and other blessings.
Since I am able to choose my job as a freelance writer, I make it my imperiative to select jobs that I am able to do without feeling uneasy.
When I write, I can't set aside Jesus nor my belief in Him because I believe that I have the mind of Christ and Jesus is my creativity when I work.
I am not going to by-pass or step around Jesus thinking that I can get this work done based on my own efforts and own "everything" because I know that it is prideful thinking like that which will lead to more trouble later on.
The trouble is not from Christ either! He is so misunderstood.
You see, Jesus is not going to smite me simply because I choose to ignore the Holy Spirit's promptings- that's not His way. If not, why give us the freedom to choose?
The trouble comes from the devil because upon choosing not to consecreate the job to Christ first and taking it on based on our pride and self-confidence, he will find it easy to come and kacheow and cause all sorts of problems.
So despite the well-meaning advice, I can't walk with it simply because it is an elder's advice. My walk is with Christ! =)
This same aunt (who is Catholic but admitted to me she only became Catholic because of marriage, and is more agreeable towards buddhist ideology) also told us prior to the wedding to not give so much to the church. "Why must you give that 10%? You save it up for a rainy day. It is a very significant amount and might come in handy some day." I know her concerns but I also know that I don't have to save for a rainy day because God is my provider, my protector and my shelter in the storm. Pastor always tells us that saving for a rainy day is like confessing that a rainy day will come! =) LOL.
Instead I know this - God perfectly provides. He always has and He always will. I tithe out of understanding of the principal of first fruits and His covenant to us... not out of blind obedience or legalism. I know that our first fruits have been set apart and made holy so the rest of the 9/10 of our fruits are also made holy and are protected in Christ =)
And besides, we have been so greatly blessed by Christ and we know that despite the economic problems around us, that we will come out fine and will be well-provided for because there is no shadow of turning with our Daddy who is our constant provider.
He has provided before, He is providing even as I type and He will continue to provide because Christ has made sure of this on the Cross! AMEN! =D
Hi Geri,
ReplyDeleteBlessed are you :-)
Psalm 1:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.
2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.
3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].
Hi Geri
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this "dilemma", which I believe many Christians, besides your aunt, struggle with.
I used to also try not to mix work with religion (which was what Christianity was to me previously), but having now understood the grace gospel and how Christianity is a relationship and not a religion, somehow my perspective has changed.
I mean, it is like the other relationships that we have -- as a spouse, a parent, a child, etc.
As a married man, I am married no matter whether I am at home, or in the office, or catching up with old schoolmates.
As a father, I remain a father to my kids no matter what, even when they choose not to attend NewCre with us :-D
As a son, I love and honour my parents, even when they rather remain entrenched in legalism.
Our relationship with God is the "mother" of all relationships, so it is needless to say that there should be no compartmentalisation.
If anything, that relationship should show forth in increasing measure in every area of our life! Amen?
Thanks Stanley =) AMEN!!! Praise Jesus! =D
ReplyDeleteThanks also to Malcolm... =) Yes indeed, how can we compartmentalise Christ?? ^.^ As my little one always says - God is so big. Bigger than us and even the constellations and the whole universe-s!!!!"
Jesus deserves all of us - not just a something percent of our heart! =D
We love Him because He loved us first - and so much!
AMEN! Yes our relationship with Christ should always be growing with each new day =) It is when this relationship with our Saviour King grows in strength and beauty, that the rest of the relationships are able to also experience growth and greater love, patience tolerance & understanding.
I learned how to love only when I learned how to let Him love me. Amen!