Unmasking

(Audio book version here )

The word sincere comes from two Latin words: sine + cera = meaning without wax or mask.

To be sincere means to be without a mask, to be genuine, to be who we really are.

Everyday I see people wearing masks; different kinds of mask.  The sad thing is that most of them are not aware they are wearing masks. Oftentimes, they confused their true selves with fake ones.



I used to be bullied in college by a classmate. He pushed people around. But when I really looked inside that big guy, I saw a whimpering, crying child in constant desperation for attention.

No, I don't hate those who wear masks most of the time; I pity them.

Mina is always updated with new gadgets and dress and shoes and what have you. She is a pleaser.  All these are fronts.  Deep within is a crying girl whose real need is an unconditional acceptance.

So, shall we go around, hunt pretenders and tear down their masks? No. Our duty as Christians is to create a safe and loving environment where people wouldn't need for masks anymore, where people could be imperfect yet loving, where people could be comfortable to be themselves.

This is what Jesus meant when He told Zacchaeus
to come down from a Sycamore tree: it’s a way of saying, ‘You don’t need your wealth, nor your influence, nor your bullying. I accept you as you are…’

Genuine people have less need for effects, accessories and make-ups.
Fake people are complicated, while genuine ones are simple, uncomplicated.
This is why, however cliché it may sound, simple is beautiful…

God our Father,
May Your unconditional love
Unmask our pretentions
And make us accept our true identity
As Your children,
Loving and beautiful,
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen…

photo: rent-a-moose’s @ flickr

Evil People

There are people who are immune to the truth or any act of love. They don't' care whether it is true or not. They don't care how much kindness you've shown; they're simply evil. And therefore, there’s no amount of motivation could move them.

Are there really evil people?

I have always believed that man is basically good; but we have to admit that there are people who are evil. They are congenital liars and are always in search for opportunities to spew destructive remarks towards others. They are selfish and always have negative interpretations of our goodness.

True, we have to 'love' our enemies, but it is also true they we don't have much time and energy for these people. There are a lot more others who are waiting for our generosity and kindness.

Jesus Himself warmed us against these people. "Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you." ~ Matthew 7:6

I saw Christians who were eaten by their anger and frustrations simply because no matter how much kindness and motivation they invested in people, they saw no response at all. They slowly became what they hate.

"Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”~Matthew 10:14

Save your love for those who really need it...

Father,
You've loved us too much
But did not force us to love You in return;
Make us understand that even your Son was rejected.
Bless those people who rejected us;
But bless all the more those people
Who love us,
In Jesus' Name.
Amen...

photo: inhalingsounds' @ flickr

Chinese Bamboo

I am very much enamored with anything Chinese: Chinese movies, Chinese food, Chinese girls... and most of all with Chinese bamboo.

Just in front of our gate before, there were bamboos towering over our two storey house. Those bamboos stood still even after a super typhoon came, uprooting the trees, flattening our houses to the ground and killing thousands of our people.

The secret of bamboo is in its character. It is pliant: when the wind blows, it does not resist; it dances with it. While some trees take pride in their unbendable strength, It bends and bows itself to heaven. Another secret of its staying power is that they grow in groups.

People who understood this survived storms in life with more grace and poise.

There are things in life that are given, constant. We can’t change them. And the only thing we can change is the way we look at them.

Once we see storms as a punishment of God, rather than an opportunity for change and growth, we are doomed for uprooting.  A storm in life is a signal that something is not right and that we need to adjust. A storm in life is a sign that God wants to align us, and that we need to bend.

Like bamboos we need to bow down to Heaven and stay together with our love ones to survive to see the rainbows…

Dear God,
Help us to see Jesus
Walking behind the storms of our lives.
Give us the strength to bend
And  stay together
As we wait for the rainbow of your Promise,
In Jesus Name.
Amen…

photo: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Simba Is Back

 
Lion King, the highest grossing 2D animated film of all time, moves me until now.  Its story and music are still fresh in my mind. Even the name Simba awakens a sense of courage within me.

There were three major reasons why Simba refused to take his rightful throne:
~ he forgot who he was,
~ he adopted a 'Hakuna Matata' mentality,
~ he was afraid to fail.

I met a lot of Simbas: they're people who have more to share, but  chose to stay within their comfort zones. They're afraid to fail. They're afraid to be rejected. They're afraid to take responsibilities.

They chose to be spectators and commentators and ‘likers’ rather than actors or authors.

Seth Godin says, the world is in shortage of leaders. Tribes abound waiting for leaders.

Each of us is Simba. Each of us has his/her own tribe waiting to be inspired by us. They are waiting for you accept who you really are. They are waiting for you get out of your comfort zone and show to them what you are really made of. They are waiting for you to come back and lead them…

~~~Who You Are~~~
You are a child of God.
You are good.
You can bless.
You can heal.
You are an inspiration.
You can make a difference…

Father,
You are our King.
Remind us of who we really are,
And give us the courage to get out of our mediocrity,
To lead, to heal and inspire,
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen…

Backseat Drivers

Backseat drivers are passengers who think they are better than the driver. Wow! You must have encountered this kind of people. In fact, they are considered the worst nightmare of every real driver.

Most backseat drivers don't really know how to drive, but they will annoy you with instructions where to turn and when to hit the break. Backseat drivers control the real drivers. According to surveys, the worst backseat drivers are spouses and mothers. If you're lucky enough, you'll receive more than road sign lectures.

In our lives, backseat drivers abound too. These are the people who have the habits of controlling other people's lives. They 'know' what's good for you, and issue a prophesy of doom for those who don't follow them. These people are usually close to us: parents, friends, siblings and 'best' friends.

Life is a journey. It's a continuous learning. God allowed us to commit mistakes in order to learn. But sad to say some people won't allow us to commit mistakes. They take our rights to fall down once in a while.

The Father allowed His Son, Jesus, to fall down to give us the courage to get up. Mary, His Mother, did not hide while Jesus suffered; she actively suffered but believed as well that He will emerge victorious…

Who controls your life?
Whose lives do you control?
Who should take control of our lives?

In the journey we call life,
the safest thing to do
is to sit back and let Jesus take the driver's seat.

Father,
Forgive us for trying to control other people’s lives.
Give us the courage to hand over to You
The wheels of our lives,
In Jesus' Name.
Amen...

photo: grillet's @ flickr