Blessing: A quest of Life…

Every day we bless our life and people around us. We receive and give blessing. Blessing is subject of life; it is action of life; and it is object of life. It means that blessing is blessing. We receive blessing because we see it as a crucial and beneficial for our life. We live because of blessing and life is blessing. We give blessing because it give life and nourishment for others. But the questions of how we get blessing, of how we can easily recognize blessing in our life, of how we see it as a blessing, and of how we discover blessing in life, are necessarily compelling us to answer.

I always amaze of the response “I am blessed” of people who are asked “How are you?” as I try to argue and ask them of “what they mean by saying: I am blessed”. I wonder if their response is just a lips-talk only. Or maybe they really encounter blessings, such as still being alive, being in friendship, being in the state of okay physically, emotionally, and spiritually, or just having some good news of the day. But what is blessing? Is blessing always positive? Does blessing create happiness? Could work hard and hard life, and sufferings be a blessing? How do we see it?

People say that the truth is universal and exists but we approach and see it in different ways.  So is this statement true? Maybe. If so, the notion of blessing is universal, which is “blessing is blessing” and NOT “suffering is blessing”. However, we notice that we, each individual, have a way of seeing and judging a blessing depends of his/her paradigm of understanding of blessing. One will see from material point of view while other will see in the deeper sense from emotional state of blessing. One will point out blessing in disguise while other will see undisguised- beneficial blessing.

There is a classical story/parable about a missed blessing, which we can learn and think of a blessing. There was a man in big trouble as the ship he was sailed had a fire. The passengers were trying to safe their life by listening to the instruction of the captain to wear life jacket and jump on small boat. However, this man didn’t do anything. He waited and prayed to God saying, ”I have my faith that God will save me”. Some rescuers come and tried to beg him to jump because they are waiting on the boat but he still stayed with his conviction that God would helped him and only God.  Other helicopter coast-guard came and dropped the rope so he can hang on and tried to beg him but he refused saying “I have my faith in God who will rescue me”. Finally he died. Now as he approached gate of heaven, he met St. Peter and asked him “Why God didn’t come to his rescue? Peter then said “God sent people to tell you to jump but you refused; the rescuers asked you to jump on the water but you also refused; finally helicopter rescuer came telling you to climb by the rope but you refused. So now here you are. Don’t complain.”

Our expected kind of blessing, sometimes, cannot be found. We think of blessing that comes like a blasting boom and like a thunder, but it arrives like a gentle breeze; we hope to see blessing like a magic trick but it comes like a natural growth; and we want to see blessing like a super natural-heavenly voice but it comes like a normal human voice. So our expectation of blessing, sometimes, confuses us and surprise us. How do we know this kind of help is a blessing? Can a blessing be identified with feeling okay, happiness, and excitement? Only can we use our senses, wisdom, and experiences to judge that kind of kindness/gift as a blessing.

As a believer in God we may see that God is our blessing. God is the source and summit of my blessing; with God is our life; in God is our future; and from God is my happiness. This believe bases on one’s life upon God. Everything, good and bad, low and high, is encountered as blessings. The person sees that doing the will of God, even to sacrifice one’s self, is the blessing. We can see the grand example of this in Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life, suffered and died on the cross. This grand example of blessing is contrary to our human understanding and believe. Christians, then, crave this example in their hearts by believing that blessing can be experience in suffering and dying. I remember the sermon of Jesus about those who are blessed (Beatitudes) in Gospel of Matthew 5:3-12). He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Thus, blessing is clearly connected to the mourner, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the peace makers, and the persecuted, but with their great reward in heaven. Blessing is seen, not in now life but for the future greater reward. In Christianity, the greatest blessing is spiritual blessing from God and the reward will be with God in heaven. Do you want to go to heaven? See that there is greater blessing in our daily struggle for life, when things are not according to our plan but we never give up life because we have the ultimate blessing, that is, GOD.

Finally, if God is our ultimate blessing, which is offered to us freely, we must give freely this blessing by our life service and our commitment to the humanity and the world, by which God has trusted them to our cares. So be the blessing for the world and humanity.

Christians: Miracles' seekers and Miracles' Performers

 

Who does not want to see miracles? Who does not want to experience miracles? Many people nowadays seek and want to see miracles. Why? Miracles take human to another level, that is,a level of super natural. Miracles lead people to the experience of AWE, the feeling of fear and of wonder. Miracles take human to see the beauty of the power of God. Miracles make people happy and bring hope to something better and wonderful. So searching for a miracles is a normal for human beings. As a Christians, can we search for miracles?

As a Christian, I believe that performing miracles is one of critical task in the life of Jesus in order to spread the Kingdom of God. However, miracles are not His main purpose of mission. Miracles, however, are instruments, which bring people to the Kingdom of God. Miracles are His way of teaching and putting across the message of the Kingdom. His miracles are signs showing people about the Kingdom, where God is reign. So in miracles, we encounter Jesus’ teaching in signs. Moreover, miracles point out Jesus’s mission. He said “the Holy Spirit upon me because he anointed me… He has sent me… and to give sight to the blind” (Lk.4:18).

Jesus, by putting his mission’s statement, saying “to give sight to the blind”, shows us that performing miracle is part and parcel of His mission for the Kingdom. By performing miracles, Jesus leads people to hope for the new world and new creation, that is, the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ miracles are not for His glorification and His self-approval as Son of God but are the signs of the Kingdom and for the glory of God. An incident, after the multiplication of bread, when people wanted to take him forcefully to be a king but he went away (See Jn. 6.14-15), is an example of how Jesus see His performing miracles not for His self-glorification to be a king or a prophet.

After all, as Christians, can we look for the miracles in our life? Searching for miracles for the sake of to satisfy our needs is wrong but for the sake of the Kingdom is the right way. Miracles should bring us closer and lead us to Jesus, not to fulfill our material needs and our craving to satisfy our ego, but to fill our spiritual needs and to make us hungry and thirsty for the Kingdom. Jesus said “Truly, I say to you, you look for me, not because of the signs which you have seen, but because you ate bread and satisfied” (Jn. 6:26). Thus, when we look for miracles, we want to recognize the presence of the glory of God within us –so that God’s power mighty be shown in our life- (Jn. 9:3)

However, what about us performing miracles? We have witnessed and seen many Christian’s prophets performing miracles –especially the miracles’ churches-. Is it okay? When Peter and John cured the lame man in the name of Jesus (Act 3:6-8), people were praising God for it. Peter and James used this to preach the Gospel and invited them to repent and to return to God. This incident shows us that miracles can be performed by Christians in the name of God. Our miracles' performance should lead us to the repentance and the Kingdom and nthing else.

Today we see many miracles’ performers, called themselves prophets, apostles, and pastors who also perform miracles in the name of Jesus. Do they perform miracles for the Kingdom of God or their own kingdom? Are they using the name of Jesus for their benefits or the benefits of the Kingdom? Well, Paul said that they are many gifts in the church but those gifts should be used for the unity of the body because of the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God (see 1 Cor.12). Moreover, our performing of miracles should be based on love (see also 1 Cor. 13). Thus, as Christians, we must put our miracles’ performance as instruments or signs of serving the Kingdom and for the glory of God and unity of the church. That is my point.

Finally, being Christians means following the Lord and trying to live out our Christian’s life. Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Thus, if Jesus mission is our mission, miracles and performing miracles, which are part and parcel of mission of Jesus, should be ours too. We should judge our miracles’ performing and our searching for miracles in the paradigm of the Kingdom of God. We should ask question whether our miracles’ performances are for the glory of God or our glory and power, and whether our search for miracles for our material satisfaction or our spiritual fulfillment. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).  I hope so.

A journey to be…

 

 A journey to be…

Life is a journey: from birth to death; from immaturity to maturity; from simplicity to complexity; from imperfection to perfection; from sin to holiness; from earth to sky; from world to heaven; and from humanity to divinity. This journey is not easy one as we encounter, internally and externally, many stumbling blocks, many hurdles, and many challenges on our path. Therefore, a journey needs a real and serious preparation.

We receive life freely and we embrace it but life seems unfair to us as we are on a journey. Starting from the time when we entered into the world, we found strange weather and unpleasant climate to live in. we had parents and elders to take care and to introduce us to these new environment. Life is a struggle on a journey; a struggle to adjust and to win. When we were on the process of adjustment and socialization, we were molded and formed into the image of our parents and our community; no freedom of choice. However, when we grow we start to understand that all these process of adjustment into family and society led us to live out our life. We begin to receive life as ours and consciously embark on our journey of life.

Scott Peck, in the Road Less Traveled, opens his book with a sentence “life is difficult” telling us of how we can see life more seriously. Life should be lived out to its fully capacity.  But do we take life seriously? If life is difficult and we face many challenges on our road, we need to be prepared for it. Like a marathon runner prepares himself to run in a race, he must undergo countless hard and difficult program of training in his life, following all the plan given to him by his couch. He must prepare himself physically and mentally. Thus, when we want to set up a journey of life, we must prepare ourselves and equip our life with skill of survival on our journey. Training, self-discipline, focus, and positive/right attitude towards our goal can lead us to win the race of our life journey.

Therefore, three repeated crucial stages, which we must follow so to be successful reaching our destination are: 1. Starting a journey, 2. Being on a journey, 3. Arriving at the destination. These stages are a process of life journey to move forwards daily, monthly, and yearly, achieving our ultimate destination. We actually make a small pace on time with small target of our journey for our ultimate goal. When we embark and start on a journey, we actually face trial and error, which is a kind of preparation of life’s journey; it is a school of life; and it is experience. This process is like a spiral of our life in order to reach the end or the destination.

In religious tradition, human journey of life, a journey accompanied by prayer, fasting, and charity, is seen as a pilgrimage towards God or the Mighty One or Holiness. The ultimate destination of the journey is GOD.  We can describe the Israelites spending 40 years in the dessert, facing tribulation, temptation, and hardship, to enter the Promised Land, as a test of their faithfulness to be with Yahweh; Buddha spending his life’s journeying toward his inner self (Atman) by following the five golden paths to reach self-freedom, ie. Life without desires/wants, which cause human pains and sufferings; Muslims around the world, having of fasting and prayer as their pilgrimage toward the victory of Eid Mubarak, where they celebrate the festival of blessings from God; and  Christians celebrating Easter at the end of their pilgrimage’s journey of 40 days of Lent.  These ritualistic celebrations point to us the nature’s Journey of our destination, ie., being with God, to enjoy God’s blessings and to share in God’s life.

The journey of our life becomes difficult and frustrated when we feel that we are alone. We are tired and exhausted as we struggle to walk miles and miles on our journey. There are times that we want to give up the journey; no energy to walk; and no others to share our journey together. However, sometimes our friends and relatives encourage and support us in this journey to reach our destination. Sometimes, some strangers stop by to give us a lift as they recognize how tiring, rough and bumpy road of our life is. In this circumstances, we cry out to our God of destination: where are you God? Why You put me on this road of life? Why cannot You assist me? Is this journey right for me? Am I in the right way? Etc. frustration enter in infiltrate our being as we question and seek the answer but the journey must be taken. As we put our feet on the earth, we start embarking our journey. Hope we will arrive safely on our destination.

In conclusion, our journey of life is a search for our own fullness to be and be with our ultimate destination. We may encounter in this journey time of difficulties, frustration, problems, and sufferings; these condition can be of preparation for us; these strengthen and enrich ourselves as we are on our journey; these equip our life to face the future circumstances. Once I saw an illustration depicting about Usain Bolt, a Jamaican 100 meter world sprinter, who earn more than USD 30 million in three minutes. Wow, why it was happening like that? Miracle? The answer is that Bolt used 20 years of preparing himself with constant training and discipline to be the best runner. Israelites spent 40 years of being tested in the dessert in order to prepare themselves to enter the Promised Land. Therefore, preparation is a journey itself when we set up a goal and start to walk on journey. This journey can be an external but also can be an internal journey, which takes physical, mental, and spiritual form of our life. End of journey is clear. All depend on us. Can we manage? But you are not alone. Have a hope.

A REWARD: IS NECESSARY FOR BEING HUMAN?

I noticed that grass grow wildly in my yard so I asked someone to clear it and he asked for some payment of it so we agreed of the payment and he did it. Looking at this small incident brought me an awareness that people need a reward of their work or service in terms of gift, money, or any other token of appreciation. But why?

When I was a child, I remember my parents asked me to do certain household and at the end they appreciated what I did with a “short of gift”; my school recognized my best performance by giving me “a certificate of appreciation”; when I attended a course, the institution presented me with a certificate of attendance; and when I performed the best in my work, I was granted a promotion. Why?

A reward is given in order to recognize one’s performance and one’s work or service but it unconsciously raises a mentality of expecting reward and of striving for reward. Reward becomes a sign of success. However, it is a good thing to expect and to strive for the best in our life but it is a barrier of personal growth when we expect and strive for reward. “I am not looking for money but money will come when I do my work well and I serve my costumers well”.

I remember a theory in sociology and psychology, called social exchange theory, which see human relationship and interaction in terms of implementing a cost-benefit analysis to determine risks benefits. This theory can be seen clearly in romantic relationship, friendship, professional relationship and very short relationship. Problems caused by social exchange are occurred when the costs of relationship are higher than rewards received.

Thus, rewards, can be seen clearly in human interaction when one has a value to offer and see that his/her value is beneficial for others. Parents reward their children because they see that their children perform well as a child in the family and make them happy. At the same time children reward their parents by showing them values, to which their parents highly appreciate. The only problem is that when one’s expectation of rewards is not valued. It leads to one’s frustrations.

So a reward is important but it should be followed by good motivation; reward cannot determine someone destiny of happiness and of being fully human. Reward actually is an instrument to reach our goal but we cannot make it as a goal or the only goal in our life. Reward can never be the way of measuring our interaction and relationship with others. What I think, do or act for having a value for myself, should not be focused to get reward. I behave and act well because by doing so I fulfill myself to be human; I enrich myself to be more human; and I empower myself to fulfill my humanity. Furthermore, when I fulfill my humanity I praised and glorify the Creator, my God, who created me and put me here and now for His Purpose and for His Glory.

Striving for and getting what we expect and dream of is a way of live our life but our dream should not be for a reward. “I am living my life to pursue my dream and my goal” is not for the reward but reward will be a result of it.

We are naturally built in for a reward; it can be physical, emotional, or spiritual to actualize our needs. Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, with his hierarchy of human needs, describes the process of actualization of oneself from the basic to the higher needs. When we apply it to the reward; reward, therefore, can be seen as a motivation of someone to fulfill his/her needs in their life. Reward can be a motivation for us to live. For example, when I perceive of having a degree and then getting a better job as rewards, I will study harder for it and will get it as a reward because by getting a degree and getting a better paid job I will satisfy my need of security and other basic needs or even reaching my self-actualization.

Thus, we are molded, formed, and fashioned by parents and our society to get reward but we should understand of its motivation: does my motivation to get a reward is morally, culturally and socially acceptable? Does my motivation pave a way to reach my self-actualization or in Jesus term, to have life to its fullness? Good and true motivation is like good soil for seed that provide nutrients for a seed to grow, which at the end it will produce good harvest and better fruit in life. Do we seek for reward, which is benefits for the good of our community or only to benefit our ego? Do we strive for reward to satisfy our soul or only to quench our thirst of power and self-glory?