The fact is it’s impossible to live life without making choices.  We make judgments whether we like it or not.  Sometimes, the way we act is birthed out of sincerity combined with some wisdom, others times we’re plain prejudice and wrongheaded.  Upon deeper reflection our troubles often spring from allowing our judgments for example to leap forward a little too quickly. 

Too fast, before we step back a little and get a better picture, which to me means a fuller picture.  Not perfect, not one with every single detail sorted out.  It’s a picture which will be subject to revision or at least fine-tuning. This "slow to anger" business an ancient author reminded a bunch of fast shooting church members of old has good sense in it. 

"Quick to listen" was what James was advocating. Slow down judgment but speed up the understanding. Simple. But it’s hard.  Because there’s so much within us. Experience, reading, insights, lessons, tons of "wisdom" which is often waiting to ooze out and fix the "problem" before us.

Being "slow to anger" and "quick to listen" to me involves emptying oneself at least for the moment.  It involves creating space for the "other" to simply be … for a moment. Our role is more as a companion to walk alongside those who are genuinely seeking to make sense of life in all it’s complexities. This act of "kenosis" – i.e. the emptying of ourselves, or by implication the restraint of limiting our "power" doesn’t mean we jump into the mud of these complexities uncritically, but it does give "getting our hands" dirty a fresh twist.

When one is in the midst of this process, we will need to confront the insecurity and uncertainty it brings.  But we don’t have to be afraid, especially when our faith is in the One who holds on to us (somehow and in some way!). Our experience on earth however at times borders hell-like, we don’t need to die before we step into "purgatory", the intensity of limping through our daily hours might purge us enough.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? It might not feel that way at first, but the struggle hints that there is.  And gradually, the hints become a real hope.  But this too cannot be hurried.

I got a phone call the other night.  A little surprised but delighted. Surprised because it was totally unexpected and really out of the blue.  Delighted because it become another "ceremony of closure" on an episode of "emptying" on my end during a period where I sincerely rolled into the mud of some serious pain and hurts of "others". Again, it’s often in hindsight we are able to make some sense into these matters.

1 month, 1 year, is too short to really have a fresh look. 5 to 10 works a little better. That’s too slow?  But then I’m still talking about speed right?

check out: http://www.micahchallenge.org/

Engaging the Bible in our Broken World:  Conversations with Sheila McGinn

Sunday, October 17 and 24, 2010 – 3.00 – 5.00 pm

at 5^th Floor, Luther Centre, 6 Jalan Utara, Petaling Jaya

Oct 17 – The Sermon on the Mount: New Testament Ethics for Today?

Oct 24 – Romans 13: Challenges for Good Governance and Christian Citizenship

Sheila McGinn is the Professor of Biblical Studies & Early Christianity, Department of Religious Studies at John Carroll University, Ohio.

Apart from her research and teaching on New Testament studies, Hermeneutics and Early Christianity,  Sheila also has experience working with campus and youth ministries, community service work, variety of groups on issues of poverty, solidarity and social justice.

For more information: http://www.jcu.edu/bible/mcginn/index.htm

These special sessions are jointly organized by:

Alpha & Omega International College (AOIC) ~ Friends in Conversation (FIC) ~ Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) – Center of Theologial Education by Extension(CTEE)

For more information please contact Rev.Sivin Kit Email: contactsivin@gmail.com Phone: 013.3507246

Jesus and Money from CPX on Vimeo.

I think this topic is relevant to all of us

Simon Smart talks to Ben Witherington III, Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, about money and what the ancient texts of the New Testament say about it.

For more information go to: http://www.bonhoeffer.com/

Our lives aren’t always moving the way we expect it to. Too many other variables feed into our timetables.

Being soaked in the arts and literary creativity was so refreshing. Just what I needed at a human level.

It was also nice to be in a different “congregation”. People from all over town and spheres which I may be less familiar with. But somehow, we were all drawn in by words, melodies, imagination, meditation, the darkness as well as the light, the noise together with the silence.

I wish I could have stayed till the end.  So often it’s the after event conversations which deepen first impressions. But then, today is Saturday.  Tomorrow is Sunday.

I carried within my heart some heaviness. I confess some anger.

Here we are working our heads off and sweating all the way to make it a little more possible to not allow hatred to reign.  But then comes some self-appointed crusader only to using  sheer stupidity (I use this word deliberately) as well as not one inch of self-awareness (unless this is a total publicity stint), to pull the name we treasure so dearly down.

Please not in our name or the name of our Scriptures! For goodness sake, I prefer people to stand up for what is truly right.  Before making sure what that is, please sit down and let others check out the fancy ideas we have to so called “bring awareness”.

the last I remember, apart from compassion there is this word that rhymes with it – Wisdom!

Okay . I better not carry on.  I have already “vomited  enough blood” (to use a Cantonese expression).

Breath in, Breath out.

My pages are still blank . I’m going to take this to the Almighty Abba Father. We’ll trash it all out there. Lord have mercy.

It’s good to get back to some writing.  I think digging through some old blog posts for my potential upcoming book helped.

This would be good pre-watching before this Sunday’s event on "Christians & Citizenship".