Numb?

Here’s something I scribbled (I mean typed) for our church Christmas edition newsletter .. minimal editing here just some raw reflections – as usual. 🙂

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“Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love.”

~ Mother Theresa

“So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.”

~ John 1:14

A couple of days ago May Chin shared with me how some of her friends from other religious traditions look more excited than we are about this Christmas season. There’s the usual anticipation for the year end sales. There are parties planned. And of course, some have holiday travels in mind. The commercialization of Christmas is already a given nowadays and I’m not going to spend time complaining about it (I just don’t get caught up in it!). It’s also not surprising to say Christmas is supposed to be the busiest time for Christians too with caroling, Cantatas, buying presents, multiple Christmas services, etc. After some years, it’s tempting that this year in and year out season becomes numb and loses it’s initial excitement.

However, there have been a few gems along this season that has touched my heart (addressing the numbness) and connected me to the true meaning of Christmas with its message of love, grace and peace (focusing my mind). The first one was a little episode of enjoying a whole morning with the Rumah Hope kids “just playing” at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Park on December 3, 2005 Saturday. I found immense joy at one point when a couple of BLC big guys joined in a volley ball circle and we just laughed and laughed while trying to keep the ball in the air. For me that was a special time because we played “with” the kids and were not just focused on getting the program ready “for” them.

Another little moment was when I returned home from a 6 day 5 night camp for the TRAC Methodist Church youth at Port Dickson and was welcomed home with much joy by a hug from Gareth and a consecutive 3 minutes of giggles from Elysia. A bonus was when Gareth brought me to the Christmas tree May Chin helped to set up and he started to talk about how we helped decorate the tree with his own toys. Again it was not just about what we parents did “for” our kids, but what we did “with” them.

Both episodes wouldn’t be in the category of “greatness” (I guess) but in the spirit of the Mother Theresa quote above – it was small things done with “great love”. It’s moments like these little episodes that breaks through any form of “numbness” to a state of genuine excitement and joy. Not too spectacular I know, but in touch with what increasingly I see as more important stuff of life. These moments also lead me to see Christmas not just about how much God has done “for” me (which I’m totally grateful for) but more so helping me to recall that God came down to “be with us” in the person of Jesus Christ and now “walk with us” (“play with us?”) in this strange game called life. He’s not only involved but he’s also committed to us. Somehow this truth brings me to reexamine my involvement and commitment to Him and invites me again to say …

“I’m grateful .. for how awesome You are and all that you’ve done!” …

“I’m sorry .. for going off my own track again and again … I’m getting back on track.”

“I want to (with your help) play my part together with You

to make game called life become a beautiful one!”
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