jeudi, novembre 12, 2009  I feel quite alone, most days.Most of my days, like many, many other young adults, are spent working. That's quite a substantial portion of your life taken up. I split the rest of my time and attention between my friends, my family, and church. Sometimes the friends are in church. Sometimes the family is in church. Sometimes, the church is family and friends. Sometimes the church is bigger (Baptist Convention, Baptist Seminary), sometimes it's tiny (playing with little babies.) It's confusing, I know - but isn't life? I love my life. I say that without reservation or irony or sarcasm. I feel blessed by everything that God has given to me - He's decided where I was born, who I was born to, who my parents are, my bro, my relatives - and through His help, I've made some baby steps at making some decisions, like who my friends are, who my closer pals are, where I went to school, what I do with my life, etc. I'd like to say that I've tried hard to stick with His precepts in keeping the Word at the centre of my life. I'd like to say that very much. I hope that with His Holy Spirit's help, I'll continue to keep the Word close, and keep growing in the knowledge and fear of Him. I just wish that the world wouldn't stand so close to me. ***** There are "safe" jobs to be had. "Safe" jobs in "safe" sectors, where you head to the office and you do your work, and then maybe you meet your partner after work to have a nice dinner at a hawker centre, and then you go home. You finish another year at the company, and then you move up the corporate ladder, collecting $200 as you pass GO, and getting bumped up the promotion scale as you move along. Yes, there are definitely "safe" jobs out there, and I sometimes wish that I had one of them. Sometimes. Not all the time. ***** My job isn't "safe". My job rocks-n-rolls. Last week, I started writing an essay on ASEAN and Civil Society for a think tank. I edited a Summary Note which would feed into the APEC policy process through my boss. I visited a ball-bearings plant in Changi to get video footage of interviews for a research project, which was done in collaboration with a Japanese institute, and the UNEP programme. Then I had a press conference at a famous restaurant and bar. And then I had an amazing international conference with a think tank from Geneva. I met an ambassador or two. That was last week alone. This week, I've had lunch with an ambassador's wife. I've met the head of a very large, global environmental NGO. I've met some of their research staff too - one of whom was involved with Al Gore's team that won the Nobel prize. And of course, the biggie this week: APEC. It's all very breathtaking and exciting. ***** Oh, how I wish the world would not stand so close to me. There are very few overtly Christian people I meet in my industry. I wish I had people whom I could go to, mentors I could turn to for advice on how to do "this whole thing" with God in the picture. People who have gone before me, and have experienced the things I feel, and who are role-models for me to follow. People who would tell me that - yes, this is possible, it's tough, but I've done it. Women, especially, who are in positions that count - tell me that holding on to God is possible, even as everything's rushing by you, and you feel that your grip on the Holy Spirit's getting slippery as you sweat the big/small stuff. Tell me it's possible. Tell me that you've done it. Encourage me with your testimonies. God tells me that it's possible, and I truly believe it is - but where are the faithful few who are the witnesses to this? God says that we're disciples everywhere - to Jerusalem, Samaria, even to the ends of the earth - but not into this arena? Oh bible-believing Christian, where are you? Stand up and be counted. Stand up by the sidelines and cheer the rest of us along. Bloodied and bruised by well-meaning advice that's sincere but completely, utterly wrong, please don't take long. Libellés : thinking [don't stand so close to me] |
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