Christian

"For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother. " Matthew 12:50

A dramatic actor should have drama in life so he can be that kind of actor.

A social worker should be social first to be a worker.

A street dancer must be a dweller for him to become its dancer.

Jesus claims, "...whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." Living our life for God requires doing. More than hearing. More than listening. It's an active verb - do. Do follow His ways. Do give Him worship. Do believe in Him. Maybe that's why we answer, "I do." during the confession of our baptism.

A Christian blogger should live as a Christian first before as a writer. His life is his most read blog post.

A Christian singer is first and foremost a Christian before he belts out a song. His life is heard and brings melody in the air waves.

A Christian servant lives out Jesus' will before he utilizes his hands for the service. The best service he can render is to follow his Lord.

As Christians we are called to do His will.

Be faithful to your spouse. Be a good and attentive parent. Work during office hours. Love the outcasts. Care for your siblings. Forgive those trespassers. Pay your debts. Be a responsible citizen. Encourage the weak. Lift up the lowly. Be holy. Read and live His word. Be a Christian.

Walls

They pass through outer and inner wall and see the God of gods on Zion. Psalm 84:8

Three kinds of walls.

One is an opaque wall. Like the wall in your house. Like the white concrete in your office or school. When you look at it what do you see? The wall.

Next has a mirror finish. It's like the one in the carnival. You enter this mirror house. The walls have mirrors at both sides. You stare at the wall and you see this - You.

The last type is a transparent wall. You see through this edifice. Crystal clear is the scene at the other side. You look at it and view what is on the other side.

If we accept a wall in you life as an opaque wall, all you can see is the difficulty. Your vision is blocked. You can't see through the problem. When we stare at a wall of a challenge as the second one, we focus on what we can do to overcome the wall. We rely on our strength. We depend on our own. We look at our resume. We look at our diplomas.

The psalmist urges us to look at any wall in life as the third one. Walls of temptations. Walls of unnecessary burdens. Walls of health problems. Walls of worries and concerns. Walls of marital issues. We look at the wall and see the other side. Outer or inner, we see the other side. When we see the other side, we see the God who prepares the other side for us. We see that He will bring us from the outer to the inner. We see we can pass from the outer to the inner of the wall because we see God as our refuge.

Walls are no match to God. See God through your walls.

Better Part

"There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." Luke 10:42

I want my daughters to pay attention in attending the holy mass. We teach them how to participate and appreciate the presence of God in the Eucharist. Yet, since they are kids, things go the opposite way. If they talk to their mother, I remind them to get back and face the priest. If they suddenly want to go to the bathroom, I am seemingly disgusted. If they creep towards their mom and hug her, my eyes roll on them. As a result, I am distracted with my prayers and meditation during the mass.

The same result happened in Martha's household. Martha was distracted with many things. The meals to be prepared. The dinner table at the kitchen. Washing of the utensils. Mary at the feet of Jesus. Thus, Jesus told her, "Mary has chosen the better part..."

Like Martha, I have chosen to be anxious about my daughters to participate rather than praise and worship God. I have chosen to be worried about my girls' feet loitering around rather than sitting at the feet of Christ during the holy mass.

You might be there....

You can't focus since your finances are not financing you.
Your heart is troubled for news reached you about your parent's decrementing health.
The job you have is not sitting permanently and this is giving you restlessness.
Distracted by your preparation for your ministry meeting.
Anxious about your exhortation next prayer meeting.
Worried about what will be your topic in the next small group meeting.

Many things may distract us. Many things may give us worries. Choose not to be troubled. Choose not to be anxious. Choose to sit at His feet. Choose the better part.

Burdened

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." Luke 10:40

Martha was burdened. She was not burdened with serving. She was burdened with much serving.

That's the keyword - much.

We find ourselves in Martha. Burdened with much serving.

When we put matters to our hands and don't delegate to others. When we want to shine and don't allow others to have their time. When we think highly of ourselves and look down on others. When we think we can do better and perceive others will make things worst. When we see ourselves as super and look at others as ordinary.

Serving God should give us joy and not burden. Serving Jesus should allow us to see God's best and not put in us unwanted stress. Serving the church should give us push up not weigh us down.

May I suggest the following?

• Train people to do what you do.
• Delegate with confidence.
• Get people involved and accountable.
• Remember people should start somewhere, just like you did.
• Be reminded, the heart of a servant is more important than the work of a servant.
• Be a mentor not a tormentor.

When you have servants around you, don't be burdened with much serving.

Welcomed by One

As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. Luke 10:38

In the Philippines, it is customary to put up a welcome banner when a top government official or a celebrity comes into a place. And when the day comes, flocks gather to welcome that person. Media men, welcoming parties, students, vendors, ordinary people and locals greets the person. Cameras, videos and cellphones will work their wonders to capture the moment on the welcoming celebration.

Weird, this did not happen to Jesus. They came to one village yet Jesus was welcomed only by one. If there is banner for this welcome, it says, "Welcome Jesus! -by Martha". A village may have few tens to hundreds of people but only Martha welcomed Jesus. At this time, Jesus was already a word of mouth article. He has preached. He has healed the body and soul. He has performed miracles. Jesus was "somebody" when he entered this village. Yet He was welcomed only by one.

Would this be a problem?, I don't think so.

Jesus starts with this in our lives. At the beginning, He is welcomed by one. Remember this?

You welcomed Jesus in your large nominal Catholic family and clan.
You welcomed Him in your engineering class.
You welcomed Jesus in your office.
You welcomed Him in your circle of friends.
You welcomed Jesus in your social action club.
You welcomed Him in your on-line group.

In spite of these, Jesus entered. Jesus walked in your place. Jesus came and stayed though He may be welcomed only by one.

Retweet

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10:36-37

In Twitter, there is a way to retweet what was twitted by a friend. If the person you are following in Twitter expressed a memorable phrase, chances are you can retweet those words. If a person who is a celebrity twitted about you, chances are you will retweet those words. When a person in Twitter twits about his or her take on one issue, you can bet those words will be retweeted by his or her followers. This is one illustration of what was expressed is what you will express. It is about photocopying what was printed.

Jesus encouraged one scholar of the law to do this. When the scholar identified who acted as a neighbor to the victim in the parable, Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Jesus was saying this is what he did, then also do this. The Lord was telling him, the Good Samaritan expressed this, express this, too. The Samaritan cared for the victim, care for others, too. The Samaritan provided for the victim, provide for the needy, too.

Jesus is pointing this important lesson - don't just be satisfied in knowing who is doing good, do what is good.

We know someone who loved the unlovable, love your enemies. We know that person gives generously, give until it hurts. We know somebody who is faithful until the end, run the race with perseverance and pray for endurance to do so. We know someone who cares for the orphans, go to the streets and gather the children. We know a brother who keeps his calm in times of distress, fix your eyes in Jesus when trouble comes. We know a sister who is all out for God; give what you have to Jesus. You see a church member who keeps her commitment, fulfill your covenant. You know a friend who is loyal to his wife, love your spouse to the fullest.

It's not illegal to copy in this case. It's legal to, "Go and do likewise." It's time to retweet.

Walk the Talk

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns. Matthew 11:1

He commanded them to come to the towns. Jesus came to the towns.
He commanded them to teach. Jesus taught.
He commanded them to preach. Jesus preached.

In here, we reflect how walk the talk is practiced by our Lord. He was leading them yet he was also a follower. He was pointing them to a certain direction and he went to that direction. He was speaking about something to be done and he did what was said.

Can we follow Jesus' example?

You tell your kids to be courageous in the face of challenges in school. Be courageous in your challenges in raising your family.

You tell your kids to keep their promises. Fulfill your commitments.

You keep saying to your kids to be generous. Have you sent your monthly pledge for the mission?

You tell your spouse don't talk about other people's life. Watch out your speech about your co-worker.

You encourage the brothers and sisters to be faithful. Don't get tired and don't grow weary in doing good.

You motivate people to keep their daily prayer time. Kneel and listen to Him.

You write about living for God. Live for Him.

You preach about serving Him alone. Serve with gladness, in small or big ways.

Lead and follow. Command and work your hands. You can do this. We can do this. Let's walk the talk.

Shoulder

He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. Luke 10:34

It's usual to hear these words.

Can you please shoulder the cost for your friend since he is short on finances?
Can you shoulder the expenses for the drinks since we have took care of the other things?
Can you shoulder her tuition in the coming semester?

We use the word "shoulder" to take care of someone. We use it to move someone from one point to another. We use it to provide for someone who can't make ends meet.

The good Samaritan did this. He shouldered the victim. He came near to him. He poured oil on him. He bandaged his wounds. He carried him. He gave him refuge. He cared for him. The victim lacked, the Samaritan provided. The victim can't walk, he carried him. The victim can't heal himself, he cared for him. No one was there for the victim, the Samaritan came near. The Samaritan shouldered the victim.

Victims are around us. Victims of addiction. Victims of marital problems. Victims of unemployment. Victims of recession. Victims of relative's death. Victims of depression. Can you shoulder them? If we are expressing our love for our neighbor, we should do this. Someone should shoulder someone. We carry a friend's burden. We lift a brother's low self-esteem. We push somebody's heart upwards when they are crushed. We might even have to give our financial resources to enable someone. We shoulder what they can't carry. We shoulder what they can't push or pull. We shoulder what they can't lift.

Today, put someone on your shoulder.

Finisher

When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Matthew 10:23

If I can't finish digging a hole in the ground for the family's waste management, my father comes to finish it. If I can't finish arranging the textile stacks when we are closing our store, my father comes and he finishes the job. If I can't complete my household chore in time, my father comes to my aid and he completes the work.

Jesus said to His disciples, "...you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." He was saying the job will be unfinished. He was telling the Twelve, the work won't be complete. Jesus is saying, He is the finisher. He is the completion. He will finish what we can't finish. He will complete what is lacking. He will cover the uncovered.

One thing we must acknowledge here is this - we have limitations and Jesus is limitless. There is a boundary of what we can reach. There is a limit in what we can finish. There is a demarcation line in what we can accomplish. That's why He will come. The limitless will come and He will finish the mission. Sounds familiar, right?

You have not finished all the universities and reach college students.
You have not finished all the cities and reach single working people.
You have not finished inviting your relatives to join you in the prayer meetings.
You have not finished the plan of evangelizing your kids.
You have not finished praying for your co-worker to come with you to community.

This should free us rather than force us. Free us from forcing ourselves to complete God's work. Free us from putting the pressure and burden in ourselves from finishing His job. Freedom from "we have not done it all" in knowing we have a God who will cover for us. He will finish the work for it is His work.

Jesus is telling us, "Your job is only up to here." For He is the finisher.

Istorbo

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Mark 10:17

Istorbo! Ito yung mga taong bigla na lang andyan sa harap habang ikaw ay papunta sa importanteng lakad mo.

Di ba nila alam na nag-prepare ka para sa lakad mo na ito tapos bigla silang insert para mag-interrupt ng iyong walk. Hay naku!!?

Di ba nila alam na ang iyong lakad marahil ay usapang buhay o kamatayan and then tadaah!, right in your face sila. Hello!!?

Di ba nila alam na pinili mo pa ang iyong isusuot sa loob ng maraming oras, labas masok ang mga damit sa loob ng cabinet mo, upang maging presentable ka tapos hayan sila asking for insignificant help. Ano sila hilo?!!

Di ba nila alam na one-year in the making itong lakad mo, winalis mo ang ibang appointments upang makapunta ka sa very, oo very very, important event na yun tapos parang breaking news sa TV lilitaw sila bigla. Okay sa all right, ano?!!

Gaya nitong man who ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him. Istorbo sa lakad ni Lord. May journey si Lord - to save our souls. Tapos bigla na lang siyang andyan sa harap niya na parang nag-popropose ng marriage. Nagtatakbo, naglumuhod at nagtanong pa. Sarap tirisin, ano?

Pero hindi tiris ang ginawa ni Lord. He gave time and love ( v.21) for this man. He allowed him to be with Him. He answered his question. He expounded more and further. Hindi siya istorbo ke Jesus.

At hinde rin tayo istorbo sa Kanya. He is keeping the solar system and the universe in their orbits pero tumakbo ka sa Kanya. He is trying to balance the world economies pero lumuhod ka sa Kanya. He is healing someone now, he is saving souls now, he is forgiving someone now, he is busy now…pero magtanong ka sa Kanya. He will give you time and love.

O ano pang ginagawa mo, istorbohin mo na si Lord!

Free Agents

While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Matthew 9:18, 20

As of this writing, NBA players under free agency are meeting with several interested team managers and officials. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh among others are the most met ball payers this summer. The team officials throw their pitch to these players of what they offer, what are their plans and how much they can offer. For example, Lebron is being wooed by New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and his present or former team, Cleveland Cavaliers. Offers include player's contract plus business opportunities plus other perks are being laid unto him. In all these offers, the player is free to choose. He is free to select which team will give him what he needs to be a champion more than the money they can pay him. Multiple teams will come to him, but he will come to only one. He will come to the one team he believes he will find what he is playing for - an NBA championship.

The official was a free agent, too. He is free to choose what he is going to do with his dead daughter. He can choose to let go of her. He can choose to bury her. He can choose to bring her to somebody who claims to give life, and that's what he chose. He chose to come to Jesus. He chose to kneel before Him and beg Him on behalf of his beloved daughter. He chose to come to the One he believed he will find life amidst death.

The woman suffering with hemorrhages was another free agent. She is free to choose what she will do with her twelve years old sickness. She can just give up. She can just go on with her life day by day with pain. She can choose to come to someone who heals health and heart, and that's what she chose. She chose to come to Jesus. She chose to come closer to Him up to the point she could touch Him. She chose to come to the One she believed she will find healing amidst pain.

Daily, we are being offered what we will do with life. We choose between hundreds of offers. We choose every second. We choose what can happen next minute. We choose what we are in the coming years. We choose, for we are free to choose. And we will choose only one at any time. Hopefully, among offers which come to us, we will come to the One we believe we will find life and healing.

Choose Jesus.

Independence and Friendship

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Luke 10:2

4th of July. For Americans, its Independence day. This is the day what we call Filipino-American Friendship day in the Philippines. One would wonder why we have the reading above on this day. Two words- Independence and Friendship.

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few..."

Independence. Some laborers took off on their own ways. They were one with the field owner once but they set-up their own shop. Part of this group went on to plow other field which they thought found worthy of their time. Part of this group grew impatient. They spent time looking for the harvest and not at the Lord of the harvest. Some laborers are still in the field, but they are still. They just hang around. They just look at the wall clock going around. Some laborers are still in the field yet they think highly of themselves, they do things without consulting the Lord of the harvest. They think they are doing Him a favor not the other way around.

"...so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

Friendship. Be friends with the Master. Sit down and talk with the Lord of the harvest. Ask the Master what you need, whom you need, when you need, where you need. Ask the Master to bring up the newbies. Ask the Master to build up the not so confident. Ask the Master to bring back those who were once part of the field crew. Ask the Master to grant patience to those who can't wait for harvest time. Ask the Master to revive the complacent. Ask the Master to humble the wise guys. When we ask, we are admitting its the Master who matters not the laborers.

We have a huge harvest. We are still short of manpower.

Don't be independent from the Master. Have friendship with Him.

The Collector

The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Matthew 9:10

We are collectors.

My daughter Praise collects brain stuff. She loves them. She reads and feeds her brain. She startles me at the family table when she would ask about a word or two on their meaning and usage. She has not stopped collecting.

My daughter Bless keeps dollars. For a child of eight years on earth, she is bent on saving up to last cent. She finds her way to get the most out of her parents and sister. She has not stopped collecting.

Billie, my wife of ten plus something years, collects family pictures. She bugs me to take pictures. She even overloaded her Flicker account that they asked her to pay up. She didn't pay but we have the pictures. She has not stopped collecting.

I just bought a DVD of the Chicago Bulls championship run in the 90s from the NBA store. Yeah, you guess it. I collect somethings in basketball. I keep a box of basketball cards including an unopened Lebron James rookies cards and KB24's high school tag. I have not stopped collecting.

Matthew collects taxes. He might have cherished gathering money for this is his work. But when he collects, he has regrets. People looks into his job as a sin. People looks at him as a sinner. He has stopped collecting for Matthew was collected. By Jesus.

Jesus collects sinners. He collects society's outcasts and private wrongdoers. He came to call them to be with Him. He came to bring them fullness. When He collects, He gives life to the ones He has gathered. Jesus gathers them to bring them His unconditional love. He looks at them as precious children not as profitable things. He looks at them as friends not as collector's items. He keeps them not to gather dust but to flourish by His grace and mercy. Jesus has not stopped collecting.

We are collected. Jesus is the Collector.

Assignment

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

Jesus gave him his assignment. We all know what happened here. Jesus asked his disciples about who do people say He is. In the end of the reports, Jesus inquired about who is He for the twelve. Peter, in one of His rare greatest vocal feat, exclaimed "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (v. 16). And the Savior gave him his assignment - rock of the church.

This is the same Simon who knows how to fish and knows not how to preach. This is the same Simon who knows how to sail and knows not how to declaim. But one thing we know about Simon, now Peter, he knows the Christ. He knew his assignment because he knew Jesus.

Note this. His assignments evolved as his knowledge of the Christ has grown. Simon was healing the sick when he knew Jesus is the Healer. Simon was feeding thousands when he knew Jesus is the Provider. Simon was driving out evil spirits when he knew Jesus was being obeyed even by demons. Simon is the rock when he knew Jesus is the Rock of Salvation.

Remember yours?

You arranged chairs for the prayer meeting for you knew Jesus is arranging your life for Him. You help out in retreats when you knew Jesus is your only Help in times of distress. You kept the group's finances when you knew Jesus is your Treasure who never recedes. You were part of the music ministry when you knew Jesus is the Song of your life. You were a part of the planning team when you knew Jesus is the Planner who plans to give you a future and a hope.

Want to know yours?

Walk with Him, talk to Him daily. Keep your prayer time. Bring Him to your work and see Him work. Follow Him wherever, whenever, however. Read God's word and treasure Jesus' life.

Know Jesus and know your assignment.