I'm Learning (1)

I like to read. I like to learn. But I realised that it is very natural for me to treat the Scripture merely as a piece of information for cerebral stimulation. I feel that it is pointless devouring the Scriptures in depth and in length without taking conscious effort to apply the truth in my life. Furthermore, I realised that I can only apply a lesson (or at most a few) at one go. So, for this period of time, I am learning this:

Esteem not thyself better than others, lest perhaps in the sight of God, who knoweth what is in man, thou be accounted worse than they... It doth no hurt to thee to set thyself lower than all men, but it hurteth thee exceedingly if thou set thyself before even one man. Continual peace is with the humble; but in the heart of the proud is envy and frequent indignation.

Thomas Kempis
Imitation of Christ

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your owe eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

Commentary from NIV Life Application Study Bible:

Jesus' statement, "Do not judge," is against the kind of hypocritical, judgmental attitude that tears others down in order to build oneself up. It is not a blanket statement against all critical thinking, but a call to be discerning rather than negative.

I Was Terribly Sick

Just when you thought that this blog has been permanently abandoned...

Yes, there was a time, a long period of time, when I was entertaining the idea of giving up blogging.

There was a time I was terribly sick. I was sick of reading blogs that insinuate others sarcastically with an attitude of superiority. I was sick of reading blogs that pretend to be nice and diplomatic but ended up saying nothing. I was sick of reading blogs that boast about nothing but the authors themselves. Worst of all, I was sick as I realised that I was guilty of such now and then.

I did not like what I read. I did not like what I wrote. Lest I continue to fall into such fatal traps, lest I accidentally abuse blogging again, I stopped blogging for a long time.

But, after a long period of reflection and prayer, I decided to pick up from where I have left. It is no longer important to ask why I have decided to continue, but it is important for me (and for all bloggers) from now on to learn to write humbly and sincerely with the single intention of building others up. It is my prayer that our hearts be examined before we write.

May God help us.