The color blind christian?

This is a quote from "Sophie and the rising sun" by Augusta Trobaugh.

"... I could see a terrible struggle going on inside her -between her "Christian duty" to bring this errant lamb to the fold of Christ's flock and her blatant determination that he not enter that fold on a path that led through the white church."

I often wonder if that kind of mentality still exists in today's white Christian. My hunch is, you can find many who are genuinely color blind and only see Christ in the eyes of fellow believers of colors. Nevertheless not all Christian are color blind. Many are comfortable to relate to people of colors as objects of mission endeavor or charity but not as equal brethrens worthy to serve in the church organization.

In an international church, there are micro communities cropping up along nationalities and racial lines. Together and yet deeply divided by suspicions, jealousy and differences. The Americans, the Koreans, the locals, the Europeans and others mix like water and oil. One is not part of the other's world. How sad our Lord must be at the state of the church.

Demi Moore

Bruce Willis used to be Demi's object of eros. Demi's love did not disappear or expire, instead, the love transform from eros to familial. Bruce is now the father of her children. He is still a big part of her family. But her object of eros is now Ashton. How can that be? Is it just a show or just for the children?

This thing about love

Is there such thing as everlasting love? Or is there a sell by date for love, even true love (Sumiko Tan, Strait Times, 18 November 2007). Or do we simply let love relationship fall into neglect? (Ushman, The Rug Merchant).

The Greek has 4 different names for love: familial love, friendship love, erotic love and godly love.
While many people lose the love, it's possible for love to transform from one type into another. The best is when love transform into an agape love, the Godly love, highest form of sacrificial and unselfish love.

However, would the human heart be able to find fulfillment with agape love? Can relationship between a man and a woman last in agape state? How about eros, love between a man and a woman? Don't everybody need a dose of erotic love to feed our addiction to dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine? Oh, give me some... dopamine, serotonin and and norepinephrine, that is.

Tepper Isn't Going Out

What an entertaining book. It's a story about a New Yorker and how his mundane life can change dramatically. So if you think your life is boring, read this book and you can hope that maybe something like what happened to Tepper will happen to you. I wonder whether someone so unaffected person truly exist.

Books

Have you ever been recommended by a friend to read a certain book? Over the years, I have had books shoved to my face literally. Many of them are spiritual books such as this Derek Prince book. I usually would try to refuse it first. If the person insisted, I'd then accept it. I'd give the book half an hour of my time. If within that half an hour, it failed to entice me to continue, I'd let it sit until the next time I saw the giver and returned it.

It is actually offensive, is it not, to tell a friend that one should read such and such spiritual book by actually shoving the book to one's hand? It reminds me of those tracts distributing Christians. Hey, you need this (because I don't think you have the holy spirit in you). Hey, read this to be saved (because I think you are on your way to hell). Hey, read this. It will make you a better person (which implies one is not good enough). Read it. You need it. It's good for your spiritual life which you have neglected. It also implies that the giver no longer need the book as he or she has already achieved whatever changes in one's life the book tries to accomplish.

It's how I felt when the book was given to me to bring home. It got me to wonder, whether distributing tracts directly to people is received negatively. Isn't it better to place the tract for people to find and peruse at the urging of the holy spirit?

Count your blessings

There are two missionaries I am personally familiar with. One serving in a village in West Africa. She lives in a place without electricity and relies on six solar panels that give her about 600 watt enough for her refrigerator and some lighting. She has no central heating for winter or air condition for summer. No TV and no telephone. Internet access is used sparingly because she is charged by the byte used. Food supply is not consistent. Life is very simple. Despite of this, she never complain and never broadcast her hardship. All this information I received from her after meticulous questioning. I was glad I spent time talking to her and God gave me the insight to ask the right questions to get the whole picture of how her life on the mission field is like.

Another missionary I know of is serving in Singapore. The family live in an upscale, centrally located condominium where only the expatriate and top 5% locals earning local salary can afford to stay. They have air conditioning that they use daily, cable TV and broadband internet access. They also bought a personal car which is considered a luxury item for the local as only 30% of the population own a car. And through all this I've heard numerous complaints about how much they have do make do and do without. One year, they complain that they cannot afford a real tree for Christmas as it costs as much one week's grocery for the whole family. Another time, they complain about how they have to deprive their children of a horseback ride because of cost.

Count your blessings. Stop complaining. It's unchristian.