Investing in People (bit of a rant)

Just had been hearing a sermon by Erwin McManus about investing in people and was just amazed by the level of understanding and depth of wisdom concerning the topic.

Just looking back at my life, and thinking about some of the people I have invested in. My time, effort, just being there for them, driving out late into the night just to have a chat with them. Some with multiple returns and some with nothing whatsoever. It can be quite disheartening, but the people who do bring back fruits, it's really worth it.

I think thats the drive of pastoral care. That a person matures both spiritually and in his personality. The dream is to always help people find and pursue their destiny in Christ, finding their place in this world and with people of same likeness and mind. Hence, I love the Planetshaker Call "To Empower a Generation to win a generation".

I think the problem recently I've been having is not seeing people come to fruition. But these sort of things take time and prayer. Lots of prayer. Which I haven't been doing. Hehe. But even so, just have to keep on planting the seeds, and let God bring the rain.

The thing is sometimes I don't know whether the seeds that I am planting are even good. Like the bible says, wheat and the weeds. Words are powerful, and what kind of plant are you planting? I know God has given me some level of authority and charisma, in both my speech and my personality. The question is learning to be faithful, and living in integrity using the tools that God has given you.

And life, well, it is also a growing process for me. Things which I thought was right, I think maybe perhaps otherwise now. But yeah life is interesting. And I find the interesting part is that I grow a lot by mentoring people. Just wish I know more being able to impact people in a positive and better manner. Have to pray more for the keys to move hearts and minds.

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I think aside from that, I also need to learn to invest in myself. Which I am really bad in. And like Erwin McManus says, hanging out more with friends who refresh me. I haven't really had that type of friends for a while, I think I might just be hanging out with the wrong company or not anyone at all at the moment.

A Eulogy of 2008

Recently I've been questioning a bit about my mortality and legacy. Sounds a bit morbid, but just taking a moment of reflection, especially after I had a friend who had a bit of a cancer scare that reminded me of relatives and friends who are fighting the fight for their lives just made me put things back into a bigger picture of life in totality.

Yesterday I took a bit of time to think of several pointers to write a eulogy. Just questioning myself, how would I be remembered?

*Would I be remembered fondly? Or perhaps hated?
*Had people perceived me as happy, an encourager and a great companion to have around? Or moody and drains the life of everyone around them?
*Was I a friend to not only the loved but the unloved? The ugly, the disdained, the weird.
*Was I a giver? Or a Taker? Generous or selfish in both my emotions, finances, and even my friendship?
*How about Integrity? Do people believe in what I say? Had I lived up to my words? Do I keep my promises? Do I keep your secrets?
*Was I passionate in the way I lived my life taking risks and living a life of faith to achieve new heights? Or a coward and never amount to anything?
*Was I a dream-maker? Was I a source of encouragement? Did I even matter? Did I just lived to suck up all the life of everyone around me including resources from my parents and friends? Have I lived made a change in your life that you have lived for the better because of me?
*Did you ever see Jesus in Me?


You know what.. having a thought about this made me realise about insecurities, that it doesn't matter whether you were handsome, beautiful, hot, sexy, intelligent, rich.. or maybe even funny.

But it's not those things that you were, but what you did that left an impacting legacy of the man or woman you were. The imprint you left behind while you were on this world.

I don't have children yet, but I believe there is an inherent desire in all of us to live for a change, or live for something bigger than all of us, that if we don't succeed and finish the race, there will be others who will take the baton and run off where we left off. For Christians it would be the great commission.

Yeah, but just thinking of it, not before you die, but now, as you live. It challenges me to want to be different, to live my life differently. Like Jesus says, "Love Others". Where has the Love went? We Christ was the author of the Love Revolution. Why has the Hippies taken it over? And since when did the church resort back to Religion? I want to die, not with no regrets, but with a knowing that I lived a life of Love.

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I believe Time is a blessing given by God. He created the days, the months,seasons and years. A year of jubilee, a year of new beginnings, a season of blessing and restoration.

Ecclesiastes 3;

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.


As we come to a close of 2008, I've just been reflecting, not that I'm dying, but 2008 is. Because it cannot be relived again.

To be honest, I never really cared about new years until recently. Zooming out of my life and seeing it from above with a macro view, I want to see how far I've come, where I'm going and reviewing the how to to get there. Mistakes are never fatal, Regrets are never helpful, But Mistakes are a teacher, and regrets are meant to propel you to make a change.

Just reflecting on 2008. Yes, I have made a lot of mistakes. But that's what a new year is for. To pick up yourself from the ashes and run the race anew leaving behind the dissapointments, the frustrations, the mistakes, the sadness, the pain, the stupid choices in life. It is a time for refreshment, a time for reconciliation, a time for forgiveness, a time for a change in perspective.

Hebrews 12: 1 - And let us run with endurance the race God has set before 12.

12 - So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.

13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.



Have a Happy New Year peeps. I'll See you all on the other side~!