This advertisement “Let’s Waste Less Today” was pinned on each cabin of the MRT train. The message was loud and clear. My friends captured the message to waste less. So there was a buzz about going online to buy recyclable straws and containers. We were happily selecting the colour of straws, the colour of the carriers for the straw sets. We were having fun while trying to waste less. These “waste less and save the earth” messages started spreading among us. I too became conscious and felt guilty if I had forgotten to bring my recyclable straw with me.
I can’t help thinking: we have the urgency to tell our friends to “Waste Less… Save the World” but hesitate to tell them about the deeper meaning of Christ coming to “Save Us.” We are held back by fear when it comes to sharing the good news of salvation with others. The Book of Acts reminded me that I needed to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. The attitude of the early Apostles who preached “Christ at every opportunity” in spite of the precarious situations they were in really helped me to let go of my fear, and replace it with boldness in Christ.
I was deeply encouraged when I saw how the apostles were severely flogged, imprisoned and confined, and yet they praised God and preached Christ at every given opportunity. God is so evident in their lives that Apostles Peter and John could claim:
“Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20)
“We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)
During our recent Saturday Service, we were supposed to share our barriers and struggles for not reaching out to our neighbours across the road. I could come up with a list of excuses but the greatest reason for me would be “I have not loved God enough to heed His call to reach out to our neighbours who are at my door step.” I told myself I have nothing to lose reaching out to our church neighbours. Instead, I have plenty to gain. I would become an ambassador for Jesus Christ. I would have overcome the barriers to speak to strangers. I would be introducing them not just the services of Bless Community Services, but more importantly, I would be helping them to inch closer to knowing about Christ through our acts of kindness.
It is important to understand that we are bringing “Good News” to our friends and neighbourhood. It is nothing we should feel ashamed about as ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16)
Perhaps the next time when we talk about efforts to “Save the World” we could tell our friends the deeper meaning of “Saving the World” (John 3:16).
By Serin Chng, Pastoral Staff (YCKC Bulletin 10&11 November 2018)