Favouritism in the church?

https://odb.org/2025/12/23/no-favoritism

James 2:1–4 (NIV): 2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant was stopped for recklessly driving his carriage through Washington DC. One published account says that the officer, an African American named William West, warned Grant, “Your fast driving, sir . . . is endangering the lives of the people who have to cross the street.” Grant apologized, but the next night he was racing carriages again. West stopped Grant’s horses. “I am very sorry, Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty.” West arrested the president.

I admire this brave man for doing his duty. So did Grant. He praised West and made sure he kept his job. God also was pleased, for He hates the injustice of favoritism. James wrote, “Believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (James 2:1). That includes not giving special favors to the rich and powerful, leaving only leftovers for the poor (vv. 2-4). Instead, we’re called to love our neighbor as ourselves (v. 8). If we play favorites, serving our platinum club neighbors rather than the less privileged, we “sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (v. 9). (Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Bread 23rd December 2025)

Showing favouritism is a human issue we face everywhere including at work, but sometimes unfortunately also in the church. The rich and famous are somewhat favoured, the former perhaps because of their contribution to the coffers of the church and the latter likely because of the fame itself. We tend to be proud if we have someone famous in the family, and the church or its community are no exceptions.

This favouritism shouldn’t be prevalent as it creates a class divide within the church, from the haves and the have nots. James already warned of this many years back but it’s still an issue to this very day. The church must not treat the rich as special because each and every one of us are special in the eyes of God. In fact, God’s heart is for the poor and the underprivileged when He made a law to favour the widows, orphans and the foreigner. When Jesus came, He went to the masses to heal the sick and not the select few in the synagogues or the Temple.

I’ll say that fortunately most churches do not actually and consciously favour the rich. They have programs to reach out to the poor and underprivileged instead. In fact, it is the rich with their money who contributed most to the efforts by the church to reach out. In the end, every one, whether rich or poor, will have a place at the table of the Lord and thus a seat in the congregation to worship the Lord, whether you pay your tithes or not. Everyone in the congregation has an equal opportunity to be involved in ministry, in fact, some ministries like hospitality or hospital visits may be self initiated. I’ll say most churches are aware and conscious of James 2 and are doing pretty well in this regard. Praise the Lord!

Send me your people

https://odb.org/2025/12/22/send-me-your-people

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 (NIV): 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

When my friend Maritza took a job that required traveling to many different cities by herself, she often felt lonely. But over dinner one night, she leaned in and told me, “Jen, I prayed and asked God to send me His people.” She went on to say it wasn’t long before she’d begun to meet other believers in Jesus on a regular basis. Once, she met three in one day!

When we encounter others who have faith in Jesus, we share a spiritual connection. In a hard-to-explain way, this lights a spark within us. We have the most important thing in common because we believe what the Bible says about Christ and how it’s possible to have a relationship with God through Him (Romans 10:9). (Jennifer Benson Schuldt, Our Daily Bread 22nd December 2025)

I’ve never prayed like Jen’s friend, Maritza, for God to send His people to meet her when she traveled alone to multiple cities for work. There was a time in the early 2000s that I traveled a lot for work at my previous workplace but it never occurred to me to pray for the LORD to send His people my way. I was mostly alone and missed home. However, I don’t believe I have knowingly ever met a fellow believer in those business travels which I estimate numbered around 50 times! How good it would have been if I had met with a fellow believer in my travels! Somehow there would have been a connection because we both believed in the same Lord Jesus Christ and have the same Holy Spirit living in us.

As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12, we all have a connection with one another because we are all part of the same body of Christ. We all have our respective roles to play based on our God-given talents and giftings and our calling in God. Yet we are all one. We are all part of the universal body of Christ. We need to work together and function as one to be effective for Christ.

The next time we travel, pray for God to connect us with His other children in the Kingdom of God. I’m sure we will revel in the fellowship and praise Him for the time together, connecting in the Spirit as we share our testimony with one another and our role in the body of Christ!

Have a good week ahead, everyone and have a great and blessed Christmas! I’ll be working until Christmas day as I’ve exhausted my annual leave this year travelling twice to Europe, partly for a tour and at the same time to see my son in Cardiff. But I’m sure most of you are now clearing leave and can’t wait for the festivities to start! Have a good time in the Lord in fellowship with one another!

Rest in God

https://odb.org/2025/12/19/still-sleeping

Acts 12:5–11 (NIV): 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

Did the apostle Peter feel likewise after being thrown into prison (Acts 12:4)? He was likely to face execution, yet the usually impulsive disciple “was sleeping between two soldiers” (v. 6). The angel had to “[strike] Peter on the side” to wake him up (v. 7)—suggesting that he was completely calm and at peace. Was it because he knew his life was in God’s hands? Verses 9 and 11 suggest that it wouldn’t have mattered whether he was rescued or not; perhaps he recalled the assurance of salvation and glory that Jesus had given him (Matthew 19:28), as well as Christ’s call to simply “follow me” and not worry about what would happen to him (John 21:22). (Leslie Koh, Our Daily Bread 19th December 2025)

One of the things I learned from my recent battle with high blood glucose is that insulin resistance can be caused by stress. Of course the primary reason is an inactive lifestyle due to the body cells having been permeated by fatty deposits over time leading to resistance towards insulin. Consequently, the glucose in the blood are unable to enter the cells and thus remain high in the blood which may lead to numerous health complications if left untreated. Medication, coupled with exercise and resistance training as well as dietry restraints will thus break down those fatty deposits and bring back the natural balance.

Stress at work however is unavoidable in this modern world as work demands and deadlines will always be there. Some cope better than others but ultimately if stress leads to sickness like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood glucose (prediabetes or diabetes) or even mental illness, there is case for a change of job or the job environment. For us who are on the verge of retirement, we may want to consider early retirement.

From a spiritual standpoint, stress in life may be lessened if we rest in God. Like the case of Peter in jail, about to be sentenced and likely executed the next day, he slept like a baby in jail and in chains flanked by two guards! We always look at Peter’s story in Acts 12 as more of a supernatural rescue by God through an angel but often overlook the demeanour of Peter who faced certain death the next day. But actually I believe if we dwell deeper into the annals of recorded history, we will find that all martyrs of God are at peace when thrown into the arena of the beasts or just plain executed. They are at peace because they are 100% certain that Christ will be at the other side to welcome them when they cross over into life after death.

This morning, I believe, that the calmness of Peter in facing possible death is a lesson for us on how to deal with stress in life. Rest in the Lord. Trust in Him. For we know that God will make all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Our lives are no longer ours when we accept Christ. “To die is gain but to live is Christ” is Paul’s rallying cry.

Have a good weekend ahead, everyone! Rest in the peace of God and may He give us peace that’s beyond our understanding! Amen!

God calls and equips

https://odb.org/2025/12/18/gifted-by-god

Exodus 31:1–11 (NIV): 31 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent—8 the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand—10 and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

Beethoven also had ample opportunity and exposure to music (which developed the aptitude he did have). Yet neither talent nor opportunity fully account for God’s role in endowing us with the abilities we have. Our Creator equipped two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, with specific skills to be used in building the tabernacle. God filled Bezalel “with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs” and appointed Oholiab “to help him” (Exodus 31:3-6). God gave “ability to all the skilled workers to make everything [He] commanded” (v. 6). (Kristen Holmberg, Our Daily Bread 18th December 2025)

In a recent sermon, I shared on the calling of God. One of the points I raised was that we were chosen even before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and God already called us before we were formed in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). These verses speak of God’s plans and purposes for our lives, conceived well before we were even born. There’s a sense of destiny in who we are in the Lord.

On the point of overcoming doubts over our calling, I spoke on trusting God’s timing as well as believing that the Lord will equip all whom He calls. We just need to respond in faith and He will prepare and equip us. Exodus 31 today is the perfect example of how God prepared and equipped two ancient men, Bezalel and Oholiab, with specific skills to build the tabernacle during the time of Moses. God had a purpose and He prepared and equipped the people necessary for that purpose.

Likewise when God calls us and He has a specific purpose in mind for us, He will prepare and equip us. Our skills could be our God-given talents that we were born with, honed with the natural skills we acquired from our upbringing, education, social exposure and work experience. Most importantly, trust that He equips whom He calls, even in areas we may have nothing!

God’s compassionate discipline

https://odb.org/2025/12/17/inestimable-worth

Isaiah 43:1–7 (NIV): 43 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

The Bible paints another picture of underestimated value and forgotten worth. Isaiah the prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, told God’s people that even though they would be taken away to a foreign land where they would suffer and be devalued, He would still be with them: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine,” He assured them (Isaiah 43:1). Though they would “pass through the waters” and “walk through the fire” (v. 2), His faithfulness to them would not change. With words that point to His coming kingdom in Christ, God promised that He would one day restore “everyone who is called by my name” (v. 7) and bring them home to Him (James Banks, Our Daily Bread 17th December 2025).

We all know by now that the Israelites in Judah (Judeans) were brought into exile by the Babylonians due to their disobedience towards God. They were exiled for 70 years. This was their second exile, the first was by the Assyrians. That was against the Northern Kingdom of Israel and led to the loss of the ten northern tribes as there was no documented return of the northerners. In other words, those who were exiled then, over time, effectively became part of the Assyrians by assimilation. In the second exile, Babylon was subsequently overrun by the Persians and the Judeans were permitted by the Persian King, Cyrus the Great, to return to Israel to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem (see the biblical account in Nehemiah).

Isaiah 43:5-7 is postulated as one of the ancient prophesies that foresaw the modern return of the Jewry from all over the world to Israel with the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Pastor Peter Tsukahira, a naturalised Israeli, often preached on this. However it is to be noted that after 70 years in exile, the Judeans did return to Israel even during those ancient times.

The exile and return of the Israelites during that Babylonian/Persian era speaks of both God’s judgment and compassion. He judged and yet He did not forsake them. It is a theme of God’s heart that we as modern-day believers in Jesus Christ must know. As much as the LORD may discipline or punish us for our disobedience, He is compassionate and forgiving if we were to repent from our wayward ways. Jesus taught this very clearly from the parable of the Prodigal Son.

Do not be afraid or run further away from God if we had been disobedient. Return to Him like the Judeans did after 70 years in Babylon. In our case, He will forgive us. He is a loving and compassionate God. For as proclaimed in Isaiah 43:4 – we are precious and honoured in His sight, because He loves us. Amen!

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25–34 (NIV): 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

The key to understanding the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) lies in knowing how first-century Israel answered the question, “Who is my neighbor?” (v. 29). They’d distorted the command “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) into “love your neighbor and hate your enemy” (Matthew 5:43). The Jews defined a neighbor as a fellow Israelite, for gentiles were accursed. For the Pharisees (experts in the law), it referred to a fellow Pharisee, for those who knew nothing of the law were accursed (John 7:49). Jesus turned this thinking upside down by making a hated Samaritan (people of mixed race whom the Jews viewed as heretics) the hero of the story. The Spirit can help us today to show compassion to others instead of simply passing by. (Bill Crowder, Insights Our Daily Bread 16 December 2025)

Unfortunately, the world, likely influenced by Satan’s indirect propaganda over the ages capitalising on human nature, had accepted the axiom that one should love one’s own but hate others. Most take the latter slightly or even moderately but some to extremes. But this ingrained thinking likely led to prejudice, racism, bigotry fueling hatred among races over centuries, for instance, between Arabs and Jews.

There are examples everywhere, between whites and coloured people, the British and the French and at home, between the 3 main races in Malaysia – the Malays versus the Chinese and Indians. Amongst the Malays, there is this preconceived idea that the non-Malays, whose ancestors were brought into Malaya to work at the tin mines and rubber estates, are out to take their inherent right to the riches of Malaya. Unfortunately, it was the British who exploited the situation as part of their global colonialism and present-day non-Malay Malaysians are just descendants of their ancestors. They are not migrants but descendants of migrants. Of course, this is not unique to Malaysia. Prejudice, racism and hatred exist everywhere in the world, even in homogeneous societies.

The issue is how can we as believers not only take a different view (which I believe most of us already have) but also make a difference? Can we be the Good Samaritan in situations we encounter in life? Can we put aside our ingrained prejudices, shaped by years of social conditioning, and love our “neighbour” as Jesus intended – everyone else, not just our kind or fellow believers? We probably can’t change others or society at large, but we can be the Good Samaritan!

We are all human

2 Corinthians 2:1–8 (NIV): So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

Hippocrates (ca. 460–375 bc) brought medicine out of the realm of the superstitious and into the light of testing and observation. But he didn’t lose sight of the patient’s humanity. “It is far more important to know what person the disease has,” he said, “than what disease the person has.”

The apostle Paul cared for a church with multiple problems, yet he saw the humanity of each member—including a man who’d committed a sin “that even pagans do not tolerate” (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul dealt strongly with the “disease,” and the man repented. (Tim Gustafson, Our Daily Bread 15 December 2025)

The quote from Hippocrates is interesting because we always tend to look at the disease and illness, and less the person. Not so much what person the disease had. There is the humanity behind the illness that we sometimes overlook or forget. It’s the same with sin and bad behaviour. We want to get rid of the sin, but we must save the person so we don’t end up throwing away the bath water together with the baby.

Practically, what this means is that in dealing with sin or bad behaviour, we forgive the person and reconcile with him or her once he or she repents. We accept them back into the fold, into the fellowship. Life goes on thereafter. No need to pick on the past or recall the past misdeeds or sins. If God wants to dial back time, there will be much for we ourselves to grieve over.

Good practice also dictates that in dealing with issues whether in church, at work or in the family, always remember the person behind the issue. For example, we save long term costs when we retrench someone but behind him are his wife and children depending on his paycheck to pay the bills and build their future. Or in a disciplinary inquiry, we shouldn’t go to extreme lengths just to secure a win unless we know for sure that what was done was really irresponsible and totally reckless. It was unprecedented that the Federal Court just a few days ago imposed a “cooling period” and requested the prosecution to reevaluate their “strategy” in Syed Saddiq’s case.

Have a good week ahead everyone! Everyone we see or meet may just be “someone else” in our eyes, but behind them are many moments, struggles and even aspirations of more. Not that we need to be entangled in everyone’s lives but be kind and forgiving and compassionate as everyone needs to put food on the table and pay bills.

Thanking God

https://odb.org/2025/12/12/cultivating-gratitude

Psalm 9:1–4 (NIV): 1 I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. 3 My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. 4 For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.

“Dad, can you get me some water?” my youngest daughter asked. “Sure,” I said, bringing her a full cup. She took it wordlessly. Then my oldest daughter made the same request. She didn’t respond either after I got her some water. Annoyed, I blurted out, “Is anyone going to say, ‘Thank you’? Why is that so hard?”

Sometimes there’s nothing like parental frustration to open the door for God to work. Immediately I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit: Yes, Adam, why is it so hard to say, “Thank you”? Busted. Turns out a lack of gratitude isn’t just my kids’ problem; it’s mine too. (Adam R. Holtz, Our Daily Bread 12th December 2025)

Yesterday we just spoke about being kind and generous as a reflection of our thankfulness to God for His blessings upon our lives. Click on the link below if you had missed that devotional write-up: https://ronnielim.com/2025/12/11/kindness-and-generosity/

Today the topic is on the same theme except that it concerns us thanking God and Jesus for His goodness and blessings upon our lives. Specifically, verbally confessing with our lips our thankfulness and appreciation. Just like we are happy and glad that people acknowledge us by thanking us, the Lord is also likewise happy and glad when we do so.

Although He knows we are thankful and grateful, we must nevertheless thank Him verbally in words. It’s not a difficult thing to do. We hust add thanksgiving into our prayer routine amd praise the Lord every time we see and experience a good and positive outcome. Thank the Lord when our boss praises us for closing a deal because it was the Lord who enabled us to do so. Sometimes we see everything just goes to plan and we know it was the Lord aligning all the bricks for us. Trust in the Lord and He will make our paths straight! Thank the Lord. As the Psalmists say, never cease thanking and praising God for He is our deliverer and the protector of our faith, He is our stronghold and our salvation!

Have a good weekend ahead! Remember to physically attend church, to congregate and worship the Lord together with and amongst His people! Praise the Lord as we thank Him for His goodness, mercy and grace in our lives! Amen!

Kindness and generosity

https://odb.org/2025/12/11/the-shoes-off-his-feet

Colossians 3:12–17 (NIV): 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

An older man jogging down a street in New York City stopped in his tracks when he noticed a pair of battered sneakers placed near a homeless man’s sign requesting help. When the jogger learned that the two men wore a similar size, he gave the younger, homeless man the shoes (and socks!) off his feet and walked home barefoot. But not before explaining, “I’ve been blessed my whole life. God has been very good to me, so I feel like I should bless you too.” (Alyson Kieda, Our Daily Bread 11th December 2025)

From giving away money to the things we own, it is showing kindness to another that points to Jesus. If we are well-off, giving away our pair of shoes could well mean an excuse to buy the latest one in the market! I digress. The truth is parting with things is not as easy as it looks. But if motivated by our gratefulness to and love for Christ, we could do much more. Ultimately however it is not our duty to help every poor and homeless person we see. As Jesus once said, the poor you will always have with you but you will not always have Him when the disciples criticised Mary (sister of Martha) for breaking her very expensive bottle of perfume (which she kept for her marriage) to wash Jesus’s feet using her hair (see John 12:3). What Mary did was special and significant as she was unknowingly preparing Jesus for burial (for He would soon be crucified for our sins) but the point made by Jesus was nevertheless that the poor will always be there in our midst.

Be that as it may that we will not be able to abolish poverty (it is the government’s role in making structural reforms as evidenced by China’s success in alleviating millions out of poverty), we should be kind when confronted with the poor or the needy or the oppressed. That kindness could be motivated by our thankfulness to God for blessing us or it could be because of the generosity already ingrained in us due to Jesus residing in our hearts.

Whatever may be our motivation, just be kind and generous to those around us, especially the poor and disadvantaged – the widows, orphans and the foreigner, whenever we can. Ultimately our act of kindness and generosity will point to Jesus as we are His brothers and sisters in Christ in the family and kingdom of God! Anything that we may do that will give glory to God, do it without hesitation! Amen!

Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:1-8 NIV– 3 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Corey Brooks—“The Rooftop Pastor”—spent 343 days living on the rooftop of his church on Chicago’s south side to inspire community transformation. Online, Brooks posted a “shout-out” to his elementary school teacher Joe Stokes, who taught him four unforgettable lessons: the power of perseverance, the importance of integrity, the value of community engagement, and the impact of education.

By embracing Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs 3, we likewise can strive to live in ways that have community impact. Solomon taught four lessons: “Trust in the Lord” (v. 5); “fear the Lord and shun evil” (v. 7); “honor the Lord with your wealth” (v. 9); “do not despise the Lord’s discipline” (v. 11). Such wisdom compels us to be God-focused, but there are people touching dimensions to our faith too. (Arthur Jackson, Our Daily Bread, 10th December 2025)

Wherever we are and at what station in life, we must always remember the LORD in all that we do. In Solomon’s words, “do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart” (Proverbs 3:1). Whether we are a young man or woman or we are already in our old age, the principle remains. We keep His commands (His Word) in our hearts.

Keeping His commands may be broken down into many parts but in Proverbs 3, Solomon summarised it down to 4 main principles: (1) trust in the LORD, (2) fear the LORD and shun evil, (3) honour God with our money, and (4) do not rebel against His discipline. The results are that we will have a long life, have peace and prosperity and we will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. In other words, we will live good and honourable lives on earth. And since we are also sons and daughters of God through the redemptive blood of Christ on Calvary, we are assured of our place and treasures in eternity at the new heaven and new earth. In other words, we will live comfortably here on earth and thereafter.

As part of the living, we will no doubt still face challenges and rigours that life itself brings. The tears and joys, the heartbreaks, the health challenges as we age after years of neglect. But our eyes remain focused on Christ and our hearts still trust in the LORD. As Paul points out, “we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). “He makes all things beautiful in His time”, Solomon in all his wisdom says in Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Ultimately, trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our understanding and He will make our paths straight.