Our Not-So-Friendly-Neighbour

“Bong Christine!! Bong Christine!!!”

I was working on some work and a boy came by calling for me urgently. At the back of my mind I thought maybe one of the kids injured him/herself and needed medical aid urgently. Coming out from my room with the medical kit I saw a bunch of them standing at the porch with a snake!

“We just want you to take a picture of the snake,” said the kids. I laughed in my heart with relief. Look like what I need is not a medical kit but a camera! So introduce to you, our 56 inches long not-so-friendly-neighbour - dead.

“Do you also want to go away?”

Jesus came over to the Sea of Galilee after disputing with the Pharisees at Jerusalem. A Large crowd followed him because they saw the signs and wonders he performed on those who were sick. Seeing the multitude His heart was moved with compassion and He provided for them and that evening Jesus fed 5,000 of them.

By night fall Jesus and his disciples went away in a boat to Capernaum and the next the day when the people cannot find him at where he was the night before they went out all the way to search for him and came to Capernaum where they found him.

When Jesus saw them He begins to speak to them about Himself. He said “I am the bread of life…Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day…” (John 6:48-58)

The people responded by saying, “This is a hard saying, who can understand it?” (John 6:60)

Jesus knowing their thoughts said to them, “Does this offend you?”

* * * * * * * * * *
Throughout the journey the crowd was with Jesus and so is His twelve. They were there when He healed the sick. They were the ones partook of the fish and bread blessed by Him and saw how it miraculously fed 5,000 of them.

Yet when Jesus challenged their mindset they turned away from Him. (John 6:66)

As we journey with God more and more God will challenge us in our mindset. Living in this fallen world, our thinking pattern, thoughts and mindset will naturally lean towards the way of the world, but as we mature in Christ we’ll find conflicts between what we use to know and what is said in the word of God.

Coming from a typical Chinese family having security of life is the ultimate goal or reason for living and by definition as a Chinese “security of life” equals to having a good job which could generate consistent income that can give you what you need or want. (That’s why Chinese work so hard to make money). For someone who doesn’t have that will be seen as being irresponsible and will be look down. This experience has been very real in my personal walk with God.

Many times in perusing the purposes of God we will be challenge to let go of our “security” and stepped into the unknown. My logical mind tells me to earn enough first (when I’m young and energetic) then do whatever you wish but faith tells me “if you hear God today, OBEY”. You may have similar experience in different areas of challenge. At crossroad like this we have a choice to make. It will be a choice that affects not only our physical condition but most importantly our spiritual condition.

As the disciple (from the multitude) turned away and walked with Jesus no more (John 6:66), He turned around towards the twelve and asked “Do you also want to go away?” * ouch * A question that hit real hard. Questions that can only be answered with a “yes” or “no” always call for a strong stand on what one believe and “grey area” does not exist.

We are living at the end of the age and Jesus is looking for disciples. A disciple is someone who follows everything that was taught by his teacher and if we say Jesus is our teacher, let us also walk as a true disciple and not turning away from Him and from His truth.

*Reading from John 6*