I have a dream

Last night I had the similar dream again, where I was repeating my high school and university days, frantically trying to pass weeks of exams. It felt so real. I could see the buildings, the friends, and even felt the tense atmosphere in the air. I also felt the tiredness of climbing up stairs and studying till late night.

I woke up afresh and my mind was rolling out…somehow I seem to be able to link the dots. From young, I was brought up and told that life is all about winning. In order to win, you have to be better than your neighbours. It does feel good and I was good at it too. But I didn’t realise what it does on the inside. Even in my growing up years, winning is the motto of the day. Singapore is known for the spirit of kiasuism, which means you want to be the winner, better than your peers. In corporate world, you need to be number 1, better than your competitors. It’s all about competition, and securing our own place.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, (~Phil 2:4-6 ESV)

So what is this worldview of the Bible? I give it some thoughts, and I think it’s on the opposite side of the equation in many ways, to name just a fews:

  • Compassion is a high virtue when one is looking to others with love to help and to bless instead the eyes of seeing others as threat
  • Welfare of others is also a high calling, when we’re to seek the good of others to find our own goods (see Jeremiah 29:7) instead seeking our own good by taking advantages of others
  • Collaboration is a norm, when everyone is created equally with distinct gifts for common good instead of competition
  • God’s kingdom is the big picture where everyone is serving God’s purposes in this life instead of advancing our own small little kingdoms

God has called me out from darkness, but that’s not enough. He has placed upon me a high calling of following His ways which is not of this world. And when the world is basically teaching that we need to get everything for ourselves because the pie is so small, and if we’re left as the bottom we would suffer. God is saying that the pie is so big that everyone would be satisfied if everyone just give their small bites and seek God.

So here I am, dreaming with my eyes open, of world where love, compassion, collaboration, and God’s kingdom is reality of life. Help me God.

This entry was posted in Blessedness, Jeremiah, Philippians, Richess and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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