Sunday, July 7, 2013

Happy Laborers

Gospel: LK 10:1-9

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit. 
He said to them,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest. 
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way. 
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you. 
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment. 
Do not move about from one house to another. 
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”


*****

Me and my officemates during lunch time had a conversation about a celebrity who, for a short span of time, became an effective endorser of a certain whitening pill. To make the story short, this celebrity before had dark skin complexion. But she shocked the media when she came back into show business bringing the pride of a now beautiful, desirable, white skin complexion while endorsing the whitening pill. Indeed,  she became the living proof of the product. And so, many people who were also dreaming for the same skin complexion have bought and used the same pill. But the popularity and promises of the said product did not last long. Until the endorser itself felt something wrong in her skin. News flash! She had developed a skin disease due to the excessive intake of the said pill. The rest are history.

Christians around the globe are actually many. We are millions. And even billions. Yet there are still others who are not. And we, as Christians who has given the responsibility, find it hard to "endorse" Christ to them. Why is that so?

I heard a lot of people proudly confessing that they are Christians. And yet when we try to see and examine how they live their lives, it's not being christian anymore. I know what is running in your mind right now. And let me guess what it is, it's Christians still living in "dark ways" - cursing, drunkenness, cheating, eavesdropping, stealing and all of such same deeds. To be honest, even I is still guilty of these. But let me shock you. They're not what I am talking about. But of course, as Christians we MUST try to avoid doing stuffs like that.

Let me tell you something else. The problem I am seeing in us as Christians is that we sometimes forget how to properly "project" in front of our "audience". We carry a "heavily burden face" that manifests a difficult and even boring life.

Have you ever seen a TV commercial where the endorser is saying that she is very satisfied with the product and yet her face is very sad? I believe there is none.

As Christians we are Christ's "endorsers". The question is, do we properly "project" in front Christ's "potential subscribers"?
As "endorsers" of Christ, we are expected to portray a "smiling" life.

We are expected to "smile" amidst difficulties and challenges because we know that we have Christ who is able and can calm the "storms" in our life.

We are expected to "smile" even when we fall and fail because we know that these are the moments that Christ is closer to us - embracing us, comforting us.

We are expected to "smile" whenever we are persecuted and falsely judged, because we know that Jesus knows us more, understands our shortcomings, believes in us, and knows our worth.


We are expected to "smile" despite the feeling of unworthiness, because we know that Christ has died on the cross to make us worthy and to give us salvation.

We are expected to "smile". And most of the time... literally.

As Christians, we have enough, and even overflowing, reasons just to be grateful and be smiling instead of complaining and frowning about life's flaws.

Christianity is not supposed to be something to be afraid of. Because Christianity "endorses and offers" a life that leads to salvation. 

Christianity is not supposed to be even boring. Because we have every reason to be in the state of celebration. 

Christianity is not supposed to be something to be avoided of. Because this is the community where Jesus Christ dwells and nourishing and leading every member closer to God.

If we want to bring more others closer to Christ, then let's choose to be a christian the way it should be. Rejoice and smile just because.

As "endorsers" of Christ, we need to "project" very well. We need to "smile" to communicate to Christ's "potential subscribers" that our lives are very much satisfied having Him. And we need to maintain that "smiling" state to convince them that this satisfaction we are experiencing has a "lasting effect" - satisfaction that LASTS FOR ETERNITY.

Have a happy, "smiling" and rejoicing day.

And everyday.

"The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.."

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