Lights....

I was watching the flicking lights that adorned my Christmas tree the other day and I must say that it was a beautiful experience. Though it wasn't about the tree but the significant of the flickering lights. I know that I could actually control the type of lights to illuminate from the lighting line. But as the small lights bulbs ( chili padi/bird's eyes peppers size ) were put from no lights to slowly light up, I was really intrigued by it. Together with a few lines of decorative lights, they were a beautiful sight.

As I sipped my freshly brewed coffee and partake some "muruku" [ Thanks to the hospitality of my good friend, BA ], Christmas meant love, joy, peace and hope like the shinning through of the decorative lights. My point is that if Christmas meant love, joy, peace and hope - isn't there something our church establishment today could do good to illuminate that goodness to the society today. I am in constant awe for churches who would go all the way to feed the community during this festive season [ there are few going all out to serve and bless the community ] or even one daring pastor's passion during this time to bless and equip school-going children of all races with school clothes, shoes, books and stationery with help from donor, well-wishers and concerned public. I am thoroughly blessed when I get news of such efforts to serve and bless the community at such length but sadly to say, many more so-called religious establishment are having programs to fatten themselves and have this classic mentality that " We open our doors to everyone! or We welcome each and every one!" without raising a single effort to actually get down to the people and see the needs. It is as though we are all suddenly struck down with sudden "bright lights and blindness" to the needs of the people. Ladies & gentleman, what had happened to the true spirit of giving, of blessing and the actual meaning of Christmas? It is not the gift that matters but the heart that gave that matters to God. Have we searched our hearts thoroughly? This I have to ask you....nope, This I have to challenge you today..

I am at wits end ,virtually speechless and horrendously livid when I have to pay for my meal during Christmas celebrations. Again, it is not the bloody sum of money, which is not a big sum, but why do you need the money for? If it is because you want the people's commitment to come, then let the celebrations be free from any charges on this special day! Even if 1000 people turned up for our event, the sum is only "X amount" [ believe me, it is not a big amount! ] for meals for ONCE in a year thing. So, what is the big deal and where is the mechanics of logic? I questioned not so much on the sum of money but where is the heart of compassion and direction of our churches today on this special occasion? The money or the people? I tell you this, we get more than this amount in our monthly tithes, gifts and offering, right? So, my questions is - Is it too difficult for God to raise this money or are we limiting God or we just love collecting money to fill up our coffers? Or fatten our fixed deposits or am I too stupid to understand the accounts of our church establishment today? NEVER ever underestimate the minds of the people. That's why I constantly send out this "COWARD" messages to righteous people who just don't have the balls [ mind my language! ] to stand up and be accounted for. Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!

Like I said, it is not about the amount of money but - where is your love, where is your care, where is your concern, where is your commitment and what is your focus which you shout out loud so much atop from the pedestal of words? Is the figures in the fixed deposits and fattened bank accounts are more important than the people? Do we need to stinge and scrounge every dollar from our congregation and call it love offering? Do we need to sell everything and about anything just to fill up our coffers? Correct me if I am wrong - Didn't our Lord overturned the tables of the money changers and traders because they were making God's house like a robbers' den? Why are we repeating this act over and over again? Yes, I am heartbroken over what I have seen and felt over these years. I am sure there are many who felt like me but just didn't have the courage to speak up, too afraid for repercussions, too afraid to lose their standing or leadership role or better still, still praying about it which summed up to nothing, actually. I have learnt that when people say that they will pray about it in issues like this, it actually meant " I am doing nothing about it ! " I have said it many times and I will say it again, the House is not an individual or group rights, it is the universal rights of God. God's heartbeat comes first. Accountability, honesty and transparency are the order of the day.

That's why I make sure and made it a point not to be around for Christmas for the last couple of years because I just can't understand this mentality. Until today, I still couldn't understand it and NO ONE made any effort at all to explain this to me. Yeah! Because, it is such a small paltry sum which we should all shut up and just pay without questioning! Once again, I would like to extend my heartfelt "thank you" to the spineless and zealous righteous people who just won't stand up or care to do anything about it! I am appalled that church establishment are made to look like paupers and beggars while the church congregation had been made to look like the rich community today with bagfuls of gold, silver and Agongs. "Yes, there is so much blessing in our place today but the blessings is in your pockets. You need to give generously." Remember this so-call great punch line or is it a regular punch line in all our religious establishment?

As I sipped my coffee further, I noted that the decorative lights get dimmed as it once shone brightly. I wonder if that how our religious establishment is going to be - like the dimmed flickering lights someday if we are not careful. I do shudder at that thought as I finished the last drop of coffee from my cup. Rain started pelting heavily on my roof top in speedy succession, maybe, just maybe.................. those are the tears from God............what do you think?