A Change in Perspective

When was the last time you heard your teacher tell you that your worth is determined by how well you scored in your examinations? She might not have said it exactly in these words, but I'm sure some time in your school life, you might have heard statements such as, "If you don't study hard now, what are you going to become in the the future? You want to be road sweeper ah?"

Or, "If you don't put in more effort, you are not going to get your As. How to get scholarship like that?" If these are not familiar to you, I'm sure you think the people in your school who score the best are somehow more valued. Afterall, they are the ones that the school acknowledges, they are the ones that the government is most willing to spend money on to sponsor for overseas studies, they are the ones who are superior to us!

And when we do actually get a chance to be one of these "superior beings", we can't help but think lesser of others.

Now, since when was the value of our life determined by academic qualifications? Since when was the life of a road sweeper less precious than any one of us? According to the Bible, NEVER!

In Psalms 139:14, the psalmists tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Not some of us, not those who study hard, but ALL OF US!

Why then do we subscribe to the thinking that our worth is determined by the value system of the world that we live in? My guess is, that's the only way we know how to. THAT was the way we were TAUGHT to! Such ideas and mindsets have become 2nd nature to us in a society where meritocracy is the rule of the day!

Is meritocracy a necessary evil? No. By itself, it is a fair way of helping us be accountable for the work we put in. Basically, you reap what you sow. But taken the wrong way, it also says, if you reap badly this time, then your value as a person is less. So basically, if you reap badly too many times, you just become a person who is of no value to anybody.

What does all these tell us? Education in the world needs to be REDEEMED. Dr Richard Edlin from NICE (National Institute of Christian Education) gave an insightful and thought-provoking lesson at tribe meeting yesterday. He challenged us to re-think the way christian teachers taught in school and to consider whether each gesture, word, teaching method etc came from a perspective that was biblical. He put forth to us that there is no such thing as NEUTRALITY. If we are not teaching something that is biblically sound in values and motivation, then we are re-enforcing worldly values to our students.

I thought to myself, "Gosh, although I am not a teacher, I need to be able to discern for myself what values my teacher/lecturer is teaching me, or promoting through his/her teaching!" It determines what kind of experiences I allow myself to be influenced by and hence what kind of person I become!

Yesterday's teaching was special because it wasn't about teachers rising up to their calling in Christ and about Christian education. Not just about anyway. For me, it was a call to live my live as a TRUE Christian! One that was approved unto the Lord. Regardless of what profession I am in or intend to be in, it was a challenge to re-examine how I lead my live - my motivations, my intentions, my way of doing things, my values.
It was a call towards holiness and Godliness!

Hence, I think it apt to end this entry with a timely reminder from Romans 12:1-2.

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I urge you to read these 2 verses, and then read it once again. What does it mean for you? Let God reveal to you the ways that are not pleasing unto Him so that you might be transformed through the living word of God.

Amen