The Best of Compliments
Life as a Christian is worthwhile. Full stop. I made that decision since I was a child/teen and I have had no regrets since. However, as the song says, "it's not an easy road". Christians are not immuned to hardships, temptations, struggles, and more. It may shock others to know the things we struggle with daily. But thank God that He has and will continue to show up to help when we fall short.
If that's not good news, then I don't know what is! And good news is always worth sharing. More than saying it or writing it or singing it, I try to share the good news by living it. For years, I've maintained that my life must be my greatest witness and that hasn't changed.
So why speak about all this now? I recall a few years ago I was in Negril for a workshop which had members of private and public sector entities as well communities and civil society groups. I was among the presenters, so naturally I facilitated a question and answer session to clarify any ambiguity. I exercised patience and made a deliberate attempt to ensure I addressed each person as best I could. At the end, a gentleman came to me asked if I were a Christian. It goes without saying my answer was yes.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago on Mother's Day. Having my mom in Jamaica for her first Mother's Day in decades meant I wanted her to celebrate with me. I therefore took her to church (though late) and she seemed to have had a good time. At the end, I introduced her to a few persons including a friend who's been at the church for some time. He said something to her that I will ne'er soon forget. He told my mom that he looked up to me and that I helped in his decision to commit his life to God (unbeknownst to me). I told him I appreciated his compliment, but what I didn't say was how humbled I was by it. There are many other instances which I could try to remember and speak about. For now, I will speak only of these.
I get compliments from time to time and I do my best to receive them all with a grateful heart. I never want to take any of them for granted. But of all the compliments I could receive, none is more special than when it's about my walk with God. And when it's all said and done on this broken earth, nothing will be greater than hearing, "well done" for having kept the faith.
If that's not good news, then I don't know what is! And good news is always worth sharing. More than saying it or writing it or singing it, I try to share the good news by living it. For years, I've maintained that my life must be my greatest witness and that hasn't changed.
So why speak about all this now? I recall a few years ago I was in Negril for a workshop which had members of private and public sector entities as well communities and civil society groups. I was among the presenters, so naturally I facilitated a question and answer session to clarify any ambiguity. I exercised patience and made a deliberate attempt to ensure I addressed each person as best I could. At the end, a gentleman came to me asked if I were a Christian. It goes without saying my answer was yes.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago on Mother's Day. Having my mom in Jamaica for her first Mother's Day in decades meant I wanted her to celebrate with me. I therefore took her to church (though late) and she seemed to have had a good time. At the end, I introduced her to a few persons including a friend who's been at the church for some time. He said something to her that I will ne'er soon forget. He told my mom that he looked up to me and that I helped in his decision to commit his life to God (unbeknownst to me). I told him I appreciated his compliment, but what I didn't say was how humbled I was by it. There are many other instances which I could try to remember and speak about. For now, I will speak only of these.
I get compliments from time to time and I do my best to receive them all with a grateful heart. I never want to take any of them for granted. But of all the compliments I could receive, none is more special than when it's about my walk with God. And when it's all said and done on this broken earth, nothing will be greater than hearing, "well done" for having kept the faith.
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