Not of the World
“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:16–18 ESV)
What kind of world do we live in? What kind of world has Jesus sent us into? And more importantly, how can we live in the world but not of the world, as Jesus has called us to?
This week, we all were familiarised with the word “umbrage”. It is not often that we experience something that unites us all. I was stuck in the army camp for my ICT, but even there - the jokes and comments were abounding. After this week, Mr Ng Yat Chung’s name will forever be tied to the word “umbrage” in the history of Singapore. I am not concerned here to write about the incident itself, but to ask us to consider, on this Sunday morning, the world we live in.
There are Times we Lose Ourselves
Regardless of whether we like the Mr Ng Yat Chung or not, we know what it’s like to lose ourselves in the moment of anger and frustration. Most of us have enough control to do so only in private, but we all can speak of times where our anger is so overwhelming, we forget where we are and say things to hurt and destroy, instead of contribute meaningfully to the discussion and meeting.
We can empathise because we’ve been there. It’s precisely because we have, that we can understand the melt-down of another human being. Even as we live in a world that is quick to point out wrong and injustice - let’s learn to temper the call for justice with mercy and grace. Jesus taught that whatever we want people to do to us, we do it also to them. In the same way, we hope people can hear our heart and pain, when we have lost all control and embarrassed ourselves, let’s find strength to deflect the pain they are causing to us, and learn to listen to their pain.
We Judge
We should be astonished at the speed by which Mr Ng Yat Chung had his name and person dragged into the mud. He was known to some, and unknown to many, but within a matter of days - everything of his life came out and became fodder for the public to comment, laugh, accuse and tear down. The speed at which Justice and Judgement came down upon the man… was blinding. Even before all the facts could be established or worked through, he was already guilt and condemned. I read a short note on Facebook by Bertha Henson. She tried to give some perspective… I have no idea if the perspective was worth giving - but the vitriol in the responses were bordering on malicious. Bertha Henson was stoned alongside with Mr Ng for even hinting the public’s judgement might not be rightly directed.
As we see the world, react and respond to Mr Yat Chung, we are mindful of ourselves. We know what that feels like. We can remember times when we are quick to judge. Quick to make condemn. Instead of listening and attempting to understand the context and the meaning of the words; we bringing the entire history of the person and all their wrongdoing into the present - and condemn. It is part of our God given faculty to make judgement. But let us learn to temper our judgement. As Steven Covey said - “Seek First to Understand”; or as Jesus said more sharply “First take out the plank in your eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye” (Matt 7:5)
In the World, by not of the World
In the prayer of Jesus (John 17), we discover that two traits about the disciples of Jesus. Firstly, they are really “the world taken out of the world” (John 17:6). And they are a people called to live “in the world but not of the world” (John 17:15-18). Even as we live in this world, let us be mindful of the ways of the world; and seek to live in the ways of Christ.