COMING HOME

[February 4, 2014 at 10:11pm]

Coming home through the bus again one night, I had to admit that as I grow old some of the words I’ve learned to live by must now be compulsorily compromised. Those tenets I thought I would be religiously adhered to throughout my whole life seem to be turning out rather the ones I’d act in opposite as time goes by.

Once upon a time, each time I would see a girl or woman standing inside the bus where I am having my seat comfortably, I’d readily give it up in her favor because of my belief that a lady must be treated like a princess with utmost priority.

However, as we grow old and all kinds of body sore and pain would grow as well in and out—to make us shout—it’s amazing to find out that such old compassion due a last woman standing evaporates quickly because of a mere gout.

And what sometimes surprises us more is finding ourselves saying it loudly or just mumbling these like words to a lady: “You knew it well beforehand that this bus would be standing-room-only, so take your cross, bear your burden and ride in agony.”

It happens some of the time that we fiercely develop this bad attitude or negative character not on purpose, and we realized we have them inside us already when in defining moment we have them so suddenly let loose.

Worse, we are just aware of it when we’d eventually hurt someone and everything’s way too late. And we don’t care anymore whatever they would feel because we have now become simply insensitive.

Well, that’s what happens when there’s no more option but to do something in exchange for our own pain. The situation calls for it and leaves us not much of a choice but to begrudgingly give in. That’s the problem when health becomes a hindrance to someone who wants to do something noble at once.

Or, something divine, like telling your God during your sweet hour of prayer in private time that upon Him only you’d want to turn your eyes. But how can you possibly do it today when your eyes are now having a dim light, hence if you cannot read the Scriptures in the day, how much more during the night.

That’s what we often do to the Lord our God likewise when it comes to our skills and talent, commitment and love. We decide to use those spiritual gifts finally for His glory long after the world had siphoned off the best of our ability. It turns out God would have just to make do with what’s left in us indeed. He practically has to settle Himself with a left-over or second-hand, to be candid.

But actually He doesn’t mind at all whether one has become only a shadow of who he was. Everyone’s welcome in the service of His Majesty as long as he has come full circle to ‘childhood’ to follow Jesus.

Like a grieving rich father who is waiting patiently for his prodigal son right in front of the door of his dome, what matters now to Him is he has humbled himself and realized in his heart God is all he’d need after all.

It’s His joy that His child has just returned. It’s His glory that one soul has come home.