Some of you might read or heard this story before, but just read it again. =)
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the Western United States.
Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery.
Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve.
Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it." said the professor.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."
Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.
When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson' s class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?”
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk.
Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Dr. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.
When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?" With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups.
Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Sternly, Jenny said, "No."
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more Push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"
Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.
Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next.
Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want."
And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."
Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
Jason, new to the room hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."
"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut " Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those visitors seated by the heaters.
Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was profusely dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was no sound except his heavy breathing, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"
Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
“When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve, here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work.
“Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.
“Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. "Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all sermons are preached in words."
Turning to his class the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - He was punished for our sake so all of us might have eternal life.
“Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid. Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it laying on the desk?"
“God loves you.”
Showing posts with label The Word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Word. Show all posts
Words n response.
Have u ever thought of the influence your words have? Try to imagine, you were chatting with your friend about something you’ve never heard before. It becomes an information stuck to your head. And the next time u met someone else and happen to be talking about the same topic u used to talk about with ur friend, you’ll be able to say, “well, my friend told me before that blah blah blah blah… and that blah blah blah... really! ya la, very blah blah blah blah right?” Lol...
It happens many times, to everybody! Information is passed on all the time! But does it ever occur to you how your say can be so much widespread? When we talk, we are not fully aware of the fact that the information we’re giving will be used by that particular person we’re speaking to, when he/she had a conversation about the same topic with other ppl. Well, of course not all of our words! But this should be something to warn all of us why we shouldn’t be sloppy with our words.
Now, before I continue, I’m NOT talking about anyone in particular! I’m writing about what just popped out in my head. So if you feel guilty, please read on and maybe you can find the remedy somewhere… no promises though. =P
Anw. To make it more clear, I’ll give u an example of my conversation earlier on today.
I was talking to my friend and she didn’t really know about the condition in Indonesia. How bad the corruption is. So I told her the story that my mom shared to me about this guy that shared with her that he has to PAY CASH to actually get into a police force in Bali. No need loyalty n passion, no need training, no need oath or whatsoever, pay money can get uniform, badge and a rank already. The more you pay the higher rank you’ll get la!
Now, lets say the person that talked to my mom lied. What would happen? My mom will one way or another, told a lie! Even if she doesn’t know it. Am I right? Then, what happened? I would be telling a lie also and my friend that I talked to would be telling lies to the next person she talked to about this! Hahaha… it’s a vicious cycle and the worse thing is, we don’t even know it! XD
That’s why actually we don’t even realize how MUCH grace we need. For all the lies we tell without even knowing that it’s a lie. ;)
God is so good.
But I know my mom would always carefully pick what she told me. She wont give me any information anybody gives like that. Only if she finds it trustworthy, she’ll tell me. But it may be exaggerated? Some of the details, maybe like the amount to be paid in the story can be magnified? Digits are easily distorted in a story as it goes by. By nature we just love telling stories with bigger numbers in it. =)
“He’s a million miles away!” (well, anything on earth can’t be more than 12.600 km apart)
“He gave me tons of bread!” (even if he had a bread factory, that’s pretty a lot u know…)
“Billions and billions of dollars!” (wow… I don’t mind having those)
“It’s been ages!” (it’s not even an AMOUNT for crying out loud)
Anything can happen along the way as a story is told.
Hahaha, I don’t want you guys to be judgmental after reading this, about the stories you heard or read, you can decide for yourself which one to receive and which one is better off not heard at all. but I’m just writing this to make all of us realize that, our words DO carry power. Lol, actually all of us that has a Bible no need to look so far. It’s written already that the words that we speak frames our world (Heb 11:3) and so many more that talks about the power of our words. But this is just a small example I’m providing u guys to think about. And maybe all of us can be more careful with our words, yea? =)
This leads me to the second thing I wanna share, about response. We live in a time whereby people want answers to be given right away. Now now now. Which sometimes caused a person to answer in a very shallow, imprecise way, because he/she was not given the time to really think about what he’s going to answer. Well, I don’t really care about cliché questions “like how are you?” we can always say “fine” no matter what hell we went thru that day. Or when someone asked “what are you doing now?” we can simply say “nothing” when actually only dead people does nothing.
But lets say, about something that can really affect our thinking or our future?
I’ll give my own experience again as an example.
I asked my mom once something about God and how He does things. It was kind of a complicated question but I’m sure my mom would have an answer to it. To my surprise she said, “Well, I’m not sure son, I’ll find out and I’ll let you know.” But afterwards she explained to me and said, “you know why I don’t want to answer straight away. I’d rather choose to make you wait for an answer and allow myself to really seek the correct, precise answer rather than giving you stupidity.” She doesn’t care about her image of not being able to answer on the spot, coz people have this thinking that you’re good only when you can straight away answer something – but she knew that it’s best to provide the correct answer rather than looking “good” in front of me.
The next day when she got the answer to it, she gave me something I’ve never knew and it went beyond my expectation! There’s power in seeking for the right answer, not the answer that you think is right at that moment when someone asked you something, especially when you’re counseling or guiding someone. I have to confess that I talk a lot of crap to what I think is unimportant, but I do talk seriously when it comes to these kind of questions. But still, sometimes I didn’t really take my time and answer on the spot even if I’m not 100% sure. And the result was, when I finished talking and hung the phone, the things that I know I should’ve said just came to me and it made me feel like calling the person again and re-do everything! Coz it’s much more powerful when you’re willing to take time to answer! =)
Now now, don’t go and say, “we’ll I’m not really sure… can you give me a moment to think about the answer? Maybe I’ll call you back tomorrow!” when someone is asking you whether he should just jump down from the window he’s standing on right now or not. X)
It happens many times, to everybody! Information is passed on all the time! But does it ever occur to you how your say can be so much widespread? When we talk, we are not fully aware of the fact that the information we’re giving will be used by that particular person we’re speaking to, when he/she had a conversation about the same topic with other ppl. Well, of course not all of our words! But this should be something to warn all of us why we shouldn’t be sloppy with our words.
Now, before I continue, I’m NOT talking about anyone in particular! I’m writing about what just popped out in my head. So if you feel guilty, please read on and maybe you can find the remedy somewhere… no promises though. =P
Anw. To make it more clear, I’ll give u an example of my conversation earlier on today.
I was talking to my friend and she didn’t really know about the condition in Indonesia. How bad the corruption is. So I told her the story that my mom shared to me about this guy that shared with her that he has to PAY CASH to actually get into a police force in Bali. No need loyalty n passion, no need training, no need oath or whatsoever, pay money can get uniform, badge and a rank already. The more you pay the higher rank you’ll get la!
Now, lets say the person that talked to my mom lied. What would happen? My mom will one way or another, told a lie! Even if she doesn’t know it. Am I right? Then, what happened? I would be telling a lie also and my friend that I talked to would be telling lies to the next person she talked to about this! Hahaha… it’s a vicious cycle and the worse thing is, we don’t even know it! XD
That’s why actually we don’t even realize how MUCH grace we need. For all the lies we tell without even knowing that it’s a lie. ;)
God is so good.
But I know my mom would always carefully pick what she told me. She wont give me any information anybody gives like that. Only if she finds it trustworthy, she’ll tell me. But it may be exaggerated? Some of the details, maybe like the amount to be paid in the story can be magnified? Digits are easily distorted in a story as it goes by. By nature we just love telling stories with bigger numbers in it. =)
“He’s a million miles away!” (well, anything on earth can’t be more than 12.600 km apart)
“He gave me tons of bread!” (even if he had a bread factory, that’s pretty a lot u know…)
“Billions and billions of dollars!” (wow… I don’t mind having those)
“It’s been ages!” (it’s not even an AMOUNT for crying out loud)
Anything can happen along the way as a story is told.
Hahaha, I don’t want you guys to be judgmental after reading this, about the stories you heard or read, you can decide for yourself which one to receive and which one is better off not heard at all. but I’m just writing this to make all of us realize that, our words DO carry power. Lol, actually all of us that has a Bible no need to look so far. It’s written already that the words that we speak frames our world (Heb 11:3) and so many more that talks about the power of our words. But this is just a small example I’m providing u guys to think about. And maybe all of us can be more careful with our words, yea? =)
This leads me to the second thing I wanna share, about response. We live in a time whereby people want answers to be given right away. Now now now. Which sometimes caused a person to answer in a very shallow, imprecise way, because he/she was not given the time to really think about what he’s going to answer. Well, I don’t really care about cliché questions “like how are you?” we can always say “fine” no matter what hell we went thru that day. Or when someone asked “what are you doing now?” we can simply say “nothing” when actually only dead people does nothing.
But lets say, about something that can really affect our thinking or our future?
I’ll give my own experience again as an example.
I asked my mom once something about God and how He does things. It was kind of a complicated question but I’m sure my mom would have an answer to it. To my surprise she said, “Well, I’m not sure son, I’ll find out and I’ll let you know.” But afterwards she explained to me and said, “you know why I don’t want to answer straight away. I’d rather choose to make you wait for an answer and allow myself to really seek the correct, precise answer rather than giving you stupidity.” She doesn’t care about her image of not being able to answer on the spot, coz people have this thinking that you’re good only when you can straight away answer something – but she knew that it’s best to provide the correct answer rather than looking “good” in front of me.
The next day when she got the answer to it, she gave me something I’ve never knew and it went beyond my expectation! There’s power in seeking for the right answer, not the answer that you think is right at that moment when someone asked you something, especially when you’re counseling or guiding someone. I have to confess that I talk a lot of crap to what I think is unimportant, but I do talk seriously when it comes to these kind of questions. But still, sometimes I didn’t really take my time and answer on the spot even if I’m not 100% sure. And the result was, when I finished talking and hung the phone, the things that I know I should’ve said just came to me and it made me feel like calling the person again and re-do everything! Coz it’s much more powerful when you’re willing to take time to answer! =)
Now now, don’t go and say, “we’ll I’m not really sure… can you give me a moment to think about the answer? Maybe I’ll call you back tomorrow!” when someone is asking you whether he should just jump down from the window he’s standing on right now or not. X)
Jealousy.
Well well well, was chatting with Wyelin and suddenly she asked, “if you’re jealous, are you sinning.”
I told her, well, that’s a kinda’ difficult question, it can be a no and it can be a yes. But on top of that she highlighted why she asked this coz in Exo 20:5b “for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (this is talking about not worshipping any other God than Him)
Before that let me write a disclaimer: The following context are directed and may be accepted warmly mostly by Christians which is of the same faith as mine. If u happen to be of any other belief, it’s not necessary for you to accept the truth that I’ve written here. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, so enjoy and God bless you. =P
Well, now lets take a look of WHY God will be jealous if you worship other gods. Because God is good, and He know the best for you. He wants you to only have Him as your God in your life because He knew that it is the best for you to be wholeheartedly obedient to your true creator!
He’s jealous because He wanted you to have the best (Him) but you choose the less.
Now, is it sin? No.
Why? Because the intention of the heart was for the good. It was out of His love for us.
Now, when a husband saw his wife blinking her eye to another guy and sipping from the same martini glass with him and getting drunk together and stuff, who on earth wouldn’t get jealous?! And who on earth wouldn’t get angry?!
Now, is it sin? I don’t think so. As long as the husband don’t have thoughts of killing the guy in the worse agonizing, tormenting death ever, he’s not sinning.
Why? Because his feeling of jealousy is out of love for his wife and not wanting to lose the woman he had made an oath to not leave each other no matter what until death sets them a part.
Now, lets say someone else of your age had a car and you don’t even have a bicycle. And you felt jealous and you planned a master plan to ruin your “friend’s” car. Poke the tire, spill paint on the window. Lol.
Is it sin? Oh yeah it is. (but remember where sin abounds, grace abounds even more, so if you happen to be someone I've described just now, repent and His grace is sufficient to forgive u... XD)
Coz you’ve entertained a negative thought of jealousy and put your thoughts into action.
The bottom line is actually the intent of the heart. Feelings comes and goes. We can’t like, be overly righteous and fasted three days three nights for “the redemption of our sins of jealousy” every time we feel jealous. But what we can do is to pray about it and give thanks to the Lord. Once we learn how to give thanks for the things we already have, we wont be jealous of material things or social status or anything. We’ll be happy of what and who we are.
God Bless. =)
I told her, well, that’s a kinda’ difficult question, it can be a no and it can be a yes. But on top of that she highlighted why she asked this coz in Exo 20:5b “for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (this is talking about not worshipping any other God than Him)
Before that let me write a disclaimer: The following context are directed and may be accepted warmly mostly by Christians which is of the same faith as mine. If u happen to be of any other belief, it’s not necessary for you to accept the truth that I’ve written here. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, so enjoy and God bless you. =P
Well, now lets take a look of WHY God will be jealous if you worship other gods. Because God is good, and He know the best for you. He wants you to only have Him as your God in your life because He knew that it is the best for you to be wholeheartedly obedient to your true creator!
He’s jealous because He wanted you to have the best (Him) but you choose the less.
Now, is it sin? No.
Why? Because the intention of the heart was for the good. It was out of His love for us.
Now, when a husband saw his wife blinking her eye to another guy and sipping from the same martini glass with him and getting drunk together and stuff, who on earth wouldn’t get jealous?! And who on earth wouldn’t get angry?!
Now, is it sin? I don’t think so. As long as the husband don’t have thoughts of killing the guy in the worse agonizing, tormenting death ever, he’s not sinning.
Why? Because his feeling of jealousy is out of love for his wife and not wanting to lose the woman he had made an oath to not leave each other no matter what until death sets them a part.
Now, lets say someone else of your age had a car and you don’t even have a bicycle. And you felt jealous and you planned a master plan to ruin your “friend’s” car. Poke the tire, spill paint on the window. Lol.
Is it sin? Oh yeah it is. (but remember where sin abounds, grace abounds even more, so if you happen to be someone I've described just now, repent and His grace is sufficient to forgive u... XD)
Coz you’ve entertained a negative thought of jealousy and put your thoughts into action.
The bottom line is actually the intent of the heart. Feelings comes and goes. We can’t like, be overly righteous and fasted three days three nights for “the redemption of our sins of jealousy” every time we feel jealous. But what we can do is to pray about it and give thanks to the Lord. Once we learn how to give thanks for the things we already have, we wont be jealous of material things or social status or anything. We’ll be happy of what and who we are.
God Bless. =)