in the shadow of the Almighty

The choices we make and how we make them says a lot about our values and the principles that we work by. How we choose to use our time, who (or increasingly, what) we give them to, where we spend our money, what we prioritise over the other says a lot about us.

One who chooses to trust God will invariably end up making decisions that are counter-intuitive, counter-culture. The obviously "other choice".

Eg.1 Slashing your colleagues/teammates behind their back to get ahead and make you sound like you were the one who got the idea and did the most work vs. giving them the chance to shine and giving them credit. DUH. Of course claim the credit lah, you think anyone would thank you for giving them the credit? You think anyone will remember that you once did them a good turn? Forget about morals or ethics, it's just a 'white lie'--making myself sound like i did more work...i didn't murder or anything...no one's going to find out...I will trust God to bless me when I get to the top....

eg2. owning up to a mistake you made vs. let someone take the rap. everyone thinks it's him anyway...if I own up i might get into trouble--real trouble...i can't afford to lose this opportunity, i can't afford to have the boss/teacher/leader think badly of me...no one will know if i just keep quiet...


eg 3. Why share this great tip from my senior? why share this resource? the credit will not be mine anymore...now I look like the one with the ideas...i'm getting ahead! if they knew others will catch up with me and i wont have the edge anymore...

In each of these it seems stupid to the dog-eat-dog/survival-of-the-fittest world to choose to trust God. To have faith that He will protect, that your job is in His hands, righteousness is more important than earthly positions and fame. Just as it looks extremely stupid to believe in a religion, to believe in God, to believe in a cross, to believe that a man died for me just so that my thirst for acceptance, love, forgiveness, peace and joy will be quenched forever, and to believe that He actually resurrected to overcome sin, self-preservation, and death once and for all, that I can actually be FREE--free to love others and serve others with my time, money, efforts, to be Godly and do the right things instead of the things that preserves my survival. Bec God can take care of that. Before I need to constantly worry about self-preservation, plot and scheme my way so that i can come out tops, so that i won't lose, so that i won't be crushed, but now I can be safe in the knowledge that God takes care of that and all I have to do is to obey Him and enjoy my newfound freedom. To love other people instead of using all my time and effort to find love from people who may forget me or who think they're too good for me, too cool to talk to me. To love others and lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, rather than accumulate treasures on earth that I cannot take with me.

Nobody is going to praise you for making these choices. in fact ppl laugh and call you naive. they even stab you at the back when you did not guard against them but showed them your vulnerability. but it's ok. "even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i shall fear no evil." (Ps 23) they are the hardest decisions, but by them will you be judged. Lord, keep me on the straight and narrow path of righteousness, let me not slip, lest i forget my palace in heaven for the cardboard shelter here.

Psalm 91
1He who dwells in^(A) the shelter of the Most High
will abide in^(B) the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say^[a] to the LORD, "My^(C) refuge and my^(D) fortress,
my God, in whom I^(E) trust."

3For he will deliver you from^(F) the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will^(G) cover you with his pinions,
and under his^(H) wings you will^(I) find refuge;
his^(J) faithfulness is^(K) a shield and buckler.
5^(L) You will not fear^(M) the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8You will only look with your eyes
and^(N) see the recompense of the wicked.

9Because you have made the LORD your^(O) dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my^(P) refuge^[b]—
10^(Q) no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
^(R) no plague come near your tent.

11^(S) For he will command his^(T) angels concerning you
to^(U) guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you^(V) strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on^(W) the lion and the^(X) adder;
the young lion and^(Y) the serpent you will^(Z) trample underfoot.

14"Because he^(AA) holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he^(AB) knows my name.
15When he^(AC) calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and^(AD) honor him.
16With^(AE) long life I will satisfy him
and^(AF) show him my salvation."