Why
Been getting alot of feedback from people who hear about what i've done... So here is a very nice story which i feel is the motivation behind what i did actually... Read it a long time ago in my email i think...
The Original Starfish Story
As an old man walked the beach at dawn,
he noticed a boy ahead of him picking up starfish
and flinging them into the sea.
Finally catching up with the boy,
he asked why he was doing this.
The answer was that the stranded starfish would die
if left until the morning sun.
“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions
of starfish,” saiid the old man.
“How can your effort make any difference?”
The boy looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw
it safely in the waves.
“It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
***
Perhaps if i were thrown into the same situation again i would have done things differently. Perhaps i won't. Who knows? All i know is that at that point of time, i felt that i couldn't walk away and pretend not to have seen or heard anything. There is a purpose to everything that happens, that i believe. Oh not the destiny crap. How do i explain? Hmmm... Its like you just have to look deeper, not just at what had happened, but deep within ourselves so see how what had happened can bring us closer to the purpose that we were brought into this world for.
Ok that wasn't a terribly good explanation, but i really don't know how to say it any clearer. Some people live their lives like within their own world. Everything that happens just happens. They have a goal in mind and they're bent on achieving it, everything else are just distractions, or even minor disturbances. I'm the exact opposite. I have no goal, no aspiration, save to grope my way forward, towards finding the purpose to my existence. Everything that happens, whether by design or by accident are clues toward that which i seek. And i believe that every action i make will change someone's life somehow, somewhere, sometime. Perhaps and most probably indirectly. I believe that each individual can make a difference to the world we live in. And despite not having the power to do greater things, i will not hesitate to use whatever resources i have to help whoever needs it... should our paths cross.
Hey don't think i'm some gullible goody two shoes. If you really know me, you'll know that its not easy for me to trust or believe in anyone. I kinda believe that everyone has a hidden agenda somewhere... except me that is haha... Maybe... Hmmm... Anyway, yeah... its not THAT easy to qualify for my help. Its something close to what we Chinese call Fate maybe? Heh. If only the words Fate and Destiny aren't so entwined with the superstitious mumbo jumbo, i'd use these terms all the time.
Well, i certainly don't expect anyone to understand why i did what i did from this entry. But... it might bring you closer to knowing me ^ ^
The Original Starfish Story
As an old man walked the beach at dawn,
he noticed a boy ahead of him picking up starfish
and flinging them into the sea.
Finally catching up with the boy,
he asked why he was doing this.
The answer was that the stranded starfish would die
if left until the morning sun.
“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions
of starfish,” saiid the old man.
“How can your effort make any difference?”
The boy looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw
it safely in the waves.
“It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
***
Perhaps if i were thrown into the same situation again i would have done things differently. Perhaps i won't. Who knows? All i know is that at that point of time, i felt that i couldn't walk away and pretend not to have seen or heard anything. There is a purpose to everything that happens, that i believe. Oh not the destiny crap. How do i explain? Hmmm... Its like you just have to look deeper, not just at what had happened, but deep within ourselves so see how what had happened can bring us closer to the purpose that we were brought into this world for.
Ok that wasn't a terribly good explanation, but i really don't know how to say it any clearer. Some people live their lives like within their own world. Everything that happens just happens. They have a goal in mind and they're bent on achieving it, everything else are just distractions, or even minor disturbances. I'm the exact opposite. I have no goal, no aspiration, save to grope my way forward, towards finding the purpose to my existence. Everything that happens, whether by design or by accident are clues toward that which i seek. And i believe that every action i make will change someone's life somehow, somewhere, sometime. Perhaps and most probably indirectly. I believe that each individual can make a difference to the world we live in. And despite not having the power to do greater things, i will not hesitate to use whatever resources i have to help whoever needs it... should our paths cross.
Hey don't think i'm some gullible goody two shoes. If you really know me, you'll know that its not easy for me to trust or believe in anyone. I kinda believe that everyone has a hidden agenda somewhere... except me that is haha... Maybe... Hmmm... Anyway, yeah... its not THAT easy to qualify for my help. Its something close to what we Chinese call Fate maybe? Heh. If only the words Fate and Destiny aren't so entwined with the superstitious mumbo jumbo, i'd use these terms all the time.
Well, i certainly don't expect anyone to understand why i did what i did from this entry. But... it might bring you closer to knowing me ^ ^
posted by Justus at 1:48 AM
2 Comments:
I really don't know. But my worry is, what if at the end of the day, whatever we've done and thought was right and kind turns out to be things which hold us back from fulfilling our real purpose that God has designed?
What if the boy finally realised that he was made more than just throwing the starfishes back into the sea? Will he ever regret wasting precious time which he could have used to accomplish what God intended?
Is there joy more than evangelising? Is there love more than spreading the Good News? Is there peace more than bringing people to Christ? There are so many kind things in which we can do, the unbelievers can do! But ONLY doing what matters most is a focused life, and a purpose-fulfilling life is doing less, not more. Do put everything in prayers, let God have a chance to interfere with every decision that comes along your way, and do it Christ like-way!
Com'on, you're someone I look to in terms of being honest. Face our life purpose honestly.
So are you saying the boy should not have spent his time throwing starfishes but sat at the beach waiting for God's intention to hit him?
I think i stand by his decision to throw starfishes. Whatever he realises in the future is the future's business.
Of cos God's command to us is to go and evangelise. But how HE intends to do that through us is another thing altogether. What is evangelising? Just using San-fu? I think everyone knows thats not the case. Its sharing our lives with others, glorifying God through our lives.
Matthew 25: 45 "And i assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my bothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."
I have no regrets about what i did that day. Although there are things i could have improved on or done differently perhaps given a restart. But life being life, there aren't any restarts, not that i see the need for one.
My purpose in life is living the way only a Christian can. Doing things only a Christian can. And through this, my life shall be a testimony that will lead people to Him. Yes, through my life... eventually... Heh... still a ways off...
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