For a long time, I have always lived with this framework of life, where Jesus is the Lord of my life, and it is always others that will come before myself. Even in the Scriptures, it says that "each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" Philippians 2:4. And at where I am today, I realise that this framework of life has strengthened me to keep serving God and others.
I have been thinking about this framework a fair bit lately, and do realise that this is not just a framework for my Christian living, and daily living, but also a framework for my work. Recently in a class where everyone has to present their emerging framework, I struggled whether I should be preaching the gospel framework that I have and hold. I thought for a long time, and wondered if it will be accepted, or would I be marked down. A voice in me asked me this question "Why should I be afraid to share the gospel framework of JOY?" Why should I try to find a framework that fits into the world's systems? What is wrong with my personal framework?
I thought through it before the presentation, and felt led in my heart to write about my personal framework, and how the values in the Bible influences and form my framework to work. I hesitated about being outright in presenting about Jesus, but when I was in class, a classmate presented wholeheartedly on "Buddhism Zen", and I thought, oh.................I'm so ashamed that I didn't just step out to present "Jesus". And I prayed in my heart to ask God to help me...........and the next day, when it was my turn to present, I stepped out in faith, and presented "Jesus" in the framework of JOY, and also some other biblical values (like Body of Christ, and the two greatest commandments). To my surprise...........it was well accepted in the group of people that I presented to, and my lecturer was there too. They even commented on how amazing the framework of JOY is, and that was when I realise that I shouldn't be ashamed of Jesus in my life.
Well, this expereience taught me that I should not be hiding the life of Jesus in me. It is a major part of my life, and I should not be ashamed of it. Whether I get praises or persecution from preaching the Gospel, I should "press on" like Paul, and not stop sharing about this wonderful Jesus in my life. Be it in the secular world of studies and work, Jesus should never be just kept in my heart, Jesus needs to be shared to the people out there.
As I look back, I do thank God that in my workplace, everyone knows that I am a Christian, and that I have shared with them my love for God and for people, and my committment to God and church, however, I realise that a lot more needs to be done. Many of my colleagues and managers have come to me and said that I have an amazing strength to persevere in the work that I'm doing, I should have outwardly proclaim that it is God who has empowered me to do so. It is because of His love that I'm still doing what I do.
I just want to encourage all of us that we should not be hiding the "Joy" from people around you. They are the ones who witness your lives day in and day out, let them see Jesus in and out of you, and be bold to share it with them.
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