A skinny youth wearing a singlet and shorts walked into a restaurant in India and sat down at an empty table with a few chairs. He waited quite a while but no one served him. Then a group of well-dressed and well-built young adults walked in. The waiter pulled the youth out of his chair, and gave the seats to the group of young adults. He then pulled the youth out to the backdoor of the restaurant. So the youth sat outside the backdoor of the restaurant and waited. The waiter returned to clear the table and offered the seats to the group of young adults. After serving them and collecting their payment, the waiter went back to the youth. He asked him what he wanted. The youth asked for two samosas. The waiter came back with two samosas and gave him the bill for the two samosas. The youth paid for them. He ate one and packed another one away. That other samosa was for his sister.
What was wrong in the attitude and action of the waiter?
Recently a young undergraduate jumped from a university building in China. The on-lookers challenged her to jump. She was distraught and distressed that her professor had sexually abused her. Her whole world collapsed in the face of social injustice and oppression. The authority figure has failed her.
Where is man’s conscience of right and wrong? Where is the fear of God in the world?
Taunting, teasing, crude jokes, pranks, sneers and careless words can hurt people. These happen in schools and in the workplace in Singapore.
“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned” (Mat 12:36-37).
There is forgiveness in the Cross of Jesus. Learn to confess and learn to forgive (Eph 4:32).
Know that God has set aside a day of judgment for all the words, deeds and attitudes that He sees. He does not mete out immediate justice, for He is a merciful God. He hears the cries of the afflicted and the oppressed, for He is a compassionate God.
He has sent us a Deliverer from the highest heavens. His name is JESUS, the Anointed One. He fulfilled all the prophecies of the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms.. In the synagogue, He opened the scroll of Isaiah and read from Isaiah 61:1-2a:“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” (Isa 61:1-2 cf Luk 4:18-19)
The day of vengeance of God has not come. Now is the time for showing mercy, doing good, correcting wrongs. In the interim, in the dispensation of grace, we are to live humbly and share the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. The Gospel of Jesus is good news to the poor…it sets free all who are oppressed.
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
