WHAT IS YOUR FOOTPRINTS?

Yesterday evening, I met a person who is now facing a very difficult situation. Because of some delicate issues, he is forced to leave his present job in the next few months. And you know what, he started to work for this company only six months ago. He loves his job, his co workers, the challenges, the leadership, the mission of the company and everything related with his job. 'Though problems are everywhere and everytime, I feel that I am in the ideal place right now,' he commented on his present job. He has not yet discovered what to do for the next stage of his life. His future is undecided. He knows already that his time is very short to find a new job. He is responsible not only to himself, but also for his family. He understands that the global crisis may prevent him to get a job he likes to do. In short, he is stress and feeling under heavy pressure. My prompt guess: He must be worrying about his uncertain future.

As a ‘half-pastor,’ I asked him to share what has been the cause of his stress, with the hope that I may be a little help to him. He said that his awareness of time is now escalating. ‘Oh, my time is short,’ he sighed. My mouth automatically opens bombing him with sermon. I cut his sentence by encouraging and suggesting him to apply for jobs as many as possible. ‘God will open doors or at least one door for you,’ I said. ‘No, No, No!’ he replied immediately. ‘Yes, I am worrying about my unknown future, but that is not the real disturbing issue,’ he continued ‘What I am truly worrying is the fact that my left time to work with this company is becoming shorter and shorter – and I am feeling with a great fear of leaving this company without leaving any positive footprints.’

‘You know Ery,’ he said, ‘Finding a new job in the crisis situation is absolutely not easy, but being forced to leave something that you fall in love with and you feel that God has called you to do is a big horror.’ He continued, ‘My main and first focus is now not to find a new job, but to express my love dedicatedly to my present job in this company as part of my accountability to God in the left short available time.’ ‘I want to make sure that my presence in this company whatever short it is contributes something significant and positive whatever small it is,’ he gently said. ‘Have I? Am I? Will I? Can I?’ he asked, begging a possible possibility.

I went home without peace in mind, questioning myself if there is any good I left to my family, my friends, my place of work, and to this world. As I approaching 40, my sense of time is escalating: my left available time to live in this world is becoming shorter and shorter – and I am accountable to God for the life He grants me to live.

Inspiring Words from Rudyard Kipling

Few days ago, I was with LDP (Leadership Development Program) students, having fellowship with them in their annual retreat. One of the speakers cited inspiring words from Rudyard Kipling, saying:

'If you don’t get what you want, it’s a sign either that you did not seriously want it, or that you tried to bargain over the price.’

At one point, these words seem to place all responsibilities on us. We are responsible to decide what desire we desire. We are also responsible to test whether the desire we desire is truly a desire of us. Lastly, any desire we true have is not free, and we are fully responsible to pay the price. Only by fulfilling those three responsibilities, we will transform our true desire into reality. God seems to work only behind the scene.

At the other point, however, these words convey the truth and the reality of most of us. Often what we perceive as our desire springs only from our lips - not from our heart. Desire that comes merely from lips gives birth to a frustration. On the contrary, desire that comes from our heart gives (or should give) birth to a deep commitment at whatever cost it will take.

May this saying transform and challenge the way we live this precious life God has given us.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was an English author and poet. He was awarded Nobel Prize in literature in 1907.