I regret not doing something for someone today when I encountered this individual near the Singapore Management University. The reason - I was in a rush. Was the matter really that urgent to actually cause me to neglect this lady with her baby? Nope. I was rushing to Parkway Parade Shopping Centre to collect some stuff from an electronic store.
Dad informed me that when he took delivery of the new TV which I ordered on Sunday, there were a few missing accessories and freebies which are supposed to be included in the purchase deal. I was on my way to collect these items when I encountered the lady. At that point of time I was also quite frustrated as I was already on my way home from my reservist duty. I came from the east and because of the missing products, I had to go back to the east again to collect them.
Now, why this remorse since I meet almost all types of people daily? Well, this lady wanted to sell her baby to me. I said no to her and went on waiting for the bus.
I could have ignored the 'urgency' of collecting the stuff and spent some time with the lady to see what other alternatives she could have taken. Anyway, selling her baby in that manner is illegal and I hope she has not landed herself in trouble with the authorities.
Isn't it sad that because of selfish reasons that I actually ignored an urgent call for help? It does not help that in my recent blogs, I wrote about my desire to minister to the people I encounter on my pilgrim's journey. Sigh.
I just wonder how many of us have passed by individuals in need but because of our busyness, we have ignored them.
Yes, the missing accessories of the television might not have made the set work but that can wait till another day to have it resolved but for a mother to want to sell her daughter away, I think that need has to be met immediately and yet I did not. What was I thinking?
I have this strong urge to want to go to that bus-stop I was at, perhaps tomorrow when I am done with my duty, to see whether the mother and child are still there. Yes, partly I want to do this out of a guilt conscience but I truly want to see how I can assist this precious individual. May the Lord guide me accordingly.
Anyway, that is all I want to share for today.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46
Dad informed me that when he took delivery of the new TV which I ordered on Sunday, there were a few missing accessories and freebies which are supposed to be included in the purchase deal. I was on my way to collect these items when I encountered the lady. At that point of time I was also quite frustrated as I was already on my way home from my reservist duty. I came from the east and because of the missing products, I had to go back to the east again to collect them.
Now, why this remorse since I meet almost all types of people daily? Well, this lady wanted to sell her baby to me. I said no to her and went on waiting for the bus.
I could have ignored the 'urgency' of collecting the stuff and spent some time with the lady to see what other alternatives she could have taken. Anyway, selling her baby in that manner is illegal and I hope she has not landed herself in trouble with the authorities.
Isn't it sad that because of selfish reasons that I actually ignored an urgent call for help? It does not help that in my recent blogs, I wrote about my desire to minister to the people I encounter on my pilgrim's journey. Sigh.
I just wonder how many of us have passed by individuals in need but because of our busyness, we have ignored them.
Yes, the missing accessories of the television might not have made the set work but that can wait till another day to have it resolved but for a mother to want to sell her daughter away, I think that need has to be met immediately and yet I did not. What was I thinking?
I have this strong urge to want to go to that bus-stop I was at, perhaps tomorrow when I am done with my duty, to see whether the mother and child are still there. Yes, partly I want to do this out of a guilt conscience but I truly want to see how I can assist this precious individual. May the Lord guide me accordingly.
Anyway, that is all I want to share for today.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46
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