Uncommon Courtesy

Common courtesy is rare in this generation. We are pressured by society, and our instincts, to one-up other people and avoid becoming a victim ourselves. We look at the long line, or heap, of people at the MRT or LRT, and we think, no use getting civil here. We push, we shove; never mind our dear elderly or the office lady, never mind the mother carrying her child; we are so used to hearing people taunt, “mag-taxi ka kasi.” We smile to ourselves: at least, we managed to get in.

Count It All Joy

You're talking to an officemate about this particular problem in the workplace, then you find from another person that the officemate you were speaking with a while ago is bad-mouthing you to the management. What do you do? Count it all joy.

A friend is asking for your help to do a difficult task. You tried to squeeze that task in your tight schedule. Then you learned that your friend doesn't really need any help; he went with his other friends to watch a movie. What do you do? Count it all joy.

You're doing your best to make ends meet. You wash your own laundry, deprive yourself from any leisure activity, work overtime and during weekends. You are faithful to your responsibilities, and yet all your sacrifices just seems to be not enough. What do you do? Count it all joy.

Something for Us in Every Situation

In every circumstance, God desires to work out something in our lives. Whether the situation brings us closer to God or farther away from Him depends on the quality of our response to that standpoint. It always depends on our response. 

The Profitable Servant

Nothing is quite ironic than being called excellent when you just failed your last exam, happy when your eyes are just sore from crying, good when you just kicked a cat, useful when you just ran away from your job. What could have Onesimus (which literally means useful, profitable) felt when someone named Paul called  Onesimus by his name and learned afterwards that he just abandoned his duty?