Honour

I realize I tend to blog a lot more these days than I used to. Not to say I have more free time, probably just 'cause my life is a little more interesting right now than it is before (which I don't think that's the case), or maybe just 'cause I tend to reflect more (at the same time overthink a little too much) recently, which is usually the source of inspiration to my blog posts. 

Anyways, getting to my point, remember how I used to rant about my housemates? Maybe I haven't mentioned about the uber long message I sent to the group hoping they would all play their role in making our house a home instead of just a house. That was a month after I got here to Australia. But conversations with many visitors to our house made me see the other side of the story. Many tend to feel jealous of our household simply because they see us as a family rather than just housemates. They think the little 'family' that we've got here is pretty lively and close-knit. They just feel so welcomed here. Well, that definitely is a good thing. 

I can always argue that what visitors wouldn't see is the struggles behind the scenes when they are gone, of how much we actually have to go through getting everything sort out so that it would look glamorous from the outside. But where in the world would one find a relationship without conflicts? Conflicts are inevitable, and they can either strengthen a relationship, or tear it apart, depending on how the people involved choose to deal with it. 

So now I have learnt to look at this from a visitor's perspective, and I cannot be more grateful. Visitors come to our place and rant about their housemates (kinda sound like me ranting), and I instantly thank God for giving me such housemates.

One thing I truly believe is that if you honour others, others will honour you too. But you shouldn't have the mindset of 'I honour you, but you don't honour me back, so now I will choose not to honour you'. Like what Ps Russell said, honour is in the heart, and it doesn't seek for something in return.

Same goes to honouring God. For in 1 Samuel 2:30 it says, "But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.'" To honour is to give weight to and to value. If one honours people's opinion more that God's, it means that he or she worships people instead of God.

I remember mom and dad gave me this framed art which reads 'Prayer Changes Things' on one of my birthdays many years ago, and to be honest, I kinda doubted it for many years. Sometimes when I pray, I just can't help thinking, hey there are 7 billion people on this Earth, what makes me think that God will be listening to my prayer?

But I was wrong. He answers our prayers, it's just a matter of time, as long as it's aligned with His will. Helpless as I was a month ago, I had nobody else to go to but to cry out to God. I have to make it clear that I'm not here to brag about how holy I am or how nice I am, my point is that prayers DO change things. 

I prayed for a change in the family, but all I got back from God was that my heart wasn't right (I believe I have mentioned that in one of my previous blog posts as well). God wanted me to pray for a transformation in my heart instead. But my heart was hardened, I was thinking, God why is this my fault? I was already doing all I can to keep this family going. But God said, nope, you can do better than that, you just need to rely on me, I am your source of joy and strength. And so I did, or at least I gave it a try.  

You would be amazed by what God can accomplish. Things that you'd never think can happen in the human realm can happen when God wants it to happen. God taught me how to give. I wouldn't say I'm a stingy person to begin with, but often times when I give, I would hold something back, afraid that if I were to give it all I wouldn't have anything left for myself. Souvenirs, chocolates, tea for now, and surprisingly I just never thought of myself having not enough anymore, nor did I expect anything in return. Seeing them blessed in turn makes me feel blessed. I guess God just wanted me to not just know but also believe that He is our provider, and we can fully trust in Him no matter how hard times are. 

Going back to my point of honouring God and God honouring us. I slowly see a change in attitude of my housemates. While I was gone for the week in Melbourne, one of my housemates actually took the initiative to lead the family. There was this one weekend when I was super busy with my assignment and I went downstairs to see dinner prepared. One day, I came home to a clean floor. One of my housemates left a chocolate bar thanking whoever who helped her do her laundry. I was carrying a mattress down the stairs one day when my housemate asked if I needed help. These are just a few examples out of the many. I was touched beyond words. Nobody is perfect, I don't expect them to be perfect. But now I know, my family is more lovely than it was. 

When you put God first, God will put you first. And now I am praying that one day they will see God's love towards the world, as well as towards each and every one of them.