Changing Lifestyles

Our lives nowadays are very much influenced by technology, which can be both a boon and a bane.  Technology has brought with it a lot of benefits, making life in the 21^st century much more convenient and less laborious than in the previous centuries.  Artificial intelligence and the use of robots will become more and more pervasive as know-how increases.  A recent article in The Straits Times talks about a self-driving robotic vehicle that can take you places in the shortest possible time, avoiding traffic jams and slippery roads.  In the meantime, the passenger can get some work done while in transit.  Another innovation in the pipeline is that of 3-D printers whereby we can design our very own bag or shoes and get them “printed” out.  Such technologies can set one back by thousands of dollars and do away with the human touch. 

In the world of high-tech, we can often lose the high touch.  This can be considered a bane of technology.  It is not uncommon to see people connected at family gatherings using their mobile devices instead of spending time talking face-to-face. Children are kept entertained by iPads or mobile phones.  In a crowded train or bus, many would be plugged in to their mobile devices to either surf the net, play games or listen to music.  Even though the World Wide Web provides a vast wealth of knowledge, not many of them are wholesome or truthful in nature.  There are also human predators on the net seeking to take advantage of innocent lives and possibly destroy them.  People can be influenced by humanistic or demonic philosophies and become rebels without a true cause.  A case in point would be those led into becoming human bombs to fulfill a so-called higher cause. 

Web technology has progressed from reading to interaction and then to customization.  In the past, we use the World Wide Web to search for information; thereafter, we are able to interact with one another through social media like facebook, twitter, blog, etc. Now the move is towards capturing user-end information and marketing products or services through customizing personal preferences. Your personal tastes and preferences are captured when you serve the net without your knowledge.  Somehow this information gets connected with marketing agencies and before you know it a message appears concerning a product or service you were looking out for, with a discount thrown in.  Depending on how you see it, this can be an intrusion to one’s privacy or a beneficial outcome of modern technology, saving you the trouble to search further.      

Another possible lifestyle change is the constitution of the family, which may not be instituted by God i.e. the union between a man and a woman.  Increasingly, the demand is for same-sex marriage as seen in the western world and raising children from such union, either through adoption or some other means.  Another alternative is that of the single-parent family whereby singles who do not marry obtain children through the help of medical science or adoption. Children brought up in non-traditional families will usually suffer from stigma and not experience the full complement of paternal-maternal love and bonding.  In the creation account, God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone and as such Eve was created, someone to complement him and to be his helpmate (Gen 2:18-25).  The biological make-up of the male and female anatomy is to complement one another so that children could be brought forth. This is in stark contrast to having same-sex marriage.  The Bible also says that the body is not for immorality but for the Lord (1 Cor 6:13).              

Blessed Teachers' Day

Traditionally, 1 September is the day set aside for Teachers' Day, where teachers get a day off to commemorate the noble work that they do to help pupils learn, grow and develop holistically.  To promote family life, MOE has recently shifted Teachers' Day to fall on the first Friday of September, so that teachers would have a long weekend which is usually followed by the one week vacation break.  The intent is certainly a good one but little did it realise that there would be years where the first Friday of September would fall within the one week break, depriving teachers of the day off meant for them.  There have been good suggestions given by the public to resolve this dilemma and I don't intend to add to them. 

What I would like to talk about is the spirit of teaching that all of us as believers have a role to play.  And as such, it is a day also dedicated to teachers like you, who though may not be in the teaching profession or hold the office of a teacher (in terms of ministry gift).  Let me elaborate by looking at three passages of Scriptures.  Firstly, the Jewish family is enjoined to instruct their children, especially fathers to sons, the laws and ways of the Lord (Dt 6:4-7).  Fathers are to do this diligently, seizing every opportunity available in order that children might not forget the goodness of the Lord.  We also see King Solomon instructing his son as follows:

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.  Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."  Pr 3:1-4 (NIV)

As parents, we have a duty to instruct our children in God's ways, imparting biblical knowledge and values that will stand them in good stead not just for this present world but also in the world to come.  We continue to do this until our children fly the nest or are old enough to stand on their own.  We can never be sure whether our children will remain faithful to the Lord when they grow up contending with all the influences of the world.  Our only assurance is to keep the communication lines open with them and with God.  If we are not parents or do not have any children, we can still play an important role as proxy parents to our nephews or nieces.  The godly influence of an aunt or uncle can do great wonders in the life of a young child. 

Let's move now from the earthly family to the spiritual family of God.  The writer to the book of Hebrews berated the believers for their lack of understanding in knowing the deep truths of God.  In fact, he mentioned that they ought to be teaching others instead of being constantly fed, not having been weaned off milk.

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."  Heb 5:11-14 (NIV) 

As believers who have been a few years in the faith, we should have sufficient knowledge to point others the way to Christ and at the same time, counsel them in the basics of Christian living.  The writer to Hebrews mentioned some of these elementary teaching: repentance and faith in Christ, water and Spirit baptism, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Heb 6:1-2).  It is through the community of believers meeting together in small groups that such exhortation is possible to build up the body.  For those who have constantly been imbibing God's Word on their own either through personal research or attendance at seminars/bible studies, and have learnt how to apply God's Word, they usaully move towards becoming a teacher of God's Word.  The apostle Paul talked about those with the gift of teaching and those holding the office of a teacher.  Those with the gift of teaching may not be called to the office of a teacher.  But those functioning in the office of a teacher should have the gift of teaching. 

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach."  Rom 12:6-7 (NIV) 

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."   Eph 4:11-13 (NIV)

The five-fold ministry, including that of a teacher, is to equip the church for works of service and to build up the church towards spiritual maturity in Christ.  In the context of diversity of denominations, the unity of faith in Christ is important.  When the universal church stands united as one body, confessing one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, we will see a greater demonstration of God's eternal love being made manifest among mankind through the called-out church (Eph 4:4-6). 

If you are involved in teaching in one or more of those three areas mentioned above, have a blessed teachers' day!  May you be anointed by God to continue teaching His ways and precepts.