10 June, Monday — “God is everywhere…”

Monday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 17:1-6
Mt 5:1-12

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill.

I am impatient and dislike crowds, and crowded places.

It could be due to the fact that I am getting older, or that this is a result of living in our post-COVID world. I should have gotten used to the fact that everywhere I go is crowded, as we live in one of the most crowded cities in the world. I really, really dislike heading downtown on the weekends, where there’s just so much jostling and shoving.

Perhaps one of the things that irks me the most in crowds or in crowded situations, is that there seems to be always inconsiderate behaviour. For example, on a busy morning up Bukit Timah Hill, you will see a group of 3-4 hikers spreading across the path, thus, making it difficult for other people to share the path. Even on the pathways along our park connectors, there will invariably be walkers/joggers that run in the middle of the path, thereby blocking other users. When I tell them to keep to one side as I pass them, I also get dirty looks and an ugly glare that communicates, “Mind your own business!” I sometimes feel that we are really a third world people living in a first world country.

When I observe such behaviours, it really turns me off and I ask myself why do people act like that? Sometimes, I do get angry with people acting like this and I begin to judge them by their race, culture or nationality. Terribly unchristian-like behaviour on my part, I know. But after things have settled down slightly and I have a little of time to reflect, I then feel guilty. How can I profess to be a Christian if I think or act like this? The Lord said, “Love your neighbour” and not “Love your neighbour that only displays considerate behaviours”.

This commandment by our Lord sounds so simple, yet it is so hard to follow. In addition to the ‘inconsiderate’ people that I encounter, I also have to love the drivers that cut me off in traffic and my co-workers that I think are not pulling their weight. How can I do this? I learnt some time back that I cannot control how people behave. I can only control how I behave. Plus, my impatience does not help at all.

I guess one of the ways on how to react when I encounter these behaviours is to not aggravate the situation. Can I ease the situation with kind words or to ‘turn the other cheek’? Honestly, it’s tough for me. But as scripture says, “With Man, it is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.” Matt 19:26.

I just have to take a step back, take a deep breath and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest. As Eph 4:29 says: “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

I acknowledge that I am still a work in progress, but I know that if I put God in the centre of all I do, I know that I may be a little forgiving of crowds. Because God is in the crowds as well.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Calvin Wee)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for an open heart and to let the Holy Spirit fill me with your love, so that I may better love my neighbours and to be more Christian-like in the way that I treat others. Amen.

Thanksgiving: Thank you, Heavenly Father, for blessing us always. And in letting us experience your love as we treat others with humility and respect. Thank you. Amen.