My boss cares very much about how people look at his achievement. He is very proud of the effort he has put into his career, how he works his way up to the present position. After HKCEE, he did not receive any support from his family and he worked part-time to support his post-secondary studies. Nowadays, he calls himself an administrative expert. Bring him your problems and he will solve them for you. He is our Administrator Almighty. However, he probably is not aware that he himself is the root of many of our problems. He creates a problem situation for us and comes to "save" us.
I have no intention to belittle his efforts. His present achievement is admirable. However, he does not listen, does not put himself in our position. He wants things done in his ways and grabs all the honours. He enjoys highlighting the faults of his subordinates. If things go wrong, he will blame you and doesn't take up his share of responsibilities. Would you serve him like serving the Lord? (Colossians 3:23-24)
I have no intention to belittle his efforts. His present achievement is admirable. However, he does not listen, does not put himself in our position. He wants things done in his ways and grabs all the honours. He enjoys highlighting the faults of his subordinates. If things go wrong, he will blame you and doesn't take up his share of responsibilities. Would you serve him like serving the Lord? (Colossians 3:23-24)
That probably illustrates why Paul emphasized so much about grace. As a Pharisee, Paul knew the mentality of most Pharisees who believed that their efforts to keep the laws down to the minutest details would guarantee salvation. Such a worldview was shattered on the road to Damascus. Throughout his life, Saul had been observing the laws. Yet, such piety did not bring him any closer to God.
In his eyes, Christians were dangerous heretics because they believed a carpenter to be God. Just as he was sincerely persecuting these fellow Jews, hoping to bring them back to their right mind, Jesus revealed himself to him.
Saul came to the understanding that it was grace, the free gift from God that brought him salvation. All his previous efforts in piety did not.
I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:13b-14).
Grace and mercy come from God. The theological virtues of faith and love also come from God who enables us to believe in Him and to love Him. Therefore, is there anything we can be proud of? Can our piety and hard work be our pride? Rather, we should be humble and grateful for the opportunities God offers us to serve Him. Yes, I serve God and my boss is not my God. At most, he is only His agent. But am I not His agent as well? So, bosses. Don't boss around.
St. Paul did not see himself Paul Almighty. Rather, he saw himself only an instrument of God for the benefits of the others. He was setting his example for a budding bishop.
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners;
but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
Of course, it is enjoyable for oneself to be honoured. But isn't it a higher-order enjoyment to empower your subordinates to achieve honour? Then, as the mentor of your subordinates, his honour will definitely and finally go to you. Paul was doing this. I would like to follow his footstep. Hey boss, would you?
In his eyes, Christians were dangerous heretics because they believed a carpenter to be God. Just as he was sincerely persecuting these fellow Jews, hoping to bring them back to their right mind, Jesus revealed himself to him.
Saul came to the understanding that it was grace, the free gift from God that brought him salvation. All his previous efforts in piety did not.
I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:13b-14).
Grace and mercy come from God. The theological virtues of faith and love also come from God who enables us to believe in Him and to love Him. Therefore, is there anything we can be proud of? Can our piety and hard work be our pride? Rather, we should be humble and grateful for the opportunities God offers us to serve Him. Yes, I serve God and my boss is not my God. At most, he is only His agent. But am I not His agent as well? So, bosses. Don't boss around.
St. Paul did not see himself Paul Almighty. Rather, he saw himself only an instrument of God for the benefits of the others. He was setting his example for a budding bishop.
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners;
but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
Of course, it is enjoyable for oneself to be honoured. But isn't it a higher-order enjoyment to empower your subordinates to achieve honour? Then, as the mentor of your subordinates, his honour will definitely and finally go to you. Paul was doing this. I would like to follow his footstep. Hey boss, would you?
Dear Lord, may honour and glory go to You, not to me. I am only an unworthy servant. I pray for my boss, hoping that he will one day see the truth. I pray for myself that I can steadily follow the footstep of St. Paul. Amen.
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