How to be King

I have tried to come out with other suitable titles like "How to have influence over others", "The Secrets of Leadership", "The Principles to be Popular and get Support", "How to get Followers",   etc. But finally, I think I just stay with the translation of King. King means power to rule over others, not by force, but by influence to get willing and committed followers.

The Wisdom of Chinese Classics can be summarized into four words "内圣外王", translated as "Inside Saint Outside King". In our Christian teaching, I will translated it as, "Inside Christ Outside Glory" or "Christ within and Glory without". As we live out the Christ within us, we will have the influence and the testimonies to bring glory to God. Jesus' prayer is "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." How is this done? Through all of us that have Christ within to live Christ out in our behavior, careers and lives.  This is taught to us by Paul in, using the NLT, as

Php 2:12-16 ... Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; ....

Or in the Message bible with a more powerful image:

Php 2:12-16  ...Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God.  That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.  Do everything readily and cheerfully--no bickering, no second-guessing allowed!  Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night ...

Please also see What is the meaning of Yielding to the Spirit?
and Christian Transformation & Growth -The Unified Model ...

For management and leadership training, we would translate the phase as “One must be able to manage oneself well first then we can manage others".  Or, "Leading others begins with leading oneself". We must be of good character and be capable first then we can lead others. If we cannot manage ourselves, how can we manage others?

The Wisdom of Chinese Classics

Let me also share with you the teaching of the Ancient Chinese.  The concept of the phase first appeared in Zhuang Zi 《庄子·天下篇》. You can click the link to get the English translation. The keys are:

1. To build inner character, remember the root sources, the attributes, the truth, virtues, the ways, handling of changes, love, righteousness, manners of behavior, harmony of music.
2. To manage the people, use laws, right jobs for right people, evidence based, careful decision making, providing for living (economic development for the people), storing, care for the old, weak and orphans.

Confucius's Ru School has an equivalent saying, "内修外治" Developing the Inner man and then rule externally". It has a eight step process, "格物、致知、诚意、正心、 修身、 齐家、治国、平天下".The first five is for Character and Wisdom building. The last three is about rulership over family, country and the world. For details, see Understanding 'The Great Learning DaXue' in One Minute

Wisdom and Character building begins with

1. 格物: Study the behavior of the things, the universe, ecology, people etc. This is science and more.
2. 致知: Gain in depth knowledge and learn from the study of things.
3. 诚意: Sincerity. No deviation from the truth. No lying to oneself or others.
4. 正心: Literally, square-heart. A pure, fair, righteous and peaceful heart. No evil intentions. No prejudices or biases.
5. 修身: Development of Character Virtues. Ru School has a list of virtues. The list is similar to Christianity. Love, righteousness, balanced, pure, manners, understanding shame, respects and care for parents and elders, etc.

Once we have developed our character and wisdom, then we can manage our family, and then our country and then the world. It takes a process, and one step at a time.

We can see that Ancient Chinese stresses much on following the ways of God, building of character, and then creating a harmonious and prosper world.

2Pe 1:5-9  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

As Christians, with the Christ, the grace of God within us, could we do less? Because of the New Life within us, let us boldly live out the glory of God within that others may the Glory of God and be drawn to Christ.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Similar Verses in BIble and Chinese Classics 7 on Mouth and Heart

This time we take a verse from a lesser known Chinese Classics 《鬼谷子》. It is classified into the group of Miscellaneous. The author is nick-named Gui Gu Zi 《鬼谷子》(Fellow of the Demon Valley - just the name of the place. His original name is 王诩). He was the teacher of the famous politicians and military strategists like 苏秦, 张仪, 孙膑与庞涓.

捭阖: 8  ...口者，心之门户也。... Open & Close: 8 ...Mouth is the door of the heart....
What we say come out from in the inside of our heart. When we are fearful and worry inside, we speak negative and depressing words. We say we can't. We say let's give up.

This reminded us of what Jesus said about it was not the food that defiled us but the evil inside spoken out.

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; ...
(Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. )


The verse in the Classic read as follows:

捭阖: 8 捭阖者，道之大化，说之变也。必豫审其变化，吉凶大命系焉。口者，心之门户也。心者，神之主也。志意、喜欲、思虑、智谋，此皆由门户出入。故关之以捭阖，制之以出入。

Open and close is the operation of the Great Dao (Way of Heaven). It is the change that we need to talk about. We must carefully observe and predict the change (i.e. see the pattern of changes). This is because it determines the outcome of our lives, whether good or evil. Take note of the MOUTH. It is the DOOR of our HEART. HEART, it is the center of our spirit. Our will,  joy, desire, worry, wisdom and planning, all come in and out through the DOOR. Hence, we must guard its opening and closing, and limit what go in and come out.

It's main teaching is - Be careful and control what you say - good or bad comes from it.

Isn't this the same as Prov 18:21

• (KJVR)  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  or in a newer translation:
• (CEV)  Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.
  

It also reminds us of what James warned us about the tongue and the Godly wisdom in James 3.

We are and become what we say.
Because we say what we think, and what we think is what we become as in Prove 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. We are or we become what we say. So it is extremely important that we guard what we say.


We get what we say.
We have this very powerful verses in the Bible Mark 11:22-23.

Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
Mar 11:23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Good Advices:

1. Carefully listen to and reflect what we are saying. 
• This is because what we say tell us much about our inner self. Are we worry? Are we joyful? Are we speaking words of faith? Are we jealous? Are we unforgiving?  Are we angry? Are we joyful? Are we confident? Are we proud? Check our inner spirit - positive, joyful, confident and trusting the Lord or the opposite.
2. Speak only positive words.
• Speak words of joy, encouragement, forgiveness, wisdom, beauty, blessings, comforting and assurance. 
• Stop gossiping, cursing, and saying words of defeats, depression and bitterness. 
• When we are tempted to speak negatively, apply the INVERT operator, and convert it to positive words.
3. Speak of our vision
• Speak of what we want and like to become. 
• Speak of what success look like. 
• Speak words of faith in Christ. 

Previous: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 6 On Wealth from Righteousness

Chinese Classics (I-Ching, Dao, Analects etc) and the Bible

The Purpose
Some brothers were concerned about my interests in and my study of the Chinese Classics (Ancient Chinese Classical Literature, now popularly known in China as 国学 National Learning). They were concerned that I may be misled. Chinese has an interesting term for those that are deeply involved in a topic, such as Qi Gong (Breathing and Meditation Exercises), and with a wrong step, could lead into 走火入魔, meaning runaway(out of control) fire and entering or into the devil.

This is precisely the reason that I am studying and writing these posts about Chinese Classics. The purposes are

• to help the believers to understand the Chinese Classics and the Chinese culture better.
• to help Chinese Classics readers differentiate the spiritual from the non-spiritual parts.
• Jesus Christ came to tell and to bring us back to our Heavenly Father God. He did not come to destroy our entire cultures (Every culture has within it the godly and the non-godly parts).
• Jesus Christ is the answer to what the ancient Chinese sages were looking for.

Chinese Classics Begin with Acknowledgment and Respect for the Creator-God
The oldest and the Classic of the Chinese Classics known as the I-Ching or Yi-Jing begins with the 1st hexagram 乾 as Heaven - the great beginning of Creation and the creative force, and with the 2nd hexagram 坤 as Earth - the created mother Earth providing the environment for the growth all things.

Ancient Chinese believed the visible came from the invisible God. All the varieties of lives and things come from the great single source of God. The ancient Chinese studied the ways of Heaven (God) and Earth and exhorted that man must follow the ways of Heaven and Earth to have harmony - 天地人合一。 It is frequently simplified into 天人合一， unity of Heaven and Man, is the purpose of man. Is not this the purpose of Jesus Christ? Eph 1:10  "as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth"!

Chinese Classics wisdom actually begins with the fear of the Lord, God ( Prov 1:7, Job 28:28, Ps 111:10, Prov 9:10, Pro 15:33 all say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or knowledge or insight) See Why is the Fear of the Lord the Beginning of Wisdom?. It is the Godly and Biblical kind of wisdom. Chinese wisdom is more godly than those present scientific teachings that do not even acknowledge the existence of God. Science explains how things work but cannot provide the answers to why things work. It has no answer to what is right or wrong, and no answer for life. Science can help prolong physical life but does not give meaning to life.  Ancient Chinese Classic provides the simple answer that man is to have harmony with God and the environment, love people, and leave a legacy for future generations. This is exactly what is expressed in "Ecc 12:13  The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man". In fact, when I first read Ecclesiastes I thought I was reading Chinese Classics. I had to check a few times that I was indeed holding a bible.

What is Missing in the Chinese Classics?
Not knowing about Jesus Christ, the ancient Chinese had to rely on themselves to achieve harmony with Heaven and Earth. It is man's great effort to study the ways of Heaven and Earth and then follow them to achieve maturity and good character virtues. Ancient Chinese teaches self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. It is not self-denial per se like some religions. It is a proactive concern for the people at large. Interestingly, they don't spend much time on sins but more time on the right ways. There is no use telling people what is wrong. It is more important to tell people what are the right ways that people could follow.

Ancient Chinese discovered a God of creation of power and love. A God to be revered. A God whose ways cannot be violated or violated at our own perils. Wise Chinese, sages, try hard to reach up to God and to teach others to do the same. Unfortunately, that is a tough road to travel, and not able to reach God's standards. We can see that those people's character virtues are very often much better than many Christians. Nonetheless, they fail God's standards. (I don't know what will happen to them since they were before Christ's time and had no Gospel preached to them. But if Enoch was taken away by God, we trust God to take care of those people who died without hearing about the Gospel.)

天人合一要靠耶稣
For this present time, we know the open secret of 天人合一, unity between heaven and man. It is through Jesus Christ, the God that became man to bring man to God. Having a rebirth into a new creation of Christ in us will enable us to reach God's standards spiritually and let our soul and body be developed into the mature image of Christ and bring glory to God through our behavior. Rom 12:1-2, 8:29. God is glorified through His body on earth, behaving like His Son Jesus Christ, i.e. that is you and me.

Chinese Wisdom Closer to Biblical Teachings
I would boldly go one step further to say that the Chinese Classics teaching of Harmony, respect for differences, and integrative type of thinking is closer to the Biblical Teaching of God all-embracing love rather than a particular Western type "you must be like me or else" type of teaching.

As an example, Paul did not tell the slaves to break free from their master once they were saved. Slavery is a human-made system. With a good master, slavery is good. The master is responsible for the life of the slave, including finding a wife and taking care of his children. With a bad master, slavery is bad. God's words work well under the slavery or non-slavery system. It is the human misinterpretation and misapplication of the Bible that creates problems. Paul told those who were saved to remain as they were. It is of the heart and not of the jobs. Nevertheless, if the slave can be free, then do it. The freed slave has the responsibility of making a living by himself. Some may not be able to do it!

Warnings
The Ancient Chinese Classical Literature has been extended and modified by the various religions that came after them. We can see the original Zhou Yi 周易 I-Ching has become a fortune-telling book. The Dao De Jing of Lao Zi has been named a bible of some religions and with a different interpretation. The teachings of Confucius and Confucius have been deified to become a religion and a god for worship. Hence, in the study of Chinese Classics, we need to differentiate the original source from the other spiritualized sources and distorted content.

Isn't the Bible Good Enough? Why should I bother?
The Bible is good enough for salvation and development and everything. However, to bring the gospel to a culture, we need to understand the culture and connect to the culture. We need to tell and show them that Jesus is the answer to their pursuits. To reach out to the Chinese with their cultural roots (there are Chinese that have taken other cultures), perhaps we should know about their ancient classical literature to reach out to them. Show me you know me so that perhaps I can give you an ear to hear what you want to say. Of course, that is not the only way to reach out to a particular culture. There are other ways like miracles and healing of the sick that draw people to God quickly without understanding the culture. But for the longer-term growth of the converted believers, some cultural understanding is needed.

Update 5 July 2014
Ancient Chinese Wisdom and Philosophies, called Sinology, are like the Old Testament of the Bible or the Tanakh of the Jews. They are books of wisdom to teach how to live rightly with God, nature, and men. The good news of the gospel is Jesus Christ, who gives us a new transformed life to live out the teachings. Right living comes from within and not by possessions of things nor by forced by external laws. 内圣外王, inside-saint then rule outside as a king, is the teaching of Zhuang Zi and Confucius.

Update 16 Jan 2017 - God is known from His Creation
Romans 1v20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Psalm 19 New Living Translation (NLT)
1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth and their words to all the world.

For related posts see Chinese Classics & The Bible Index Page
For more on Chinese Classics and I-Ching see Ancient Chinese Wisdom

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 6 On Wealth from Righteousness

In the Classics of Chinese of Classics I-Ching, there is a commentary 《文言》 on the first 乾卦 Heaven Hexagram that reads: 


《文言》曰：元者，善之长也。亨者，嘉之会也。利者，义之和也。贞者，事之干也。君子体仁足以长人，嘉会足以合礼，利物足以和义，贞固足以干事。君子行此四德者，故曰：“乾：元、亨、利、贞。”

I could not find the English translation with Google search. So let me translate this into English. The whole sentence is very meaningful, but let me just pick up the key phrase that is similar to the Biblical text first. It is the highlighted part of "利者，义之和也", which means, 'benefits and profits come from harmonizing with righteousness' or "business value creation comes from righteous pursuit". In other words, if we want money and wealth, we must pursue righteousness first.

This is exactly what Jesus said in Mat 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

If you are wondering whether this applies to the present time (as a believer, we believe that God's word hold true all the time and it is the modern man that are discovering its truth), see Guy Kawasaki's Arts of the Start video (skip to 5thmin),  in which he said, "to start a business is to create meaning", and "that includes increase the quality of life, right a wrong, and prevent the end of something good".  The new business books that came out recently and are coming continue to stress on the return to fundamental values and virtues of righteousness. e.g.  How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything...in Business, Megatrends 2010: The Rise of Conscious Capitalism and many others.

Full Translation

The Great Beginning 元者 is the head of goodness. The Smooth harmonious Flow is the meeting of beauty. The benefits(profits) is the harmony with righteousness. The Purity (Focused Perseverance or Discipline) is the pillar of work. Wise men exercise love to build and lead people. Beauty comes from synchronizing with good manners (rules for proper conduct and communication). Benefiting others and things satisfy righteousness. Perseverance in purity enables one to do things. Wise men follow these four character virtues - goodness, harmony (smooth flow), value creation (benefiting others) and focused purity (defect free).

It is rather difficult to find the English words for the Chinese words and I struggle with the literal and dynamic translations. I hope you can get the meaning and enjoy the richness of the Chinese Classics. As I shared before that reading the Classics help me to appreciate the Bible better. Exposition on the Biblical text with a Chinese mindset will likely shed new lights for our understanding of the Bible and enjoy the beauty of Jesus Christ our Lord.

DaoDeJing 81 of Lao Zi:
The last two verses of the Tao Bible (DaoDeJing) written by Lao Zi are:
圣人不积，既以为人己愈有，既以与人己愈多。
The saints accumulate not. He that serve others possesses more. He that gives to others gain more.
天之道，利而不害；
The laws of heaven bring benefits without any harm.
圣人之道，为而不争。」
The laws of the saints are serving without competing.

Previous: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 5 On Christian Virtues
Next: Similar Verses in BIble and Chinese Classics 7 on Mouth and Heart

History of Relationship - From God and Man to Father and Sons

The Creator God
It is not too difficult for man to know a Creator God. From the created world around us, we can roughly make a good guess of what the Creator is like. We can say that the Creator God is extremely wise and extremely powerful. But a key question to probe further is to ask "Is this Creator still interested in me?". There are people who believed that God after his creation leave the created things to work out for themselves. The Creator just left the scene after the creation and men are left to live or die on their own.  In time of tragedies, it does seem that our God has left and has no further interest in us.

God as Father!
Then, Jesus came into the scene to tell us that God is still interested in us. In fact, God loves us enough to give us His Son Jesus to die for us so that we can have the Zoe God's kind of life and to be with God forever. Jesus reveal to us that God is not just the Creator but that God is the Father to us. God as our Father is shocking concept. Not sure which religion, except Christianity, proclaim a God as our Father.

History of Relationship between God and Man
It is interesting to me to see how the relationship between God and man changes with time. Adam was the first man created by God from the earth and breath of God in the image of God. In only one place, Luke 3:38, Adam was recorded as a son of God. The son-ship is a loose term used to describe that Adam was just created by God. The true son-ship should be a pro-creation, a giving birth, of the same blood. Even so, Adam and God enjoyed a very close fellowship. Adam addressed God as 'you' and not as Lord or God, at least before the fall. It was not recorded whether Adam sacrifice to God but we know Adam's sons, Cain and Abel did make offering to God and hence acknowledging God as the higher One, the Creator. Noah addressed God as Lord. So did Abraham. Many descriptive names of God were used but they are more describing the characteristics of God - such as 

God as El in :

• El Shaddai: God Almighty
• El Elyon:  Most High God
• El Olam: The Everlasting God. 

Moses received the Name of God as YahWeh (or Jehovah in some translations) and frequently translated as Lord, 

• Yahweh Jireh The Lord will provide.
• Yahweh Nissi: The Lord is my Banner of Victory
• Yahweh Shalom: Lord of  Peace.  
• Yahweh Sabbaoth:  Lord of Hosts of Army
• Yahweh Maccaddeshcem: The Lord that Sanctifies.
• Yahweh Ro’i:  The Lord my Shepherd. (By David in Ps 23) - This is closest to Father.
• Yahweh Tsidkenu:  The Lord our Righteousness.
• Yahweh Shammah: The Lord is presence
• Adonai: God as the Master, or Owner.

Believers are True Children (Sons of God)
Believers that believed and received Jesus as the Son of God are born again by the Holy Spirit as children of God. (1John 3:1) Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Believers are not like Adam. They are born of the Spirit of God and are of and is God's. John 3:5,6,8. 

God as our Father is something we must remember. Jesus taught us to pray by beginning with Our Father ... Hence, we when come to God, we must know that we come in the role of sons and daughters of God. We are not just man, or servant. 

Father Loves to...
Father delights in His children irrespective of their performances. 
He is sadden by our sins and our suffering. 
He waits for us with open arms to receive us back to him. 
He provides for us. He guides us. He protects us. 
He watches lovingly over us. 
He desires that we become like him - creating and contributing to all.
He dances over us (as some song writer wrote).

Children Come...
Come to God with God as the Father mindset that we can be truly honest and transparent with Him. 
We can truly enjoy Him without fear or guilt conscious. 
Come to Him to experience His presence and love. 
Pour out our hearts, our fears, bitterness, discouragements, shames, to Him. 
Share our joy and victories, events and humor with Him.

God is most glorified when we are most satisfied with Him said John Piper. 

God is most satisfied when we are most glorified with Him - when we exhibits the character of His Son Jesus. This is only possible when we spend much time with our Father through Jesus in us. Let the Jesus in us grow to occupy all our being that we think, feel, talk and behave like Jesus.

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 5 On Christian Virtues

What are the main virtues of Christians? 

What is Jesus like? 

We have the fruit of the Spirit described in Gal 5:23-24 as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We know the 9 descriptions can be grouped, even as one word, LOVE, as LOVE is defined by Paul in 1Co 13:4-8 Love is patient,  kind; rejoice at righteousness and truth and bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love is not envy nor boastful nor arrogant nor rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.

In Lao Zi's Dao De Jing Chapter 67, we have descriptions of the 3 virtues of Love, Frugality, and Putting Others First. Here are the details:

天下皆謂我道大 似不肖。夫唯大故似不肖。 若肖，久矣！其細也夫。
我有三寶 持而保之：一曰慈， 二曰儉，三曰不敢為天下先。
慈故能勇，儉故能廣，不敢為天下先 故能成器長。

今舍慈且勇，舍儉且廣，舍後且先，死矣！

夫慈以戰則勝，以守則固。天將救之 以慈衛之。

My translations:

All people under the heaven think that the Great Way (of Heaven that I preach) is useless or foolish. That is because greatness seems like folly. If it is useful, in the long run, it will be narrow and small. 
I have three treasures that I keep with me all the time. The first is love. The second is frugality (thriftiness, self-control). The third is not wanting to be first in the world. Love enables me to be brave. Frugality enables me to be generous. Not wanting to be first enables me to perform well and become the leader.
The people nowadays discard love and bravery, discard frugality and generosity, discard being last and fight for first, it will surely bring forth death!
Love will bring forth victory in attack and strong protection in defense.
Heaven will save such people and protect them with love.

 The 3 virtues correspond to the teachings of the Bible well.

1. Love: (Love is the Greatest)
   This is very obvious. Lao Zi added bravery with it. Loving others causing us to risk our lives to save them. This is precisely what Jesus did for us. He died on the cross to save us from the punishment of our sins. In addition, Lao Zi stresses that Love always wins whether in the active or receptive mode. God also saves and protects such people that act with love.
   
   
2. Frugality or Self-Control in spending: (Generosity is blessed)
   Because we exercise self-control in our spending, we shall have much to give away and be generous.
   Psa 37:21  The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
   Psa 37:26  He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
   
   
3. Not-Seeking to be First: (Servant Leadership)
   He is always thinking about others and putting others first. He is always serving others. No wonder that such people who put others first become the right choice of a leader.
   Mat 23:11  The greatest among you shall be your servant.
   Mat 19:30  But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 

In summary:

Love bravely, be frugal to be generous, and put others first are virtues for greatness.

Previous: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 4 On Giving to Abundance
Next: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 6 On Wealth from Righteousness 

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 4 On Giving to Abundance

Giving is a virtuous character of the believer. Giving resulting in abundance of returns is taught by Jesus in

Luk 6:38  give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

The last sentences of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing verse 81b teaches this too. Here is the detail:

聖人不積。
既以為人己愈有。
既以與人己愈多。
天之道利而不害。
聖人之道為而不爭。

My translation is:

Wise man do not accumulate things for himself.
The more he help others, the more he has!
The more he give to others, the more he gets!
The way of Heaven is always beneficial and never harmful.
The way of the Wise is to work for others and yet claim no glory or rewards.

Such concepts are very difficult to receive and believe by modern man in this competitive world. This resulted in some translator of Dao De Jing to include his warning that Lao Zi's teachings cannot be followed mechanically.

As believers, because the similar verse of 'giving first and receiving multi-folds return' is taught in the Bible and by Jesus in particular, we can believe and practice accordingly.

You will see from my posting that Biblical truth is my reference point in interpreting and learning from the Chinese Classics. The Chinese Classics often bring forth additional and finer ideas that I would have missed in the Bible. Hope you will benefit from such ideas too. Click on the Label Chinese Classics to find such similar posts.

Previous: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 3 On The Golden Rule of Love
Next: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 5 On Christian's Virtues

Five Habits for Effective Christian Living

We grow through the years. We learn more and more as we journey through life. Nevertheless, some of the old things, better termed 'the foundational things', do not change but rather gets more solid as they stand the test of time.

I started blogging to share in May 2006, but I am believer since 1969. A key message that I preached in a series of messages in Apr 2006 is still as relevant today. It was titled "Five Habits for Effective Christian Living". I used to preach in Mandarin in those day and here is a key summary slide of the message with English and Chinese words.

The Foundational Principle - "Abide in Christ"
The basic principle for the 5 habits is to abide in Christ. By developing the five habits, we get to know more and more about Jesus and grow up to be like Him. (See Eph 3:16-22, Rom 8:29-30). We are transformed from the inside out. We think, feel and act like Christ.

The Five Habits Are:

1. Know the Truth
2. Believe the Truth
3. Talk or Confess the Truth
4. Walk/Do the Truth
5. Share the Truth (Group Victory)
6. Resulting in the Growth in the Truth

Here is a slide that show how the Word of Truth is internalized from the book of the Bible into our mind and deep into our hearts. It also shows how we use the 5 senses of our body to build up the inner man of the heart. Our body are not to be despised or cut off but rather be our instruments for righteousness, holiness and glorification of God. Our body is the temple of God testifying for God and impacting the world.

Don't see thing from one point of view. Don't live life by following the fashion and hype of the day. See thing systematically. See the forests and navigate a path through the trees and live victoriously. Develop the balanced life with the 5 habits.

"I am and I change not" - True Character

In my previous post Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 3 On The Golden Rule of Love, we talk about "Love your enemy" and "being faithful even when others are not".

How could we do that?

1. Loving the one that betrayed you.
2. Being faithful when the other is unfaithful.

The secret is revealed in the 2nd part of the verse

• 2Ti 2:13  if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.

Because God is love and God is faithful, he cannot act otherwise. True character is not changed by external things. It does don't change because others do something bad to him. The common saying that a tiger does not loose its stripes.

God's name is the "Great I AM" and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Jesus does not love us less because we sin. Nor does he loves us more because we do good. Our goodness or badness have impact on us and not on God's love for us.

Our reactions then to external circumstances and to the things that our 'friends' do to us is a measure of our character. What are we made of? Of the old life of selfishness and self-centeredness or the new life and identify of Jesus Christ? This the degree of maturity with Christ likeness as the reference standard. We can look at it from the negative side - how we react to bad situations. We can also look at it from the positive side - how we behave when we are successful and wealthy. Will we be led astray to think that we achieve it and become arrogant and proud? Or will we live with a grateful heart and manage the success and wealth wisely as God's good stewards? According to the Parable of the Sower, it seems richness is a bigger test than persecution.

The key lesson we want to learn from this

Be true to our new identity in Christ and act accordingly from it.
Be not influenced by what happened to us to cause us to react outside of our character.

Loving our betrayer and being faithful are our Christ-like character and are only natural for us to behave that way.

(note: Truth, Righteousness and Justice are also Christ's character. We love the man in the sinner and not the act of the sinner. There is the need to point out and correct with love. Love is not without justice, truth and righteousness).

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 3 On The Golden Rule of Love

For Christians, the golden rule of love as commonly cited is:

Mat 7:12  "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

But I find that there is one even more powerful than that. It is this:

Mat 5:44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Mat 5:45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Among the Chinese Classics, we can find the passive equivalent of the golden rule in Confucius Saying in Lun Yu "What you don't want, don't do it to others" 己所不欲，勿施于人”《论语·颜渊篇》. Chinese manners are more passive and do not impose on others. Imposing on others is considered rude.

Confucius was also more restrictive in the second part of 'love your enemy'.  In LunYu 14:34 或曰‘以德報怨、何如’ Someone asked,"What about repaying injury with kindness?"
子曰‘何以報德、以直報怨、以德報德’ Confucius said,"Then how do you repay kindness? Repay injury with straightness (justice) and kindness for kindness".

For the more powerful equivalent of "Love your enemy", we have to go to Lao Zi's Dao De Jing verse 49.

The Chinese version is:

聖人無常心。 以百姓心為心。
善者吾善之。 不善者吾亦善之 德善。
信者吾信之。 不信者吾亦信之、 德信。
聖人在天下歙歙焉， 為天下渾其心。
百姓皆注其耳目， 聖人皆孩之。 

The wise man has not the normal heart for oneself. His heart is for the hearts of the people.
Those that are kind, I am kind to them. Those that are unkind, I am also kind to them. Hence, kindness is gained (i.e. unkindness is transformed by kindness. A stronger translation is - that is the meaning of the virtue of kindness)
Those that are faithful, I am faithful to them. Those that are unfaithful, I am still faithful to them. Faithfulness is obtained. (Bible : 2Ti 2:13  if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself. )
Wise man consider the society and restrict and muddied his own desire.(i.e. no desire for his own)
The people focus their eyes and ears to see and hear. Wise man guide and care for them as children. (See Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . 1Pe 5:2  shepherd the flock of God that is among you)

If we replace the 'wise man' with Jesus, it matches the Bible well.

Lao Zi repeated this in Verse 63 報怨以德  "Repay hatred with kindness"

I must say that Lao Zi did understand the ways of the Creator better the others including the famous Confucius.

Previous:Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 2 On Creation
Next:Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 4 On Giving to Abundance

Entrepreneur Leadership - Kingdom Principles in Business

Participated in the Chinese FGBF Singapore Kallang organized Asia-Pac Entrepreneurship Conference as speaker and audience. I learned and benefited much. Since the conference was in Mandarin, I will share some of learning here in English so that it can benefit the English speakers.

The content presented below is my own learning from what I heard and may not be exactly what the speaker say. If there be any error, it is due to my perception. We see things with our colored glasses and may only want to hear what we like. As I am writing on the mind-map while listening, my notes are incomplete too. With that as a warning, let me share what I learned.

From Dr Ma, learn the following keys:

From Dr Jerry Chu, I learn the following keys:

 

Dr Ian Chung pointed out that mindset of the CEO should be:

The other topics are rather technical in nature and not shared here.

My sharing is on innovation can be found in my mindvalue-blogs and website - BVITS Innovative Thinking Methods. The spiritual aspect of my talk is shared in this blog.

For related posts, see

1. Kingdom Laws & Principles
2. Business by Jesus

Grace Based Growth - A Balanced View

We have short term memory and we are easily stirred and excited by the things we heard and things that happened to us recently. We so easily forget the good things that God and others had given to us. We are easily led by the latest hype. Now and then, we need to go back to the fundamental belief, to examine whether we have growth in the right way. We have to see whether this latest hype is just a fad, a recast of a lie, or a new revelation of God built on the already known foundations of Biblical truth.

A key issue, addressed in many of my past postings, is about Christian growth and the related issue of work, performance and accountability. See for examples:

• Grace is Unmerited Favor" - This Common Definition is Wrong 
• Grace Based Doctrines - Best summary mind-map
• Performance and Relationship  
• Grace - Wrong Definition leading to Shameful Behavior

1. Facing The Reality of Life - Continued Judgments
Whether we like it or not, reality exists and is independent of our wishes or likings. Our lives will be judged, now by people like our parents, friends, colleagues, bosses and society, and eventually by God. Heb 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. The BIG question is, will we pass?


2. The Positive Answer is Ensured by Grace of God in Jesus
The answer to the Big question has been answered by God in the positive long time ago through and by Jesus. In Jesus Christ, the answer is "Yes, we pass". We don't have to live in fear and doubt. We can live in peace and joy because of Jesus and not due to any thing that we do to earn it. It is merely by acceptance of the gift of Jesus. Hence, Paul, stressed twice, in Eph 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Eph 2:9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If we insist we want to do it, then our action is simply an action of faith in Jesus' word by the acceptance of the grace extended. It is simply a response of faith with thanks giving.


3. The Beginning is the First Step - It is the Start of Growth to Glorification
Paul did not end the 'grace by faith' in Eph 2:9, but continue with Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. It clearly shows that the grace did not end with our salvation (saved) but is to continue to complete His "workmanship". We are to continue to walk by the grace given to reach the His masterpiece(that's us) that He pre-planned long ago (Eph 1:4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world). In short, we are saved for God glorying works through grace.


4. From Calling, Justification to Glorification
Let me emphasize this journey of growth by quoting from Paul Rom 8:29-30 showing the stages of growth:

• He foreknew 
• He predestined -> to be conformed to the image of his Son
• He called
• He justified
• He glorified

Grace is for the whole journey beginning from transformation, all the way to glorification and conforming to the image of Jesus.

Grace is given for transformation and growth
      from being (new identity in the inside, rebirth, now 2 Cor 5:17)
      and to become (outside, image, behavior) like Christ Rom 8:29

5. The Measure and the Ultimate Growth is Be Like Christ

Since the ultimate state of growth is 'to be conform to the image of Christ', then the measure of growth will be "Likeness to Jesus". Do we believe, think, feel, decide and act like Christ? How often did we behave like Christ. The answer should be 'all the time' (100%) because we have the Christ in us with the enabling power of grace. But in the growth process, as children, we may be 10%-40%, as young man, may be 40-80%, and as father (80-100%). 1John 2 tells us much about the characteristics of the 3 stages and how to grow from one stage to the other.

6. Two Common Errors on Growth

1. Like Christ by Self Effort - leading to burn-out and abuse
   Emphasis is put on following the commandments of the Bible without the leading the of Holy Spirit. It is work for Christ and not work with Christ. It is work that I think it is good for Christ rather than getting to know the will of Christ for the moment and then work out in faith.
   (Note: reading the Bible, communication with Jesus are spiritual disciplines that are the will of Jesus for every believers. But as to when, how long, how often, it is something that the Holy Spirit will guide. It is the more the better in general).
   
   
2. Already Attained - No growth needed.
   This group see that they are complete already in Christ and hence don't see any need for any spiritual discipline. Any discipline is seen as fleshly work. They move by inner feelings and seen anything strenuous as of the flesh, legalism and will quit. They will quit also any time that don't have the feeling as well. Suffering is not in the vocabulary as Christ has already paid all.
   
   They don't understand the tripartite nature of man. See The Tripartite Man, Salvation of Tripartite Man - The Details.
   
   For a more in-depth study, see Degree of Grace - From Grace-less to Ultra-Grace

7. Doing Growth Rightly - The Unified Model

We have mentioned the John's 3-Stage model above. Peter has a 8-stage model in 2Pet1 that I titled Normal Christian Life Style.

For a more in-depth coverage, see Christian Transformation & Growth -The Unified Model

8. Don't be Deceived, Growth Comes Through Abiding in Jesus through Obedience
Growth does not come by being idle. Growth comes connecting to Jesus and by obedience to His words. 

Jesus said the secret of growth and fruit bearing is abiding in Him. Joh 15:5  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. See also We can do Nothing apart from Jesus.

John reminded us that abiding is obedience. 1Jn 2:6  whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 

Evil is overcome by the abiding word as in 1Jn 2:14  ... young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 2 On Creation

Just to continue with Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics, here is one on creation.

Lao Zi's Dao De Jing 道德经

1. verse 1 道 可 道 ， 非 常 道 。 名 可 名 ， 非 常 名 。 无 名 天 地 之 始 ﹔ 有 名 万 物 之 母 。...
   Translated: The Way(Dao) that can be spoken off (named) is not the eternal way. The Name that can be named is not the eternal Name. No name is the beginning of the heaven and earth. Name is the mother of all things.
   
   No name, or the nameless, or the unknown (to man), the void is the beginning of all creation. Lao Zi  is wise to acknowledge that the Creator, the Way, cannot be named or fully described by man's words or wisdom. Any description is part a partial view of the real thing and therefore distort the real thing. It is the Unknown or Indescribable Creator that create all things from nothing.
   
   This is exactly when the Bible in Genesis say. (Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Gen 1:2) And the earth was without form, and void; ...
   
   If you think this is not scientific, let me point you the concept of Dark Energy and Dark Matter that the scientists now discovered their existence. Dark is used not as evil but as unknown, or cannot be seen.
   
   Naming of things is found in (Gen 2:19) And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof. 20) And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
   
   
2. verse 40 ...天 下 万 物 生 于 有 ， 有 生 于 无 。
   Translated ... All things under heaven have their being born of. The being of existence is born of void or the unseen.
   
   Again, we find the Bible Hebrew 11:3) ... things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Or to rephrase in the positive sense, the seen were made from unseen thing.

Lao Zi started with the eternal Way of the Creator that he did not know fully but caught the essential to tell us. The Bible in the Gospel of John tells us at the start that it is Jesus, the Word, the Way, the eternal life. (John 1:1) 太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。 The Chinese version of the Bible relates well to Dao De Jing. In the beginning was the Way(Dao). The Way was in existence with God. The Way was in fact God. Lao Zi would be please the know the true Creator in person of Jesus Christ who will show him the Way.

Previous:Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics
Next: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 3 On The Golden Rule of Love

Cain & Abel - Behavior of Evil

I am very impressed with the rise of Korea movie and film industry in the late 90's till the present. It presents a fresh script and a differentiation from films of other countries. In the past, the films concentrate on violence, revenge, evil plots and sexual lusts to attract audience. They created bad influence - scheming, evil and violent. The Korean's plots, in general, stressed in righteousness, repentance and forgiveness, and creative solution to seemingly unsolvable evil attempts. It has strong historical background, beautiful scenery, and good conversation. Only weaknesses are always over-hearing of others conversations and the unnecessary jokers included to make the film funny. I did not do a research on the producers, directors, script writers. Not sure how much they are influenced by their Christian teaching. But among them, including the actors and actresses, they are a relatively higher proportion of Christians. They have very good TV serials with very biblical title like "Cain and Abel" with story line very much like the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Then there is the other one titled "East of Eden" which shows the evil empire building of some business men. It reveals that the one who give the titles are well acquainted with the Bible. It is great that they show the world that meaningful and attractive films can be made with Christian teaching, something that Hollywood started with in the very early days and somehow lost its ways. Is this the sign of the establishment of God's kingdom on earth, where the Christians take back from the world the lead roles in influencing the 7 gates or domains of a nation? They 7 gates or domains, given away by Christians in the past, are Arts and Entertainment, Business, Church & Religions, Distribution of the Media & Publishing, Education, Family and Government.

Why was Cain's Offering Rejected?
Going back to Genesis, Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. Each of them, out of their produce, made an offering to God. Abel's offer was accepted but Cain's offered was rejected. There were various explanations for the rejection. The reasons given are reasonable but not as close to the original text as I like. It is not to easy to find good support for them from the Bible text alone. Christian writings tend to suffer from such over-spiritualization. It is good to know but not too convincing. Some cited Heb 9:22 that without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. This presumes that they are making offering to God for forgiveness of sins. The Genesis text did not explicitly state that. We have to find support for that in other parts of the Bible if there be any which we will look at later (Let the Bible interprets itself). Offering to God does not always mean killing of animals. There is the grains offering too. (Leviticus 2:1-16; 6:14-18; 7:9-10; 10:12-13) It is a free will offering that is pleasing to God.

The Best vs the Leftovers
The closest acceptable reason that can be implied from the text is in Gen 4:4 where the description of Abel's offering are added - the firstborn and the fat portions. This tells us that Abel took great care in the preparation for the offering. He took the first and the very best(fat) from his flocks. Since Cain's offering was rejected, we can perhaps imply that Cain's offering was the opposite, or at least not up to the standard of Abel's. Cain offered the later corps and not too good crops. It is possible that Cain kept the best of his corps for himself and gave God the 2nd or left over corps. That is also how some people give their tithes and offerings to God- their loose change. Abel put God's first and gave God his best. Cain put himself first and give God the 2nd or leftovers. It was not surprising that Abel was accepted and Cain rejected.

The 'evil' Behavior of Cain

1. I'm First, only First and always First. Others, even God is not as important: So, we know Cain from the way he acted - He is self-centered and God is lower in his priority. We can see that again when he bargained with God for extra protection so that he can be protected from others when he lived in the East of Eden. God is amazingly forgiving in His punishment. We should learn too - Don't over do or double punish a mistake.
2. I'm always right. I'll never say sorry and won't repent since I'm always right. Instead of realizing his lack of sincerity towards God, he was angry at God for rejecting his offering. He was saying God was wrong to reject his offering and not he was wrong in offering of sub-standards things to God. The logic is amazing! But that is how proud people react. Try pointing out the error, even of some of your good friend. It is likely that we get a Cain's response of anger, defensive reasons and many excuses.
3. I'll get rid of the ones that make me look bad. Instead of learning from the right people, he got angry at them for setting the standards and making him look bad. His logic is simple. For me to look good, I must get rid of those that are better than me. So, he killed Abel for making him loose his face with God. If there be no Abel, God will not know what or who is better! This is again faulty logic. But evil always has its own logic. Why was Jesus killed ? For the same reason that he made those at the top lost face. The evil ones will persecute the righteous ones. Abel was the 1st martyr of God for shining his light.
4. I'll lie and resort to any means to protect myself. God asked Cain what happened to Abel. When God asked us a question, it was not that he did not know the answer. It was to draw and direct our attention. The first reaction of Cain was naturally and wonderfully crafted, a good spin, "Should I be responsible for my brother?". But it was actually amazingly idiotic. He was thinking and treating God like a man that could be tricked easily. Maybe that was what he thought of God and gave God no respect at all. Similarly, we found Judas doing exactly the same thing when Jesus pointed him out as the traitor. When a thief is caught red handed, he would naturally admit and seek forgiveness. Judas ran away to accomplish his intended plot!

What can we learn from Cain?
I can watch out for the evilness - unrepentant, cruel, and intention & plot to harm and remove us. Jesus has warned us to be wise as serpent and harmless as doves. There are such evil around us and we need to be watchful. We need lots of prayers, love and bearing of pains to try to reach out to people like that. May God give us His grace to empower us when he directs us to help people like that. Don't feel bad when you fail. Let God take care of them and let God restore you as He did for Joseph.

Bible Interpreting the Bible - The Lights from Other Parts of the Bible
With the computer, it is easy to look up "Cain" and "Abel" and find the other relevant verses that talk about them. The recommended FOC bible software are e-Sword and The Word.


we can pick up the following verses:

Mat 23:35  ... the blood of innocent Abel

1John 3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

Heb 12:24  and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.

We find the above verses supporting us to say that Cain was the evil one and seeking his own selfish gain. He placed his possessions above God. Abel gave us the example of trusting and obeying God no matter what, even the giving up of hist life.

I hope that you also learn to properly understand and interpret the Bible. Let us not over spiritualize things and fail to gain the practical lessons.

Evidence Based Faith - Not Blind Faith

To believe in Jesus requires faith. But it is not blind faith. Neither is it something that needs a lot of determination. We don't have to recite hundred or thousand of times that Jesus is my Savior as if repeated saying could make a lie to become a truth.

Jesus himself explained very clearly in

John 5: 36 ...For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Jesus wanted to look at the work that He has done. The good work, such as the feeding of thousands, healing of all kinds, and even resurrection of the dead and His dead on the cross and the resurrection. For the work, even without the resurrection, believe that Jesus is an honest and powerful man and then believe his claim that He is the Son of God. A good and honest man does not lie. Jesus' dead on the cross was because of the claim that He was God, a truth that he could not lie or deny. For that, He had to die on the cross. There is no magic here. Just follow the simple logic of reasoning.

Finally, have you considered that it is not your faith that work the miracle but the faithfulness of God's Words. Our faith in a fantasy will not make the fantasy comes true. We believe in God's Word because it really works. Our faith is evidence based and hence it is easy, real and effective. There is nothing mystical and don't make salvation too hard. Just believe that Jesus is who he said he is from the works that he did.

Linking Ancient Chinese Wisdom & the Bible

If you have been reading my blog, e.g. Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics you will probably already know that I am trying to establish a link between the richness of the Chinese Culture and Literature to the Bible. On the one hand, it is an effort to reach out to the Chinese and to connect them to the Bible and Jesus. On the other hand, it is trying to introduce the wealth of Chinese Culture to fellow believers and hoping to clarify some of the misunderstandings if there be any.

Here is another attempt, a commentary on Lao Zi's Dao De Jing verse 33 and the discovery of four principles to greatness inside. The links are:

• 1 Know Others & Self and Relate Well to Others for Accomplish Great Tasks
• 2 Controlling Others & Self begins with Self
• 3 Contented Yet Seeking to Be Better
• 4 Be Your Unique self and Contribute to Leaving a Legacy that Out live You

Let me know what you think.

Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 1 Knowing a Person

In my study of Ancient Chinese Classical Literature, I came across verses that are very similar to the Bible, almost word for word, rather than just the principal thoughts. There is always the intention to come out a such a list in future when I have time. On 2nd thought, that time will never come. A list is compiled over time one item at a time. So instead of waiting for the Kairos time that may never come, here is the Chronos time that I can start writing a few.

1. Contentment is Richness.
In Lao Zi's 老子 Dao De Jing verse 33 , we find the saying ... part 5 知足者富 He who knows contentment is rich. 1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain. The Bible added Godliness. One can only have peace and contentment when we do the right thing and there be no regrets or a guilty conscience.

2. The Eyes Reflect the Inner Self
Mencius (Meng Zi 孟子) 孟子 离娄上 “存乎人者，莫良于眸子。眸子不能掩其恶。胸中正，则眸子了焉，胸中不正，则眸子眊焉。听其言也，观其眸人，人焉廋哉？”.
The English translation from this Chinese Text Project is ...
Mencius said, 'Of all the parts of a man's body there is none more excellent than the pupil of the eye. The pupil cannot be used to hide a man's wickedness. If within the breast all be correct, the pupil is bright. If within the breast all be not correct, the pupil is dull. Listen to a man's words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?

Luk 11:34-36
34  The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35  Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36  If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

3. We know a Person by His Works
Confucius said in 论语 子曰：“始吾于人也，听其言而信其行，今吾于人也，听其言而观其行。于予与改是。” The translation is “In the beginning, I hear and believe that they will do what they say. But now, I will just hear and must observe the action and then form the conclusion. Or in Jesus’ word, Mat 7:16  You shall know them by their fruits.

Now that I have a place to put the list, I can grow this list over time. (Just added in the 3rd point when I was writing this The Principles for Greatness.)

Start Now
I hope you also discover a principle of success here. As the old Chinese proverb says, the journey of a thousand miles begin with a step. Take a small step now towards the destiny of your calling. Don't wait for time to do the big leap. Starts a little now.

Next: Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 2 On Creation

Freedom and Its Myth of More Freedom is Better

Freedom is such an interesting word. A word of contradiction. Freedom to choose is the basic right. Remove it, the right to choose freely, and love has no meaning. Yet the very act of loving someone will result in narrower scope of freedom. A happily married person has less freedom than a unmarried man. Yet, the married man has happily exchanged his greater scope of freedom for something better, the love and care and committed relationship with his wife. Commitment, trust worthiness, the ingredients for relationships is usually achieved at the willingly narrowing the scope of freedom. I can freely leave but I choose to stay because something, the relationship, is more important than the freedom to leave.

Hence, "More Freedom = Greater Happiness" is a myth. We need freedom to start but seeking more freedom alone will not bring us happiness but chaos and stress of insecurity.

True Freedom in found with Boundaries
A key reason is Freedom must be defined within a context. Man does not live alone. My freedom to move my hands is restricted by the boundary of your body. My right of freedom ends when I touch you boundary. Within the boundaries of others, I have my freedom. Boundary needs not just be your body, but includes your possessions, and also your thinking and beliefs and your right of freedom too. So we discover that "True Freedom in found with Boundaries". Violating the boundaries also means loosing our right of freedom. To be truly freed, we need to find the boundaries. Another way of saying it is "Freedom comes from knowing the Truth".

Freedom comes from knowing the Truth
In John 8:32, Jesus told us that we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. Where is the truth? Or like Pilate, most people will ask. "What is truth?" John 18:38. The answer is actually found in the preceding verse, 8:31 "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed". The way to truly know, experience first hand, of the truth, is to follow and continue in Jesus' words - or in today terms, the Bible or even more specifically, the Laws, summarized as loving God and loving others as oneself. So, the Laws are given so that we may know the truth, lively rightly, and continue to have our freedom to act and not be in bondage of sins,. We can heartily agree with James(Jas 2:12 ) that the Laws should be rightly called the Laws of Liberty - following them preserves our freedom.

It is important to note that it is not just about knowing the Bible but in following and living in the Bible's teaching that we can know the Truth and be freed. Head knowledge alone is not true knowing. True knowing is with the heart and it takes the will to act out the head knowledge and thereby prove with conviction what the truth it. There is about the level of talking swimming and the deeper level of real swimming the water.

Lies Bind Us - Cause us to Loose our Freedom
Not knowing the truth, and believing in lies, will lead us to bang our heads against walls in the exercising of our freedom or more likely, the lack of exercising our freedom to try new things due to our fear. People who are addicted, who are trapped in co-dependency relationships, continue to suffer the abuses, because of the lie that one cannot get out or live independently. See Christian Transformation & Growth -The Unified Model more details.

Truth of Relationships
We are created to have healthy relationships with God and with fellow men. Healthy relationship starts with willing choice of freedom, but are build with trust and commitment at the expense of giving out of one's span of freedom to spend on the other willingly. Happier and joyful relationship is gained with increase investment of time and resources in the relationship. It is in respecting the rights and life of the others.

The Secret of Freedom & Happiness - Not more freedom but more commitment
The key to freedom and happiness therefore lies not in seeking more freedom, but in knowing the truth, a life of relationship and righteousness, and committing to living rightly and in the process we gain happiness and enhances our freedom to act! It is not more span of freedom, but a narrower commitment! May you discover the truth of true freedom and pursue righteous commitment to Jesus and His words.

Pursuing Righteousness as the highest priority of life is not just found in the Bible, but also in the Ancient Chinese Classic:

The fundamental principle is seeking after Truth and persevere in Righteousness and keeping purity. --- From Outcome Based Strategies – The Teaching of I-Ching.

The Western world seeks Freedom. The Chinese seek Righteousness, law and order, more than freedom per se. Don't believe in the Devil's lie of more freedom. Believe in the Bible of Knowing Jesus Christ and be transformed to live in righteousness and thereby be freed.

See If Adam knows I-Ching, he would not have sinned on how to be freed and also Obedience Brings Freedom

Related posts on freedom:

• Freedom - it is without limits?
• Freedom, Truth, Power - Getting the Order Right.
• "Freedom From" to "Freedom For" -

The Most Famous Unknown Lady & Her Most Memorable Service - The True Worship

In Mar 14:9, we find "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. ".

We are to remember her act of service (of worship) and her. Yet, Mark and the same incidence recorded in Mat 26:6-13, did not give her name. Some people consider a similar story told in John 12:1-8 to the same one. They both happened in Bethany, in roughly the same time, 6 day and 2 day before the passover. Same perfume used but differed in where it was apply, head vs feet. But if we just consider the anointing is to prepare for Jesus' body, then anointing from the head to the feet was a complete picture. If this is the case, then we can perhaps infer that the lady was Mary of Bethany.

There is a similar anointing by yet another unknown lady recorded in Luke 7:36-38 in the house of Pharisee with a name called Simon too! But this one occurred at an earlier time and in a different location, Galilee instead. She received a commendation and acceptance from Jesus. "Thy sins are forgiven; Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace".

I personally think that missing out the name of the lady is a double emphasis on importance of the act. So we must discover what the key lessons for us here.

Most of us will agree that she has done a service to Jesus. It was an act of worship to Jesus out of her depth of heart expressed in real economic terms of 1 year of wages for a useful purpose of preparing Jesus' burial.

Let look at this act from what Jesus said and learn about the true form of worship service.

Mar 14:6-8  And Jesus said,

1. Let her alone; why trouble ye her? 
2. she hath wrought a good work on me; she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
3. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
4. She hath done what she could

Firstly, true worship service will invite criticisms and attacks.
The true worshiper has a different value system than the world. True worshiper values God, Jesus our Lord, more than anything else in the world. For worldly minded people do not understand our actions. They don't value Jesus that highly. They think we are wasting resources. Why do you tithe 10% to your church? Why do you spend so much time in serving and giving to others. Keep them for your ourselves to enjoy. Give to the those in needs. The Church are so rich that they are wasteful (Could be true consider the misuse, abuse, and lavish living of the leaders that even got some into jails that are happening worldwide). Giving is our responsibility. Keeping the leaders accountable to the church members, a duty often neglected by members, is an important responsibility and need a separate discussion. Nevertheless, the way we live and give to God and subsequently to others show how we value God and how we truly worship God. We are to worship God in spirit, in truth, with all our might and mind and that also means with all our substance and wealth. The all to God include God providing some for us. In fact, God set a simple standard of 10% for Him and 90% for us! But most, like the unknown lady, give much more than the 10% and we don't even think about it. When God speak to us about a need, we will give even though we have already done above the 10%.


Secondly, worship has a purpose - glorify Jesus.
In this particular case, she was preparing for Jesus' burial. Now we worship to lift up the Name of Jesus; to draw people unto Jesus. How do we do that? By the way we live - our behavior, our giving, our care, our kindness, our speech. We have covered one form of giving in point 1 above. The difference from the world draws the attention. They think we are stupid to give but they also recognize that we are serious about our Jesus. Jesus must be so real to us for us to do such 'silly' things.

Thirdly, Doing Good Things need to be Done at the Right Time, Manner and Place and to the Right People for the Right Cause.
Notice Jesus did not say don't give to the poor. Jesus said it is good to give to them. There are right time for doing those good things. The right thing for the unknown lady to do with her precious perfume kept for wedding, was actually to pour it out on Jesus.

Fourthly, Do what you Could & Have and not what you Couldn't or Have Not.
She done what she can to her best to serve Jesus. God does not want us to over extend ourselves. God is please whenever we use what we have to give and to serve Him. The fact is that God does not need our gifts or serving but rather it is the relationship and the loving heart expressed in our giving. The highest form of giving, as Jesus said, is our lives. We have started giving our lives to God the day we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We are in the process of learning to give more of ourselves to Him.


So we can summarize worship as

1. Right Cause - Glorify Jesus
2. Right Manner - With our hearts, expressed in acts of our service and giving of things that are valuable.
3. Right Time 
4. Right Place
5. To Right People

Worship is how we behavior in this world towards God and others. Our work is worship too.

Don't be Blackmailed by Prosperity Preachers
Sadly, there are preachers who use this touching story to emotionally and spiritually 'blackmail' people to give much, if not all of their wealth, to the church building and other projects. Some even want them to pledge future earnings & wealth now to the church !

Don't be forced into such giving by the preachers or such people in the church. Leave such churches if you cannot stand the pressure.

Worship is More than Just Singing & Dancing.
Singing and dancing are some forms of worship. They are not the only forms. Singing is something that most people like. Look at the popularity of Karaoke. Just singing with out meditation and reflection on the worship songs could be just the same as singing Karaoke songs.


Worship is About Spending Time with Him too.
The Bible did not relate how the unknown lady was able to do such a sacrificial(to use outsider, not to her) act of worship. If we say the lady is Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha, then we could relate better to her relationship with Jesus and the spending of her time with Jesus as top priority.

Luke 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.


Worship is Obedience.
John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. Spending time with Jesus will lead us to understand Him and His will. We can be so charged up so as to be able to act out and to keep the things he tell us to do. By our acting on His commandments, we get to know Him better.

Eph 3:17-19
17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.


Seek God first. Taste His Goodness and Do the Right Things. Good things must be done at the Right Time in the Right Manner at the Right Place and for the Right Cause.

Generosity vs Fairness Mindset

The mindset of God and that of worldly man are quite different. The Kingdom mindset is discussed in Kingdom Laws & Principles. In this post, I want reflect further on the thought presented in KP#17 Purpose of Significance - Giving to Life & Harmony.

Generosity is God's mindset. Fairness is a typical thinking of man.


Fairness Mindset is a about "One should get according to one's effort put in". It is rewards according to performance or usually amount of effort put in. There is no free lunch. You must work to get it. You must earn it. It could be wages, acceptances, respect, and so forth.

Generosity is about giving more than what one deserves according to the fairness mindset. More than the fair share is what makes for the generosity. Generosity, perhaps, could be defined as better than fairness.

As revealed in the Parable for the Laborers in the Vineyard Mat 20:1-16, while God (represented by the Owner) is happy to be generous, man is more interested about fairness - pay according to effort. (Man is represented by the 1st batch of laborers who agreed to work for 1 day wage for 1 day work contract).

God gives generosity and man demands fairness.

Our fairness mindset of pay for performance makes us upset with the generous owner. It also explains why we support the elder brother of the prodigal son. Why is the father so unfair towards the elder brother. He was obedient. He worked hard and yet he got nothing to celebrate with friends. But when this horrible prodigal son came back, he got restoration of sonship despite loosing his inheritance and there was a big celebration. It is unfair! Injustice! (There are lots of sermons that spoke against the elder brother lack of love, self-righteousness, slave mentality and so forth).

Generosity begins with Acceptance
God's generosity towards us begins with our acceptance evidenced by our obedience. The laborers at the market accepted the Owner's offer a job without a contract but just a promise (20:4 whatever right I will pay you). Those at the eleven's hour just responded to the call for a job even without the explicit promise. Our acceptance must be supported by corresponding action as per James 2:19,24.

Enjoyed the Generosity when You are IN
The Elder Brother's problem was that he did not his position and identity as Son. He behaved like a slave with the pay-for-performance mindset. No wonder he could not be generous and kind towards others, even his own brother. As children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, we must learn to trust God to take good care of us and we can extend His generosity towards others. Rom 12:1-2 tells to be transformed and be not conformed to this world. We must change from the pay-for-performance to the generosity mindset. There will be untransformed mindset believers criticizing you for your generosity. They may even accused you for encouraging laziness. This is same erroneous argument that too much grace will result in license for sins.

The Principle for Generosity mindset is given in

Math 20:9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.
i.e. As long as you work from the hour of hiring, you get the same daily wage at the end of the day.

This principle is seen in Exo 16:17-18 ...They gathered, some more, some less,... much has no left over, little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.

It is pointed out specifically in (2Cor 8:15) As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

It is exemplified by God in Eph 3:20 who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.

The Applications
The rewards is not based on effort put in but on the needs.

The effort put in is not just to feed our needs but to contribute to something else bigger.

Our work is not to feed ourselves as God will provide for us, but to contribute to others. The vineyard laborers might just see his work as earning a wage but the harvests of their work is giving greater impact.

As Giver, we give so that others have no lack. We don't give out of what we don't have but out of what we have. We trust God to supply our needs. Giving is not loosing but adding to the personal and community life and wealth. The value of life is more than just money but harmony, joy, hope, laughter, freedom from bondage of all kinds, etc.  The economy well being and health for the body, psychological well-being of the souls, the well-being of the spirit, and the social well being of our relationships with men and God.

As bosses, we see the need to help those that required special assistance; to share the profits our business. As employees, we see the need to help the weaker colleagues to do well; to contribute productively to the company even though we don't own the company. We contribute because we want to. We are intrinsically motivated, because we have Christ within and we we work for Christ through our work for our bosses.

With a generosity attitude, we work with much greater productivity than the fairness mindset. We don't work purely for pay but for the pleasure and satisfaction of the greater significance accomplished. This is the stress-free work of the original Eden.

You are a Masterpiece Created in Christ Jesus

Was completing the Bible Study on Bible Study on John 1:19-34 The Testimony of Bapti...

It impressed me much that Baptist John was very clear about his purpose and calling of life. What about us? Hope the following words, taken from the study, would be of encouragement to you ...

A created being does not know his purpose in life. He must ask his Creator, what he is created for. 

Jesus comes to reveal the purpose and calling of man. His purpose and our calling in life are the same thing. Our purpose in life is to know Jesus, the Son of God, and to have an eternal relationship with Him. Simply put, to know our Creator and to live with Him. 

That is the starting point, knowing Jesus as our God who loves us and who has created us for a unique purpose. It takes us an earthly lifetime to find out our journey and destination of life. God will reveal step by step in detail. 

Experience the love of God and trust in Him to lead and provide for you. Christ saved us for good work. You are wonderfully created and loved and is a glorious witness for Him as did John the Baptist. Not in a worldly sense and worldly value, but precious and valuable from His sight. ref Eph 2:8-10. Not forget about the v10, We are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. We are no accident but an intentionally created masterpiece. Find out what you are called to be... 

More thoughts...
We are created in, not just by, Christ Jesus. 'By' denotes created and done with. 'In' denotes continuous presence and interaction after the creation. God did not create us and leave us but created us to enjoy Him. 

Some thoughts from Ravi's Podcast...
"Time is the brush of God as He paints His masterpiece on the canvas of the human heart. ... Time consists of those moments in which He etches it upon our heart. There is never a tick of the clock, but something of significance has been painted into your own heart. One that will carry with you the rest of your life. And God works in time, through time, within that scaffold thing of time that He created and we must understand it that He doesn't work like a slot machine where you put the coin in and the solution comes out. He is working in time as a master painting His work on the canvas of human heart." .... from http://www.rzim.org/just-thinking-broadcasts/though-the-fig-tree-does-not-bud-part-3-of-4/

In other words, there is not a meaningless moment in your life. The seemingly dull, painfully sick, depressing moments are but empty spaces and powerful strokes that make up your masterpiece; without such seemingly empty and painful moments, the painting would not be great.

See also Journey of Life 

 Chinese Sermon by 成為神手中的傑作｜矽谷基督徒聚會 于宏潔牧師


Studies of Ancient Chinese wisdom and classics reveal that the Ancient Chinese know the Ways of God and even understand God as a God with personality and emotion but they have yet to find this personal God in Christ Jesus. We write in all these posts to declare that Jesus, the God revealed to man, as the personal true God, as Father to us, to love us and be involved in our lives. They are just one step away from knowing the true Fatherly God made known through Jesus Christ.