Emiri
In this week’s bible reading through Psalm 84:4 “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.” And 12 “LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” I learned that it is crucial to live with God and he blesses or guides people in his dwelling. This week my friend was crying during lunch because of all the work she had. She’s in ASB and president of class of 2027 so she had to organize a few fundraisers ant once and other school activities alone because her team wasn’t doing anything. When I saw her I wasn’t able to think of anything to say to her or did things help her and the lunch just ended that day. Through this I was retaught on the importance of living every second with God to be able to help the people around me.
Jun re: Emiri
When I saw her I wasn’t able to think of anything to say to her or did things help her and the lunch just ended that day. Through this I was retaught on the importance of living every second with God to be able to help the people around me.
A little while ago, you were in a similar situation and said pretty much the same thing then as well (a classmate was distressed and you didn’t know what to say, so you felt it was important to live with God everyday). But now that a little time has passed, what could you have said or done for her (the class president) exactly? Were you able to come up with anything? It’s not so easy, right?
First of all, what do you mean exactly by “living every second with God?” Practically speaking, what does that look like (how is that different from how you are living right now)? Secondly, say you were actually able to live every second with God. So then, would you suddenly be able to help your classmates when they are crying?
Since your classmates are your equals, it is not such an easy thing to “encourage” or help them, and what you might think of as “encouraging” might come off as condescending to them. So what you can do, is what I wrote to Tomas. It is your everyday actions in everyday situations, the lifestyle that comes through in everything you do (even how you dress, for example), how seriously and unselfishly you live your life that will encourage others and make them want to know what makes you different.
Tomas
In this week’s Bible reading, I learned about praising God for what he has done for us in times of need in Psalms 81. Applying this to my life, I had a history project due this Friday and only had around two days to work and complete it, which stressed me out. When I worked on it though, I felt relaxed and was able to complete it and turn it in. I felt happy about this and praised God.
Jun re: Tomas
Both you and Emiri are doing a good job with keeping up with the reading and writing the reports every week, but since you are putting in the effort, I wish you could grow more spiritually through the reading. Are you gleaning things you wouldn’t have thought of two or three years ago? I ask, because a lot of what you guys write is pretty much exactly the same as what you would have written an year ago.
Are you trying to find and write something new each week? For example, did you come up with an answer to what I asked you in last week’s email? What else can you do besides praising God for being able to complete the project? What else can you do besides saying your talent is from God when you win a race?
People are always watching what you do and say in mundane moments, not just when you win a race or do a good job with a project. Do you act with humility at all times? Do you act with consideration and thoughtfulness towards your peers? Do you show good sportsmanship whether you win or lose? How do you act or speak when no one with authority is watching? Do you always act cheerfully and with good will, instead of only pursuing your own success? These are the things your classmates see, and these are the things (more than saying “my talent is from God” for example) that will make them want to know the God you worship.
Tomas
I have a friend who is from China. He speaks English but he struggles with it sometimes. So, I usually talk to him in English to get him used to the language, teach him English, and sometimes I eat with him with my parents and we talk as well so he can be comfortable talking to me and others in English. So, by helping my friend with his English, I can use this as a way to show that I am with God and that he helps me do these things.
Jun re: Tomas
😇👍
It’s especially good that your whole family is joining together in helping your Chinese friend. I’m sure he sees that it is because you are Christians and since the seed has been planted, hopefully he will come to know God himself as well.
What I was trying to get at, was that people see Jesus in you in everyday moments, not only when you are actively “helping” someone like this Chinese friend or when you’ve done a good job at a viola performance or had a fast time in a race. It’s the small things, like how you act around your friends when your teachers or parents aren’t around, how you respond when someone says something mean or talks behind people’s backs, speaking up for what is right when no one else will, even if it means potentially alienating your close friends, always being honest and humble, not being selfish or greedy, and having God’s joy in your heart at all times (which will come through in your demeanor). These are just some examples.
