Remember My Birthday ?

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday.

Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration. 

I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.

The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face .. and I wanted to be with them and share their table. In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me.

Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" as if the party were in his honor!

At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no-one hugged me.

Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left.

Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart.

I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party.  I'm still making the final arrangements..

Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.

I'll be waiting for all of you to attend my party this year...

See you soon. I Love you!

Jesus

Excuse me, Are You Jesus? - 你是耶稣吗？

 

Excuse me, Are You Jesus? 

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath , got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.  The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears.. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister.....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?'

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. 


你是耶稣吗？

在不久前，一班商人到芝加哥开会，他们都向自己的太太说，一定可以赶及在星期五回家吃晚饭。当他们在机场赶着上机的时候，其中一位不慎踢倒一台正在摆卖的萍果，散满全地。他们并没有停下来，甚至未有回头望，因为飞机快要起飞了，他们不想错过登机时间。

突然，其中一位停了下来，一口深呼吸，聆听一下自己的内心呼唤，也尝试切身处地想一下那位女孩被人倒翻了所有苹果的感受。他决定留下，便与他的同事道别，并叫他们向太太解释，然后回去看看那位女孩。

他庆幸自己的决定是对的，因为那位十六岁的女孩原来是失明的！她正在一边哭泣，一边慌忙地执拾那些散在地上的苹果，途人都绕身而过，无人停下来，也无人关心她的处境。那位商人便蹲下来帮她拾起所有苹果，放回篮里，并为她摆好摊档。他发现很多苹果已经被弄到伤痕累累，便把所有弄坏了的苹果放在一旁，然后从口袋里拿出二十元给女孩：「这是赔偿那些弄坏了的苹果的，你没事吧？」女孩在泪光中点点头。

那位商人继续说：「希望我们没有令你太伤心。」当商人转身要离开时，女孩叫着他：「先生....」他便停下来，回头望着那双失明的眼睛。女孩继续说：「你是耶稣吗？」他犹豫了一回，便慢慢离开，赶搭下一班机，心里仍被这个问题困扰：「你是耶稣吗？」

有没有人误会你是耶稣？ 这就是我们的使命，不是吗？活得像耶稣，好使人认不出我们与耶稣的分别来，去影响那些看不见衪的大爱、生命和恩典的人。认识衪不只是熟稔经文和上教会那么简单，让我们活出与赎价相称的生命，神会在我们的努力中帮助我们的。