it does not envy

why do we envy? because we do not have and we want. i think one way to make the world a less envious place, is to share. then everybody will have and there will be less needs, less lacks. they say, "sharing is caring." i think that is true.

it does not envy

learned that more than not envying others, love is about sharing. learning together, growing together, experiencing life together :) sharing. because both parties have and there is no need to covet. i want to be selfless in sharing my life with others, with you.

love is kind

But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared,
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done,
but because of His mercy.
(Titus 3:4-5)

God’s love is kind.
You don’t deserve it, yet you can’t earn it. He just loves you.

Everyday, I experience such an amazing love through the little little things that I take for granted many times.

Such as, the people at the office being helpful and kind to me – God’s kindness. Catching the bus, just in time – God’s kindness. Lecturers who are dedicated to teach – God’s kindness. His providence in my life i.e. food, place to stay, clothes, education, transportation, etc. – God’s kindness.

It’s stuff God doesn’t owe you. He just gives because He loves.

today,
love is kind
I learned that a small act of kindness goes a long way. It brightens up the person’s day. But more than that, I learned that kindness is unconditional. You don’t need a reason to be kind. You either choose to be kind or not. No one forces you, no one says you must do it. It’s up to you. And when it comes to love, that’s how it is.
Love is kind, it goes beyond what is required.

love is...

Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, 
it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Every time I read these verses, I remember my mom telling me to try putting my name in the place of the word 'love'. So, it'll be "WaiYan is patient, WaiYan is kind..." And most times, I realize WaiYan has still got a lot to work on in her life :\ 

Lord, change my heart and teach me to love with such an unconditional extravagant love. 

let's start with one character of love a day.

today, 

love is patient.

learning to wait and to trust, to give others their space and time to breathe and live their lives. to not chase but wait patiently. to not get upset when it's been some time and to not always demand and look for the now and the immediate. but to trust in God's timing and wait patiently.

faith, hope, love and what they do

We continually remember before our God 

your work produced by faith, 

your labor prompted by love, 

and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:3

I love the verse 1 Corinthians 13:13, the one that's below my blog title. 

(And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.)

But then sometimes, I ask myself, what do these three things really mean? And I say I want to have more of each one in my life but how do I know I have more? Is there some sort of measure? Some sort of sign? We were doing bible study last Tuesday and were studying the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians and the verse above caught my eye. 

These were the marks of faith, hope and love:

work produced by faith,

labor prompted by love,

endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

These were what faith, hope and love were to produce in my life. Not just a title for my blog or a nice sounding tagline. But so much more than that. Reminds me that my time and journey here on earth is not just to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride, but to work and labor to store up treasures in heaven and to endure hardships because I have hope is in Christ. Reminds me that life is not just about being happy and comfortable but that there are important things to do in this limited span of time. 

Brings me to question, 

what am I doing?

limited days

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

turning twenty two this year. if the average human lifespan is about 70 years, or 80 if we have strength (Psalm 90:10), i've only got about 50 years left. that's not a lot :\ 

and so, henceforth, i want to live my life to its fullest, not just enjoying it and all that, but more importantly to know and discover God more and more each day and to gain a heart of wisdom. to learn and also to teach, so that knowledge does not slip through the generations. to leave meaningful impacts in the lives around me, a channel of God's love to others. 

so much i want and need to do in these days. O Lord, teach me to number my days aright, that i may gain a heart of wisdom. and may You be my teacher through these days.