Lesson In The Rain
With the rain thumping mercilessly from above, it made me wonder whether I could reach home without becoming wet that day. True to my predictions, I reached home partially soaked thanks to the umbrella my friend decided to part ways with. However, it wasn’t the rain that left me feeling down and out that day.
When I reached the bus stop outside my house, it was pouring. Thanks to my friends umbrella, I was given a doorway to home. However, someone who alighted from the same bus did not. Not that I do not know him: He’s been taking the same bus as me ever since I moved over to Lentor Crescent, and alights at the same stop as me. That day, I saw him searching his bag for the only possible shield from the rainy season, but apparently he left it standing somewhere in the comforts of his home. There I was thinking of sharing my umbrella with him.
Hmmm… the rain doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime before stars appear. Why don’t I fetch him to his house?
Nah. This umbrella is practically too small. My bag with all its gadgets will get wet, and I’ll have half my body dipped in cold water. I know I really wanna help him. Why not I walk home first? If it is still raining, maybe after I bath and change into clean clothes, I’ll go help him.
And so I went home, leaving the poor guy there gazing up ino the stormy clouds pondering whether he’ll get his chance to sprint to shelter. As I walked home, a the spirit was doing its job inside me. How could I just leave that dude there? I definitely can help him. Even if the umbrella is small. The whispers of the heart was overshadowed by the pursuit of comfort. I hurriedly home to prevent further advancement from the H2O army ascending from my shoes up.
After I got changed into comfortable DRY clothes, I suddenly remebered the guy at the bus stop. With the rain still tapping ceaselessly on my window panes, I decided that maybe I can go help him out. I’ll drive over to the bus stop and fetch him home. That way, I wouldn’t need to become wet and he can reach home without needing to fight with the incoming invasion from above. So I happily entered my car all dressed up ready to become the angel of the day. So I thought.
As I approach the bus stop where I last saw him, I saw the guy running without cover. He was running back home with no protection. And just like that he was gone, left to face the rain home alone. I remember this scene perfectly when I had to run home after training in the rain. It does not feel good.
Why did I not change quickly? I could have walked home faster to drive my car out. Why did I not just send him home with the small umbrella? Getting a little more wet wouldn’t have harmed me that much. I was going to bathe anyway.
That day I was left sulking at home due to this incident. Initially I was suppose to go to Wei Jie’s Father’s shop to deal with the Ling Xiu materials. However, Wei Jie’s friend got into an accident and he Immediately went to visit him, so he couldn’t help me with the materials.
God taught me something very valuable today: Never wait to take an action if it is something taht should done. I was clouded by my own desire for comfort that I failed to realise that the opportunity was there for that instance. I could have shown him what christians are like, or tell him about my God on the way to his house. In the end, all I saw was his back running away to find cover. Why must I wait until I and all ‘rich and well-fed’ before I can help someone ‘less fortunate’? Who says I can’t help someone when while I’m suffering? Me. I deemed it so.
Many times we keep telling ourselves we aren’t good enough, knowledgeable enough to spread the gospel yet. We aren’t ‘ready’. But the chance of spreading the gospel don’t come everyday. Too often does it come when I’m not ‘ready’. Everytime I let it slip, hoping for another chance when I’m more prepared. But what if it does not come. What if suddenly my grandmother dies without hearing the gospel? She has not even been given the chance to get to know my God. When I’m finally ‘ready’, she might not even be there anymore. I finally understood why Paul was running around the world to tell as many people as he can about God. I understand now why Paul told everyone he met about his God. If hellfire and brimestone is all that awaits those that do not believe in Jesus and God, then Paul wanted to let everyone have a chance to save themselves by letting them know the truth. He had to bleed to tell them about God. Why? Cause he knew that he may be the only Christian that would cross paths with the person, and is capable of helping the person obtain salvation by getting him to know Jesus; that if Wei Jie’s friend were to pass on because of his accident (touchwood), then he would have have only one last chance to preach the gospel to him when he went to the hospital, which he chose to do.
I’m still not good enough to preach the gospel, and may never be good enough. However, my God is definitely worthy of their praise. On the way back to his embrace, I’ll probably miss more chances to bring people to our Father, but I hope that this realisation can allow me to pick up some people on the journey with me along the way. It doesn’t have to be pretty, his conversion doesn’t have to be grand. Jesus’ coming wasn’t that grand at all. He was born in a manger. But it doesn’t matter, as long as it saves lives, especially those close to you.
