03 Sep 2023
Another major event in Singapore had just been concluded. We had just elected our fifth elected president (9th president of Singapore). Another agenda in Singapore was completed and life moves on. Of course, it will take a few days for the excitement and talks to die down. So, what is the next big thing for us to be excited about? Not in the immediate future but the General election will be one.
We are people who are easily distracted by the things of the world. Different things for different people. To some, it is videos and others mobile gaming. For some, it is just aimless scrolling of messages received in their phones, although mostly extremely trivial messages.
But many allowed such trivial, non-essential things to take up a large portion of their time and effort. They are willing to forgo family relationships, success in life and career and other vital aspects of life for such inconsequential time-wasting pastimes.
I wonder what is the attraction that the general public is willing to forgo the significant for the non-significant? Is it because there is really too much time on their hands that they are bored? When people are concerned of their livelihood in the past, they have no time for such minor stuff. Today we have more of most things – reasonable living standards, time on hand, travel, varieties of food choices. Yet today people are screaming for so-called work life balance. I suspect that they want to spend all their time on their distractions and have all the perks of life for free.
Brothers and sisters, the days are getting shorter. Be wise and see the changing landscape in the world towards Christ and His followers. Do not waste your time on matters that have no meaningful value in eternity. It is time to move away from the distractions of the world and start to build “our houses on solid rocks.” Do not think at any moment that there will always be tomorrow, for tomorrow never comes. Waiting for somebody else to do it is not an option for it bears no value to you. It is of great value to the person doing it, but zero value for you. Be wise.
God bless,
In Christ’s service,
Barry Leong
新加坡的一项重大事项刚刚尘埃落定。我们刚刚选举了第五位民选总统（新加坡的第九位总统）。新加坡的另一个议程已经完成，生活恢复日常。当然，还需要几天的时间才能平复兴奋的心情和言论。接下来还有什么大事项可以令人兴奋的呢？或许不在近期，但是大选将会是其中一项。
我们是容易被世界的事物分散注意力的人。不同的人面对不同的事物。对某些人来说是视频和电子游戏。其他的人则是漫无目的的滑动手机里的讯息，虽然大多数是极其微不足道的讯息。
但是有很多人却允许这些微小且无关重要的事物占据他们大部份的时间和精力。他们宁愿为这些无关重要且浪费时间的消遣而舍弃家庭关系、生活的成就、事业以及生命中重要的事项。
我想知道，有什么吸引力可以促使公众愿意为不重要的事物去舍弃重要的事物？难道真的是因为他们手上有太多时间以致他们烦闷了？在过去，人们因忙于生计就没有时间专注在小事上。今天我们拥有更多的东西——合理的生活水平，手中的时间，旅游、食物的种类。然而今天的人却在呼喊所谓工作与生活的平衡。我怀疑他们是要把所有的时间花费在令他们分心的事上，却免费享受生活中的所有好处。
弟兄姐妹，日子越来越短了。要有智慧，且要看看今天的世界为针对基督和祂的跟随者而不断改变的景观。不要浪费你的时间在那些对永恒毫无价值的事上。是时候从世界上令人分心的事物上挪开，开始建立“我们在磐石上的房屋”。不要总是以为依然还有明天，因为明天未必会来到。等待别人去作不是一个选择，因为这对你毫无价值。对作事的人是有极大的价值，但对你而言毫无价值，所以要有智慧。
上帝赐福，
在基督里同工的，
Barry Leong
（林秀娟会吏翻译）