Looking Out More for Others

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Shalom! Thank God! During this Covid-19 period, although we could not meet each other in person amid social distancing measures, we have heard that our brothers and sisters have done many beautiful things for the Lord. They have shown care and concern for fellow believers and non-believers through various means and practical actions. Such a great cloud of witnesses is surrounding us. How wonderful! In recent days, I have received more than ten testimonies from our brothers and sisters. Let me share those beautiful testimonies with you through this platform of the Pastoral Mid-week Address.

Let me share the testimony of Sister Shirley Chung (领羊’s Small Group leader) and her daughter. Sister Shirley’s daughter works in the airline industry. Her company was letting its staff opt for voluntary unpaid leave for 1 to 3 months as pressure mounts from the corona virus outbreak. Upon receiving this notice, Shirley’s daughter asked for advice on whether she could opt for this unpaid leave, which meant that she would get no income during this period. Shirley replied, “You are not married and have no financial burden. Even though you get no income but you can still keep your job, so that you can give that chance to someone who needs that income to support his family. It is a beautiful thing to look out for one another and we get through this together.”

Sister Shirley felt heartened because her daughter would consider the needs of her boss and colleagues, and live out her faith to love her neighbor as herself. With a grateful heart, she shared, ” Today, we still have choices. We can choose to be kind and considerate. Let us make wise choices and trust that God’s grace is sufficient for us.”

Brothers and sisters, let us learn to give thanks in all circumstances, and more importantly, practice empathy – think of others and look for ways that you can help.

Elder Boon Teck