Doing The Hard Work

Henry Sy, the owner of a chain of SM Mega Malls in all major cities in the Philippines and the number one taxpayer according to BIR records, in an interview, said: “Success does not come overnight and it is the result of hard work”.

There are no short-cuts to success. Of course, there can be an exception by marrying a rich man or woman. However, more often this ends in divorce, because the primary reason is not LOVE. Or one can be a drug lord or gambling lord or engage in graft and corruption, if a government official, and by other dishonest means for any businessman, but these do not last long. It oftentimes end in tragedy and extreme embarrassment, if not incarceration, or even self-inflicted death or suicide to render any investigation moot or no longer possible.

Likewise, Christlikeness is not attained overnight and it requires hard work. This is what the Apostle Paul was trying to tell his disciple, the young Pastor Timothy, when he told him how he should behave by example so he could effectively teach believers how they should live. Specifically, he said: “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness”. These are all virtues of Jesus Christ, and the attributes of God himself. Then, he added: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…” (1 Tim. 6:11-12 KJV). This is the ultimate goal of every believer, and this is hard work! This is the reason why no Bishop or any official of the Church of God who is a novice (or new Christian) qualifies to be appointed as such because that one will be “lifted up with pride” and fall into the condemnation of the devil (1 Tim. 3:6 KJV). This is the basis of the tradition or rule of churches, fellowships and other religious organizations that only matured Christians are qualified to be appointed or elected as leaders.

How will we know that someone is a matured Christian? The scripture says that “By their fruit, you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:20 NIV).

A young tree will not bear fruit. Only the matured ones do bear fruit. There are some trees that do not bear fruit. These are to be cut down. Likewise, only mature Christians, not necessarily in physical age, will bear fruit. In the Scripture, a fruit may be souls brought to the Kingdom of God. Also it refers to the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self-control] (Gal. 5:22-23 KJV). Like some trees, some Christians don’t bear fruit of souls, or show the fruit of the Holy Spirit. They need to mature some more. How? Read the Bible everyday, attend Sunday school, Bible studies, fellowships, and other Christian gatherings, and by then, have an spiritual relationship with God. This is hard work. Notably, there is absolutely no spiritual short-cut. And this spiritual struggle is for a lifetime.

In life, notice that every man successful or abundant in material wealth, except a few who are fortunate to be born with silver platter or with rich parents, had worked hard—very hard. There is no easy road to material success.

The richer a person, the more humble he becomes in action and in words.

The son of Henry Ford, the manufacturer of Ford vehicles, was asked why he drives a Ford sports car while his rich father drives only the original T-Ford car. He answered, “Because my father is rich”.

I had a very rich client, a doctor of medicine but chose to manage their own family business consisting mostly of prime real estate in Davao City Poblacion. Their family owns, among other vast properties in Davao City, a 40-hectare golf club where the new SM Mega Mall and the Toyota car complex are located, and a new hospital is being built. Their family donated the 10-hectare City Hall Complex at Panabo City. There is a kilometer avenue named after their father, the donation documents to the City of Davao I had the privilege to make and notarize. All the sand and gravel used in constructing my office building was supplied by their Sand and Gravel business. His favorite office attire is a white T-shirt without collar. If one does not know him and he is not seated in his office desk, he would be mistaken for a janitor. His car was an old Volkswagen. In his conversations, he was humble and amiable, and he was very generous. To my recollection, he was never interviewed in TV or radio.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the richest of all rich, but he was very humble. The Bible says: “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:5-10 NLT).

Thanks God for his love for man, like the Good father that he is, he provided an easy way for His faithful children (Christians) to travel along the rough road toward the narrow gate of heaven, by sending His only begotten Son to be the believer’s substitute and savior. He provided an easy way for believers to enter heaven by simply believing in his only begotten Son. Apostle Paul elaborated: “For it is by grace (unmerited favor) you have been saved, through faith – (believing) and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV). Only believe till our last breath. Such “believing” must be supported by action, not in words only. We have a Father in heaven rich in mercy and loving beyond compare, awaiting our arrival. (FGBMFI Davao City Bulletin March 17, 2012)