More than surviving

I was slurping beef noodles and he gulped down his Char Hor Fun. I was glad to meet up with this Penangite. Santosh, who just graduated medical school weeks ago is now raring to start his first posting as a medical doctor. The Government of Malaysia has commissioned him to serve in Kuching and he can't wait to get busy.

As we talked about what life would be like, he commented: 'I think it's wrong for me to just want to survive. We are called to obey Him every step of the way whatever it means at that time. Survival is a wrong focus.' He was spot on. A Christian in the marketplace is a portal for Christ to be present in grace and love. We are not called to merely survive.

After all the horror stories a young doctor has heard about housemanship, it's hard not to think that surviving is priority number 1. Yet to be preoccupied with merely surviving is to be defeated from the start.

I think of Peter walking on water to get to Jesus. It must've been exhilarating to skim the waves like a mud-skipper. But, alas, He went down just as quickly as His vision became engulfed with the overwhelming waves. Rather than fly to the One who called Him, he caved in under the obstacles surrounding him.

I have my share of unreasonable bosses and difficult colleagues. Often enough I am wrongly blamed, taken fore granted or dumped with work that's not mine. I've failed exams and career challenges are increasingly difficult. I too am tempted to do the bare minimum, insist on my rights, and 'just survive'. It's an uphill task to 'turn the other cheek' and 'walk the extra mile' as Christ exhorts. I'm sure you have similar occupational woes. Yet I remind myself that what Christ calls us to do, He also enables with His grace. He strengthens us to do more than is our duty. He loves us to the point of being able to love and serve others in humility. He fills us with the ineffable joy that can pervade our workplace.

I do believe we can live like that. While it is good to know my limitations and be aware of obstacles ahead, I cannot let my eye fall from Him. Lord, help me keep my vision upon You - the One who calls me, empowers me, and dwells in Me. Help me lift my will to love You and be filled with You. May I live not to survive, but to follow You each and every day, neither rushing ahead nor lagging behind