Paulson Post

“Take stock of your talents, skills and experience. What are you good at. That is what you should focus on and that is the direction that you should take.” This is a standard advice given to young people who seek direction in their life and career. The best career is something that is in line with what you are good at. No one can question the wisdom in this and that is true when every person is on his own with no help coming from anywhere else. However, the stories of God’s dealing with individuals in the Bible tells us that when God takes control of a person he takes them beyond their abilities. Moses is a typical example. God called him to do a job where a lot of talking was involved- reasoning, negotiating, teaching, and the list goes on! But when God called him he was not eloquent and was a man who stammerred. God takes that man with speech impediment and takes him beyond that limitation. What about the «unschooled» fisherman who followed Jesus? For example, Peter turned out to be ...

All these years my work always involved dealing with youth who have left their old ways and made a commitment to follow Christ. Just as old habits die hard, so also the old friends. They have to keep the old companies for various reasons. They live in the same neighbourhood, they are the same college and there could be various ways they share their spaces. There are times of conflict as their conversion brings in new moral demands different from that of their friends. For example, a new believer in Christ who was a chain smoker finds it difficult to keep the friendship of his fellow smokers. Peter wrote to first generation Christians who were in a similar situation: "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you" (1 Peter 4:4). Unable to enjoy the company of the new believer, the friends begin to abuse that person. Many of us who had to part with sinful ways of life when we embraced the new life in Christ may still ...

Isaiah 50:10-11 gives two options for those want guidance. One is to depend on the leading of the Lord even though it is darkness around. The other is to light up one's own flares and find the way through. "Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment." Flares don't last long and they light up only the surroundings. Since it lights up the darkness for a while and then dies out, those who venture into darkness with them may find themselves deep in darkness when the fuel of the flare is gone. Such people may end up groping in darkness. The other option for those who are in darkness is to trust in the Lord. Trying to walk in our o...