Madalas we have this stigma that if someone is ‘like this’ or ‘like that’ hindi na magbabago yan.

“Ah, yang si ano? Dating ganito yan e!” Dating ganoon yon, e!”

People generally put a negative label on others as if that person will never change. Let me tell you that people change for the good. We may not like that, but there will be a time when we will change our perspective to that person.

Don’t let others opinion about you becomes your definition about yourself. It does not matter who they say you are, what is important is: “Who do you say, you are?” How do you see yourself?

See yourself as:

• blessed
• empowered
• filled with the grace of God
• successful
• beautiful
• healthy
• wealthy

The problem with people these days is that we always want that yung iniisip natin ay tumama doon sa mangyayari. Na parang dapat laging tama yung hinala natin. But this is not true. Minsan, mali ang iniisip natin. Napapahiya tayo.

Even when there are bad or unlikeable personalities, it does not affect God to change them and use them for His glory and purpose.

Look at these Bible characters:

• Moses stutters
• David had an affair with Bathsheba and even commanded her husband to be killed
• Solomon was too rich
• Judas betrayed Jesus
• Ruth is a Moabite
• Rahab is a prostitute
• Paul was a criminal
• Gideon was a coward

But you know what? I learned that despite their weaknesses, God chose them. They were nobodies until the Lord found them to make them somebodies. Sa 1 Corinthians 1 ay nakasulat:

“Sisirain ko ang karunungan ng marurunong at gagawin kong walang saysay ang katalinuhan ng matatalino

Why does God uses the weak? So when they succeed, they don’t get the credit, but all the glory belongs rightfully to Him. Kase minsan, pag nanalo tayo or naabot natin pangarap natin, di ba minsan nasasabi ng iba: “Matalino ka kase!” or “Masipag ka kase!” But what if you made it when you know you are not qualified and even failed to be the standard? You see when God uses people, He is not limited to our weaknesses. He does not care what flaws we have. If God found you to be suitable, He can use you mightily. Then you will know, it was not because of who you are or what you have done but because of who God is.

The more I live, the more I learn that all successful people made mistakes. When I was a new lawyer representing clients in Court, I cannot forget what my opponent lawyer told me:

“Don, everything was ok…but as you are a new lawyer, don’t worry. We all begin as neophyte, beginner, naive. One day, you will learn more, and you will become better and better.”

Mistakes and mess are inevitable. Hindi maiiwasan yan. Pero dapat sa mga pagkakamali natin ay may matutunan naman tayo. Life is too short to make so much mistakes and we forget or ignore to apply the lessons. Remember that knowledge on its own is not a power until we understand its principles and we apply that knowledge.

Today, you may have mistakes, or you may have mess up. But God can forgive you and even make your ‘mess’ to become a great ‘message.’ Those ‘test’ can become your ‘testimony’ to others. Because you have overcome your troubles, your lessons learned can now be an inspiration to others who are going through the same troubles. God can use your weaknesses and make you a person you wanted to be.

In Micah 7:8

Though I fall, I will rise again!

Come on, rise up!