#1 Everything you do will leave a mark.

Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

Minsan ang akala nating mga walang saysay na salita na ating binigkas ay walang bisa, ngunit yon pala ay nakapagbigay ng lakas at sigla sa iba o di kaya naman ay sumira sa buhay or pananaw ng iba.

Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Kaya nga sa ating pagsasalita ay dapat laging masarap ang lasa at matamis na alalahanin.

Lahat ng gagawin mo dito sa lupa ay magiging alaala mo pag nawala ka na.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness is laid up for me… -2 Timothy 4:7

Maganda na sa ating buhay ay maalala natin na tayo ay lumaban sa buhay, tinapos ang karera at nanatiling nananalig at naniniwala sa Diyos.

Are you bitter or a winner?

Are you a quitter or a champion?

Ano ba ang gusto mong maalala ka?

I want to be remembered as a fighter who did not quit but kept my dreams alive. I may not always succeed and get all that I wanted for, but I know that I am leaving this world with my mark, with my signature, I will be signing off but will be remembered as a fighter, who never quit until I win.

#2 You can always correct the mistakes you make

Mistakes are forgiveable, if one has the courage to admit them. – Bruce Lee

I would agree that for us to correct our mistakes, we must admit (no matter how painful it would be) that we have made them. No one has ever done 100% perfect all the time, we are all susceptible to commit errors.

But let’s not just ‘accept’ it, one must also ‘learn’ from those mistakes and grow. You cannot just say, I admit I made those mistakes but it would be non-sense without learning from it and consequently grow from it.

Taking responsibility is one of the hardest things to do. Marami ang ayaw tanggapin ang pagkakamali: either they will deny it or will find someone to blame.

In the Bible, natukso si Eva, pero sa halip na humingi ng tawad at magpakababa, ay humanap ng damay at sinisi si Adan. Ganoon din naman si Adan, sinisi ang ahas.

Like a Pencil, we must be strong to correct our mistakes. After all, we know that we have made them in the first place. We can always make an alibi or excuse that what we did is ok, but deep inside we know that things could have been better done.

In my profession as a new lawyer, I normally go to the Court of Law and will sometimes make mistakes, I will be quick to say: “Judge, I have made this or that error, and I am taking responsibility on that…please allow my client to be heard and not punished for the wrongdoing I have made as his lawyer…”

A good and sensible judge usually forgives me and allows me to do whatever I have requested, simply because I admit, I took responsibility and I am willing to learn and grow.

Madalas ang mga taong ayaw magbago, yan yong talunan sa buhay.

Maganda din sa tao yong marunong humingi ng pasensya at paumanhin.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

The Bible is clear to ‘confess’ our sins or mistakes. Confession is synonymous with an admission of guilt. At maitatama mo lang ang mali kung tinatanggap mo na mali at willing kang maitama ang pagkakamali.

Life is too short to make so many mistakes. Grow up to admit it, correct it and learn from it.

#3 What is important is what is inside of you.

People see you as who you are, will label as you were before but God sees you that Jesus Christ is in you.

When Christ is in you, slowly there will be a transformation (of course, it will not always be as fast as you may think because it is according to God’s timing).

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

People may think you are a disgrace, but you were saved because of God’s grace. Dahil sa biyaya ng Diyos, tayo ay pinalaya at pinatawad.

When Christ lives in you, you have that inner strength to fight because you’re not alone. Kakampi mo ang langit at kasama mo ang Diyos.

Then Moses replied, “If you aren’t going with us, please don’t make us leave this place.  – Exodus 33:15

From the beginning of time, Moses understood that principle that when God comes with us, we have the confidence to win.

Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4

Romans 8:31 “…If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Tama yung awit: “Dumaan man tayo sa apoy di ako masusunog…Dumaan man ako sa bangin, di ako mahuhulog…Dumaan man ako sa tubig di ako malulunod…”

This is only possible when we appreciate the power within us.

#4 In life you will undergo painful sharpenings which will make you better.

Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.  – Revelations 3:20

 

Marami ang ayaw mapagsabihan or mapalo, but it is God who says that He rebukes and disciplines those He loves.

So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 8:5

We get better and stronger after every big blow. Just like the bamboo, we dance in the rain, we bow because of the strong winds, but a bamboo will always bounce back.

Tama si Lord, kase kung wala tayong kwenta sa Kanya, bakit nya pa tayo itutuwid? Because He loves us so much not to be wrong and suffer the consequences of being wrong, it is His joy to see us succeed and win by telling we are heading for a disaster and unless we rectify the errors we are doing now, we will remain wrong.

Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. – Revelations 2:5

God is a God of second chances. He said, “if” you do not repent…you will suffer the penalty…

Sharpening, or pruning, is necessary to become better looking into the eyes of Gardener. Kesa constructive or destructive criticism, but let us take other’s correction as a gift, especially if the person telling us is someone we respect and trust that they are doing it for our benefit.

#5 To be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be guided by the hand that holds you.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

We can only be the best that we can be if we have God on our side and we are led by the Holy Spirit.

We must allow God to be in the driver seat of our lives. We must allow Him to drive the car not us.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie downin greenpastures;He leadsme besidequietwaters.He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name…Psalms 23:2

God knows what’s best for us. We can ever be useful if we will allow God to use for His purpose.

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. – Isaiah 64:8

Tayo ay mga palayok lamang at Diyos ang manlililok. Let us God use us mightily for whatever purpose He wants us to be. Be sure to grow wherever God puts you in.

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” – John 13:7

Let us allow God to hold us because He is the Almighty, Absolute, and All-Power God. He sees the bigger picture, we don’t. We may not all understand what He is doing, but maybe someday we will see that “all things worked together for good.”