TESTIMONY by Brother Bo Hao for Nias Mission Trip
24-28 September 2016
Thank God for the opportunity to serve Him in the Nias mission trip where we taught five lessons on the life of Moses and had other activities such as art and craft in the three-day Vacation Bible School conducted for around 150 children from 25-27 September. We went on Saturday, 24 September and returned on Wednesday, 28 September. Thank God for journey mercies, His protection and provision throughout the mission trip. Elder John spoke on 1 Timothy 6:6-9 at the Sunday Worship Service. It got me thinking about possession and contentment throughout the trip.
Life in Singapore and Nias are vastly different, especially in terms of material possessions. However, as I think about this, I realise that prosperity does not necessarily bring contentment and neither does poverty mean discontentment. When we give out the lunch boxes to the children, they were so happy to find a piece of fried chicken. When we had our art and craft, they were so pleased with their completed craft that they wanted to show their work to us. When we gave simple quizzes during the lessons to test them, they were so enthusiastic and excited despite the rewards being simple sweets or stickers. On the other hand, we in Singapore have so much more in terms of material possession but are we truly contented? This applies to not just children but adults too. Having entered the working world, I see some of my colleagues being discontented with their pay and position. Therefore, I am thankful to God for this mission trip where I had a break from work and paused to examine my life and walk with the Lord.
Have I been discontented with the things that God has so graciously blessed me with? Have I been attracted by the things of this world that I lose sight of my heavenly inheritance? Even as I reflect, I realise that the possession of contentment does not depend on our possessions but our perspectives. A rich person can be contented just like a poor person can be contented and the opposite is true as well. It all depends on how we view our possessions. The right perspective is taught in the passage that Elder John preached on, 1 Timothy 6:6-9. I was also reminded that we cannot serve God and mammon. Our Father in heaven knows our needs and will take care of us. We simply seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and the rest shall be added unto us (Matthew 6:24-34).
We as believers ought to see our material possessions very differently from unbelievers. This is because by the grace of God we possess salvation in Christ Jesus that they do not have. Whether rich or poor, we should be contented since we have Christ as our all-sufficient Saviour. Life in Singapore and Nias may be different. Yet, believers in Singapore and Nias are the same. We have the same faith in the same God and enjoy the same status as the children of God (Ephesians 4:4-6). The best we can and must offer to the children is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of Everlasting Life. This should motivate us to share the gospel. Ultimately, the possession of Christ means the possession of contentment and contentment in our possessions.