Dear Theophili and Theophilae
My wife and I are accountants by profession, and we met as undergrad classmates in NTU (you can read about how we met here).
One of the hot topics during our Uni days and when we first started work was IPOs - initial public offerings - which is when a company makes a decision to list its shares in the market.
Companies like Kim Eng, Informatics and SingTel all "went public" in the early 90s, and it took much blood, sweat and tears to apply for their shares. Back then, ATM/Internet banking IPO applications were not yet available, so one had to join the queue at the bank to buy a cashier's order, attach it to a 4-page form that had to be duly filled up, put both into an envelope and drop it into designated boxes.
Speaking of "going public", I have mentioned in passing on this blog about how the evil one had wanted to destroy my family, marriage and career, but have been struggling about whether to go into the details on such a public forum.
I have shared my testimonies with those in my current cell (3L7) as well as my previous cell (3L2) (which we multiplied from in Jan 07), as well as with fellow cell leaders in my cluster (3L). A month ago, I started sharing with my colleagues (of which 70% are pre-believers) and found that as a result of this, walls have been torn down as it were, and I can talk about what Jesus has done in my life without any form of awkwardness on the part of them or me.
Because I had taken the step of faith to be willing to be open, transparent and vulnerable before them, they have also likewise reciprocated by "lowering their guard", and very often, conversations will invariably "drift" into religion and the afterlife.
Looking back, I realise that these are actually divine appointments that the LORD has filled my days with, and become opportunites to sow the seed of the Word into their lives, which God says in Isa 55:10-11 "will not return to Him empty, but accomplish its purpose, just like how the rain waters the earth so that it can yield seed for the sower and bread for the eater".
So coming back to the question, "to go public or not to go public"? Well-meaning people have cautioned me about maintaining a certain level of privacy so as not to jeopardise my family members. After all, the Internet is accessible to every Tom, Dick and Harry, and someone may use or abuse what is mentioned here against me.
As I struggled with this, the LORD brought to mind what I had blogged about "Contaminated Vessels"! In that entry, I had blogged about the 4 women whom the Holy Spirit saw fit to inspire Matthew to specifically mention in the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Matt 1.
As I reflect on this, I realise that the deeds and characters of these womenfolk have been "made public" in a collection of books that has been (and is still being) read by millions of people down through the ages to this very day.
1. Tamah's seduction of her father-in-law Judah was "made public" in Genesis 38
2. The profession of Rahab as a harlot was "made public" in Joshua 2 and 6
3. Ruth was a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4). She was a descendant of Moab, who was the result of the incestious liaison between Lot and his elder daughter. This was "made public" in Genesis 19:37
4. The unholy union between Bathsheba and David was "made public" in 2 Samuel 11
So why were all these "dirty linen washed in public" as it were? To tell us that in spite of the imperfections of these women, God could still use them to fulfill His purpose in Jesus being incarnated as a man, and for His glory.
The purpose and motive to "go public" is to testify to what the LORD has done in my life. If there are people who so decide to use this knowledge against me or my family, then they have to search their hearts, and the LORD will deal with them accordingly.
On the other hand, there will be others who will be encouraged to know that the LORD is a faithful God. He has no favourites, so what He has done in my life, He can and will do in theirs too.
So coming back again to the question. To go public or not to go public? The answer is "Go Public!".
I will thus be sharing the following testimonies over the next 2 days, namely:
- I nearly became a taxi driver
- I passed my driving at the 4th attempt
Stay tuned :-)
Shalom
Malcolm
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