Custom-made Life

The restaurant is buzzing with people; as clients pass through the cashier swiping their cards. Suddenly, everything comes to a halt, as one customer takes cash out of his wallet to pay for his order.  Everyone looks at the cash-paying individual like he had done something wrong. Things go back to normal when he moves on and the succeeding clients swipe their cards.  If the episode seems familiar, it comes from an advertisement of a credit card company.

In this age of plastic money, mass-production and fast food, there is a notion that we need to follow the template of modern living if we are to succeed. You are a fish out of the water if you don’t conform. Modern living, though, means attachment to worldly things.

Christians are expected to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Son of God lived among men to bring the Good News from God the Father and died to give us salvation. The Holy Spirit remains in the world so we can be guided in our ways and be protected against the snare of Satan.

But God does not want us to live a drag-of-a-life. He made each one of us unique, to make our impact in the world through the talents He endowed on us. While He set the rules for us to live a holy life, He intends us to make decisions to fulfill our custom-made life.

Life is much like a canvass. When we are born the canvass is empty. For thereon we fill the canvass with living colors. But we must not go beyond the canvass where there is Satan’s emptiness and worthlessness.  God wants us to make a beautiful masterpiece of our lives which we can present to Him after we transcend from this world.

God wants us to make good decisions with the gifts given unto us. He does not want us to simply conform to what modern society expects, rather He wants us make a difference by revealing Him in our deeds. For those who fall into the pit of materialism and for those who misuse talents, Satan can lay claim to their souls for eternity. “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:29-30)