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"Hi HC, Thanks for being one of the few key teachers who shaped me in my life. What I remember most isn’t the specific lessons, but how you lived and loved those around you. Seeing you interact with the staff two days ago was just as inspiring as it was back then. Happy Teachers’ Day! 🥳” – Randy
The above message from Randy, whom I had discipled 25 years ago, came as a pleasant surprise.
As I read his text, my initial reaction was one of disbelief—how could he not remember the lessons I had painstakingly prepared? I had spent hours crafting each one, choosing the right words to make a lasting impact! But that thought vanished almost as quickly as it came, replaced by a deep and humbling realisation that what Randy remembered was not the content of my teaching, but the example set by my life and that of his other mentors.
Immediately, the words in James 3:13 (MSG) came to mind: "It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts." These words remind me of a saying that resonates deeply: “more is caught than taught”. We can spend our life honing our eloquence to impress others, but no matter how articulate we are, it is our actions—how we live and love—that leave the lasting impression on others.
How then, should we live? The apostle James advises us to “Live well, live wisely, live humbly.”
James had written these words in the context of seeking true wisdom. In James 3:13-16, he contrasts two kinds of wisdom: one rooted in selfish ambition, leading to chaos and strife; and another that is pure, peace-loving, gentle and sincere. James emphasizes that we should aim for a wisdom not measured by eloquence or intellect, but by the quiet power of a life well-lived.
James then guides us by suggesting five tenets to living well, wisely and humbly:
Randy’s message was a powerful reminder to me that while the lessons we teach are important, the impact we have extends even further through the lives we lead and model for others.
As we journey through life, building relationships, mentoring others, making disciples, and parenting our children, let us remember that it is our way of life that speaks the loudest. This is the essence of wise living—embodying the kind of wisdom from above that truly counts and truly lasts.
Blessings,
Goh Hock Chye
Country Leader/CEO
“嗨，福财，想向您说声谢谢，您是我人生中为数不多、造就我的好老师之一。我最记得的不是那些课程，而是您怎样以身作则和爱护身边的人。两天前又见您与同工们的互动，一如既往地让人获益匪浅。祝教师节快乐！” – Randy
以上是我廿五年前曾培训的门徒 Randy 捎来的短讯，令人惊喜。
乍看之下， 我的第一反应是 “岂有此理！这...这家伙怎么就把我辛苦准备的门训都给忘了？” 我可是节节课都投入好几小时逐字推敲，为了想给门徒留下深远的影响啊！然而我转念就释怀了，取而代之的是一股令人谦卑的领会：Randy 回想起的并非课程的内容，而是导师们生命流露的榜样，我有幸能居其一。
当下，我想起雅各书的一段话，圣经说：“你们中间谁是有智慧、有见识的呢？他就应当有美好的生活，用明智的温柔，把自己的行为表现出来”(雅各书3:13，新译本，下同)。 这话又令我联想到俗语说：“言教不如身教”，的确如此。我们大可毕生锻炼口才使人敬佩，然而极尽言语之能，唯有我们的举止—如何生活、能否恩慈待人—将给他人留下长久的印象。
既然如此，我们应该怎样行呢？使徒雅各建议门徒“应当有美好的生活，用明智的温柔，把自己的行为表现出来”。
雅各写下这些话，本意是寻求真智慧。雅各书3:13-16节里，他对比两样智慧：一者出于私欲，就生扰乱冲突；一者属于纯净、有和平、温柔和诚实。雅各督促我们学习的智慧，不在乎口才或智力，而是一种踏实生活所自带的安静从容。
雅各接着提出五项宗旨，使人好好生活、明智地生活、虚心地生活：
Randy 的短讯给了我重要的提醒，口里传讲的固然重要，生命的影响力却藉由生活见证和榜样而来。
在生命旅途中，或建立关系、或辅导他人、或造就门徒、或教养孩子，让我们紧记自己的生活样式就是最实在的范本。这是明智生活的要领—体现了那属天、隽永的智慧。
愿 神祝福您，
吴福财
会长
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