Erling Thu

Category: Solidarity

  • Collision of worldviews

    Collision of worldviews

    There is a war going on. It is a brutal war. In fact, all wars are brutal in one way or another. But this ongoing war that we are witnessing today, is a very brutal one. There are many victims in this war. Many people are being hurt. Innocent people are suffering in this ongoing conflict.

    The war is raging in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as in USA and Europe. There are terrible conflicts causing millions of refugees to flee for their lives in Africa and Asia as well. My heart is bleeding for all those who are suffering from violence and injustice.

    The ongoing war of worldviews is in many ways invisible, but recently it became very visible through the killing of Charlie Kirk. I must admit that I had never heard of him before the news about his death. The way it was presented in the Norwegian media was a wakeup call to me. Trough the main media he was portrait as a racist and a wright wing extremist. He was compared to Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian terrorist that killed 69 people a few years ago. Then I discovered that young Christians, born again believers, as well as young conservative politicians, said he was a hero. Some people rejoiced in the fact that he was dead, but a lot of young people was mourning in shock to the killing.

    A collision of worldviews was taken place before my eyes. Then I realised, it is not only a collision, it is a war of worldviews. A Christian humanistic worldview versus a secular, illiberal and hedonistic worldview. Prolife and pro human dignity versus killing of babies and of those who do not conform with the secular belief or correct political opinions.

    It is time to wake up. It is time for action. We need to stand up for truth and love. We must promote peace and understanding. Righteousness and justice will prevail and overcome hate and evil in all forms.

  • To be somebody is not a matter of right or wrong

    To be somebody
    is not a matter of right or wrong
    it is not a matter of having the political correct opinions
    or the classical orthodox doctrine

    To be somebody
    is a matter of being kind
    – of caring for others
    – of loving in words and deeds
    To be somebody
    is all about forgiving
    – those who persecute you
    and being generous
    – towards those who are different

    To be somebody
    is not a matter of theology
    it is all about living a good life
    – trusting the Son of man
    who set aside the privileges of deity
    and became one of us to bring us to God
    ministering life to us by dying our death

    When you do a favour
    to those who don't deserve it
    then you are really somebody

  • To be somebody is knowing that someone cares

    To be somebody

    Is to know that a mother is concerned for you

    And thinking of you with a tender heart

    It gives a great sense of worth

    Knowing that someone is worried

    With motherly love and care for you

    As you are travelling places

    And fulfilling your holy vocation

    In serving the people of God

    To really be somebody

    Is to appreciate this loving concern

    And give thanks to your mother

    While she is still alive

    When she is gone, and you realise

    how valuable her worries were,

    it is too late to acknowledge their worth.

    To be somebody is knowing that someone cares

    A father, a brother or a sister,

    A friend, a fellow believer, a servant of God,

    A neighbour, a postman, a nurse, a doctor,

    A preacher, a football player, an athlete,

    • someone cares because of love,

    but no one cares like God,

    he cares for all of us with his everlasting love!

  • Answering emails or messages

    To be somebody
    Is to answer emails or text messages
    Showing that you care
    And take people seriously
    It is to come up with simple solutions to complicated questions
    Or to admit that you don't have all the answers

    To be somebody
    Is to sit in front of a screen
    Typing letters, words, reason and insight
    As if you were sitting in front of a person
    Communicating eternal truths
    Sharing real life experiences
    Opening up your heart
    For the world to see
    The beauty and simplicity
    Of faith, hope and love
    Poured into a human heart by the Holy Spirit

    Text: Erling Thu (c)

  • A loving and loyal servant

    In his letter to the Romans the apostle Paul is introducing himself as a loving and loyal servant of the Anointed One, Jesus (Rom 1,1 TPL). When I read what Paul was writing about himself, his words struck me. What a sound self-image. What a wonderful self-esteem. What a bold statement about himself: I am a loving and loyal servant!

    First of all he wants to tell that he is a servant of the Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah. He had been called and chosen by Jesus Christ to be a servant. He was set apart with a mission. As a servant he was a sent one, an apostle. His mission was to reveal the wonderful news of the Kingdom of God. He was to bring people out of darkness and ignorance into the light and understanding of the Good News of what God had done through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That was his mission to bring insight to people, to help them grasp the eternal plan and purpose of Christ. He was never disobedient to this heavenly vision. He was a servant of Jesus Christ his entire life. The heavenly vision made him a servant. 

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  • To be somebody is to rewrite your life

    To be
    somebody is to rewrite your manuscript

    Because you
    are able to see the value

    Of the
    critique given by friends and professionals

    Who only
    want the best for you.

    In writing
    all anew you allow yourself to be buried

    Under the
    judgements of others

    To raise to
    new creativity and new expressions

    Of the
    message of your rejected work.

    To be
    somebody is to rewrite our life

    According
    to our dreams

    In spite of
    setbacks and disappointments

    To deepen
    and enlarge yourself

    And be
    somebody others will follow

    In changing
    their life to enrich others.

  • WATCHING A CATASTROPHE

    To be somebody is watching a catastrophe take place

    In distant areas of the globe

    But being present through prayers and compassion

    As you watch the horrible pictures on the screen

    From your comfortable chair

    In your warm and safe living room

    Thousands of miles away

    But still feeling the pain in your entire being

    The pain of losing your dear ones

    The pain of having your property destroyed

    The pain of being left with nothing

    The pain of not seeing any future

    The pain of having no hope

    The pain of watching the terrible effects

    Of the earthquake tsunami in safe surrounding

    Feeling out of place

    Feeling inadequate

    Feeling helpless

    Not being able to help personally

    But being out of touch

    Your mind can’t grasp the magnitude of the catastrophe

    Your heart can’t bear the sadness and the sorrow

    But you are still watching and praying

    –         and sending your donation to the relief organisation

    But the pain is still there

  • Answering questions

    To be somebody is answering questions

    Taking time to think

    Stopping up to let the imagination run wild

    As you meditate on silly questions

    Or the deep questions of existentially concern

    When you answer questions

    – No matter how deep or shallow they are

    – No matter if they are questions of real life situations or hypothetical sophistry

    – No matter which area they touch on

    Then you show that you take people serious

    And you care for what they are concerned about

    Only because of love for that particular individual

    When you answer questions

    Only because of love for people

    Then you really are somebody

    In a world of efficiency and self interest

  • Connecting people

    To be somebody is being in the business
    Of connecting people and
    Allowing yourself to be connected to people
    – Constantly reaching out to others
    – Constantly breaking down barriers
    – Constantly jumping over walls
    – Constantly removing borders
    Receiving and giving spiritual insight
    Leaving comments and responding to e-mails
    Talking on the phone and sending SMS messages
    Touching, hugging and kissing
    As you generously encourage others
    Blessing them with your big smile
    Accepting them for what they are
    Receiving them into your heart
    Lifting them up to God in prayer
    Allowing God to speak to you
    Through those who are different from you

    Great people have the capacity
    Of being joined in heart with a diversity of people
    Each time they enter a covenant relationship
    By the uniting Spirit of God
    Their capacity for connecting with others is being enlarged

  • Failing to stand up for the right values

    To be human is to speak
    Big words about yourself
    But still being scared
    Of lifting a single finger
    Against injustice
    In your own environment
    In that way a somebody turns out to be a nobody

    Failing to stand up for justice
    Failing to fight for the downtrodden
    Failing to speak for the voiceless
    Failing to meet the need in front of your eyes
    Failing to show loyalty to friends
    – because they have become unpopular with the majority
    Failing to practice love
    Failing to speak the truth
    Failing to defend the accused
    Failing to do your best to change yourself and society

    Not taking the appropriate action
    Quickly reduces you to a normal human nobody
    But acting according to divine values
    Put you on the path of becoming somebody