Never Take Kindness as a Barter or an Endless Give-And-Take Process

Kindness as A Barter

True kindness doesn’t expect to be reciprocated. Kindness is defined as the tendency of being forgiving or the "quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic." Therefore, a form of kindness that's expecting a reward or a reciprocal attitude from whom one's kindness was tendered is deceptive and manipulative. For kindness is to be nice to others, free of any ulterior motives at all--no strings attached. Someone has well said that: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."

A Kindness Given in Exchange for Personal Reward, Advantage and Gratification

There's a story in the Bible where a certain woman built a room for Prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-17). Pleased, Elisha prayed that the notable but childless Shunammite woman would bear a son. Using this illustration, one preacher ventured to say that: one's kindness will always be rewarded. He also added that a glass of cold water given in kindness will receive a reward, quoting Matthew 10:40-42:

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:40-42)

Now, who would dare to disagree with the above verses which fell from the lips of Christ Himself? Well, Jesus Christ is the Truth. (John 14:6). No one can twist the Biblical truth that "God is not mocked; a man reaps what he sows"! Outside of Christ or the Christian faith for that matter however, the virtue of kindness or being nice to people, is usually applied differently. We normally are nice only if we have a personal interest on the recipient or the results of our kindness. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" seems to be the norm in our relationships!

Be Kind Without Expecting Any Form of Reward

Charles H. Spurgeon once said: "A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble." I think Spurgeon is right: we need to be kind without expecting any form of reward, for the truest reward or payment of our kindness is the happy remembrance of our good character by the people affected by our benignity.

Christian Kindness Toward Christian Leaders

Biblically, however, I do personally believe that one's kindness given to the real leaders and the true Christian Church as well will always receive a reward from the Lord, either physically, spiritually, or even financially or all three divine blessings at once. Jesus Christ taught it; I experienced it: I experienced where all that I had was burned (my computer, books, everything) to ashes! But my faith in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior was strong as ever despite my severe trials; I knew that He loved me and bled and died for my sins. (Now I have a laptop already for me to be able to share with you my story so easily). "Delight thyself also in the LORD"; yes, amidst the storms of trials, "and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4.

Kindness Attracts Kindness

Kindness, outside of the Christian paradigm, has another meaning. We are living in this "me-first" world, and being kind the way Christ was while He was still walking on this planet over 2,000 years ago, has now become a strange phenomenon to the majority. For we understand kindness today to be always connected to our personal interest. The politicians, in particular, have coined this important description of their so-called kindness (not all of them, though!): "There's no such thing as permanent friendship, only permanent interest."

A certain public speaker started his speech by saying: "When God created the universe He created universal laws and one of these laws is the law of attraction." Well said. Kindness attracts kindness, in short. The Bible is full of instructions about patience and kindness, which are relevant even to this Bible-less generation of ours.

God’s Kindness Attracts Repentance

After all, the kindness of God will lead people to repent, wrote the Apostle Paul. Or, that the kindness of a mother will lead a wicked daughter to change ways. Here's how Paul said it:

"So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" ( Romans 2:3-4 )

CONLUSION

Let's go now to the bottom line of it all: there are really people who are naturally kind to others, they be Christians or not, some of their names are even in the Guinness Book. They are so few, though. Would you include Mahatma Gandhi or Buddha or Mother Teresa in your list of truly kind people? Or, do you believe they did what they did, yes, to thousands of people, without expecting any personal gratification in the process? You have your answer, of course.

Quotes

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. - Dalai Lama

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. - Jesus Christ (Luke 6:35)

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China is Both Rich and Dangerous Bullying the Philippines

Rich and Dangerous Bullying the Philippines

China is both rich and dangerous to her neighbors. All her territorial claims in South China Sea involving the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines are consistent with China's ambition to control the region economically, politically, and even militarily. Bullying is China's main strategy. Now the Philippines filed a complaint at the United Nations tribunal. Repoted Bloomberg.com (accessed 4/3/14):

The Philippines challenged China’s claims to much of the South China Sea at a United Nations tribunal yesterday, seeking to check its neighbor’s push for control of disputed waters rich in oil, gas and fish.

The Faces of China

China today has assumed many different faces. A part of her is rich, another is poor. She is always pro-neighbor economically, but on the otherhand, very aggressive in claiming territories even though violative of territorial laws and protocol, according to most legal experts in international law.

How Did China Become a Giant Economy?

First off, let's compare China with Russia. Both of them are communist countries, but China survived and became rich, while Russia ended her communistic rule as a result of her failed economy. What do you think of China's economic miracles? There are a thousand and one reasons of it, I know. But from my layman's opinion, one of the main factors is China's opening her doors to the non-communist world. In short, the communist's so-called totalitarian control of the economy and lives of the people didn't work. Communism, I mean the Russian model, was a big failure. The so-called USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) collapsed in the 1980s.

Whereas, China flourished and has even overtaken Japan as the second largest economy, second only to the US, in the world. Den Xiaoping, the architect of China's reforms, once said that: "Poverty is not socialism. To be rich is glorious." Yes, that's the economic key: allowing the Chinese people to become rich by their own labors and entrepreneurship just like in democratic countrie--plus the influx of multi-national companies and foreign capital into China!

Potential: One Billion People and Cheap Labor

We know that China today has many different faces. Research shows that inside China, its lingering poverty is still very much alive. Its human rights violation is great; its suppression of man's inherent freedom to speak up remains China's surname and seal. But why are big companies the world over queued to build a business niche in this place? Two possible reasons: China's cheap and government-controlled labor force, and its market of over one billion people.

While the U.S. is occupied with mending its economy, China is spreading its financial tentacles to the U.S. Here's the news by http://english.ntdtv.com which it aired over the Web on April 17, 2012:

"Chinese authorities have increased their holdings of US debt for the second consecutive month. The Chinese regime bought 12.7 billion US dollars worth of bonds in February. This is according to the latest figures from the US Treasury department. China now holds approximately 1.17 trillion dollars worth of US Treasury Securities—making it the largest foreign owner of US debt. Japan comes in a close second, with just over 1 trillion dollars. But, US citizens still own the largest chunk of the US debt—approximately 15 trillion dollars."

Not Interested in United Nations Tribunal

Another report from Bloomberg.com:

China cannot accept the international arbitration sought by the Philippines, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday in a statement on the ministry’s website. The Philippines occupies some islands in the South China Sea “illegally,” Hong said.

What do you think? Is China a dangerous neighbor indeed?

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Building a Happy Family Requires Conviction and Faith

Conviction and Faith

One rich man told his audience: "Well, I often told my children that success is not just pure hard work, for there are many hardworking businessmen who didn't make it to the top. I believe in luck!" Do you think this principle also applies in marriage?

Building a happy family requires conviction and faith. Call it luck, but I have another term for it, that is, God's blessing and intervention. Without faith in God and your life partner, then there can be no truly happy family that will come to your home. I mentioned God, because in Psalm 127:1, the Bible says that:

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it.

Faith In God is Key

Building a happy family requires the building of trust and confidence between spouses. And common faith in God is key to reach that. Yes, common conviction and faith.

Sin, or let's call it as the involvement of a third party, is death to the family. Avoid having illicit relationship, and you will be forever happy with your love ones.

To bear children is another key in the establishment of a happy family. Wives, avoid being very unreasonable sometimes. And husbands, love your wife to death. Prov 19:14-24 says:

House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. Laziness casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man will suffer hunger....Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death. A man of great anger will bear the penalty...Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days. Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand. What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

The above verses speak of prudence, fear of the Lord, wisdom, discipline, hard work and hope. These are good principles that are necessary for establishing a happy family.

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The Tainted Reputation of the Philippine Senate vs the Filing of the Enrile, Bong and Jinggoy Plunder Case

The Tainted Reputation of the Philippine Senate

The tainted reputation of the Philippine Senate is so serious an issue as to require a major political surgery. The filing of the appropriate and non-bailable plunder case against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., although a good sign of relief on the part of the Filipino people, is not enough remedy to assuage the insult and abuse that our masses have felt with the uncovering of the Napoles pork-barrel scam. We are poor--our government is poor. And corruption in government is the main cause of it all. For even our highest lawmakers have themselves turned into law-breakers. They have become so corrupt that they couldn’t feel any qualm of conscience at all. Instead, they are telling the country of their planned candidacy for the coming elections. Adding insult to injury, they are even so confident that they can deceive the Filipino electorates—once more!

This case of plunder filed against Senators Enrile, Bong Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada is unprecedented in the history of the Philippine Senate. And it is just the tip of the iceberg. If proven in court, the Philippine government can be likened to a human body having cancer and other serious infections right in the head--in the brain.

Thus, the tainted reputation of the Philippine Senate is so serious that it requires some form of cleansing or political surgery if you may. It is indeed good news that some of our Senators are proposing a form of disciplinary action like expulsion from office of erring comrades. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona III, had also recommended the filing of plunder charges against Enrile, Bong and Jinggoy. But it is not enough. There must be a law that will bar a plunder-convicted politician from seeking a political office. The case of ex-President and now Mayor Erap Estrada who was convicted with plunder is a vivid portrayal on how our law on plunder can become toothless versus the mandate of our non-issues-oriented and less-schooled majority.

The law on plunder was one of the best laws ever conceived and written by our leaders. What we need in this country is more brave leaders like Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and a President like Noynoy Aquino who have deep respect for the law.

The best remedy in order to right the tainted reputation of the Philippine Senate is the Senate itself, the political will of our government to guard our people’s money and to jail corrupt politicians, and most importantly, we the Filipinos during election day.

We have a comment portion below if you have something to say about this post.

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The Strength and Weakness of Filipino Culture and Tradition

The Strength and Weaknesses of Filipino Culture and Tradition

Like all other nations on earth, our culture or way of life as a people has both strength and weaknesses. Culture, says the dictrionary is "the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively...The tastes in art and manners that are favoured by a social group...All the knowledge and values shared by a society."

Tradition on the other hand, is "the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way." Culture and tradition thus is a way of life, the practices of our people during a burial rite, a wedding ceremony or the way we view and see things in life.

The Chinese people are governed by Feng Shui in their construction of buildings, for example, or in starting a business. It is a "Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing the human existence with the surrounding environment. The term feng shui literally translates as "wind-water" in English."

Our counterpart to Feng Shui in the Philippines is the belief in the involvement of the spirits of our ancestors in our daily life. All these practices and belief system are handed down to us by culture and tradition, which is the transmitted knowledge, customs, belief and values from generation to generation.

The Strength of Filipino Culture

Why is it that there are many retired foreigners, particularly Americans, who want to live and die in the Philippines? It is because we value close family ties. Call it as emotionalism or sentimentalism, but we simply love to see our children and grand children, even our in-laws, to live harmoniously with us under the same roof as much as possible--finances permitting, so to say.

The Americans on the other hand, believe in rugged individualism such as independence at age 18, or even divorce between couples. The result is that their elderly and grand parents found themselves without a family to call their own at the end of their life journey. We are not like them. That's why many of them came over to our shores, for they appreciate our culture of safeguarding and giving great value on our close family relationship.

We have other practices that are worth emulating. But space limits us to mention them all here.

The Weaknesses of Filipino Culture

The weaknesses of Filipino culture seem to out weigh its strength. For example, our culture of corruption in this country can be traceable back to our close family ties and sense of dependence on our elderly. As such, we have a sense of dependence on our political leaders and boss--our political "father," so to say.

Our nation's Catholic religion is also a factor or cause why do we trust more on connections and bribery, the main elements in all forms of corrupt practices. For example, we want some connections with our patron-Saints such as San Isidro Labrador or San Lorenzo Ruiz. We want a connection to Mother Mary, for her to somehow "influence" Christ.

The strength and weaknesses of our culture and tradition cannot be contained in just a book or two, so much that we seem to embrace also the culture, both the negative and the positives ones, of other nations.

Conclusion

In sum, I should say that it takes dozens of years yet to inculcate effectively into the minds of our people what is good and what is not to our country and nation. The recent pork barrel scam in the Philippines and the involvement of our brilliant leaders, including some highly respected media men who are enjoying national prominence, is one proof that great knowledge alone from great schools of learning is not enough to make a great Filipino leader corruption-proof.

I like this quote from Theodore Roosevelt. It's good for all our corrupt Senators and Congressmen: “When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not Guilty'.”

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Binay or Duterte for President?

On Our Presidentiables

Binay or Duterte for president? Or is there something wrong somewhere?

I am putting up this site, IF YOU ASK ME, since I want to share my thoughts on issues which are affecting us. For example, our local TV is broadcasting about the signature campaign for Mayor Duterte to be president. I think we need to dig first the qualifications and capabilities of our presidentiables in a free and academic forum, and not just letting the non-taxpayers and less educated to tell us who will be the next president through the power of their signatures.

About Vice President Binay who is very, very ambitious to be the next Philippine president, my opinion is that he is a certified "trapo" (traditional politician). Therefore, he is no different from all the "trapos" that were ahead of him. His interest is all about himself. I learned this one comment from the newspaper: "inay...huwag si binay." Imagine his recruiting Vilma Santos or Jinggoy to be his running mate?

Binay or Duterte for president? Or is there something wrong somewhere? Something is wrong indeed.

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Gay Marriage: The Culture of Making Right What is Clearly Wrong in the Name of Freedom and Equality

I am putting up this site, IF YOU ASK ME, since I want to share my thoughts on issues which are affecting us.

On Gay Marriage

US President Obama will be meeting with Pope Francis at Vatican. Since Obama is supporting gay marriage, what do you think will be the position of Pope Francis on the issue of gay marriage? We don't know, but we have a hint based on this very anti-Catholic comment of Pope Francis: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” My one-cent opinion is that both Obama and Pope Francis love the people more than the Lord God who said in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NASB):

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

The Bible said that the homos cannot "inherit the kingdom of God." But Pope Francis, who is kissing on his Bible probably daily, didn't believe in this holy word of God.

There are many things we will be discussing in this blog yet. "IF YOU ASK ME" was created to share an opinion, no matter how shallow or insignificant it may come along.

With Pope Francis hinting his approval to gay marriage, our world that is peopled by 1.2 billion Catholics, will be impacted somehow by this culture of making right that which is clearly wrong and obnoxious.

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