Erling Thu

Valueing relationships

To be somebody is to value relationships

above politically correct opinions

or orthodox teology and right confession of belief

Living in a good relationship

with my Creator and my fellow man

make me a human person

Political opinions or religious theories

have a tendency to make me a political animal or a religious beast

Being a friend is more important

than having the best argument

When you care for people

by showing love through acts of mercy

you far exceed the greatest philosopher

in his clever definition of love

When you live in proper relationships

you are really somebody

even though you can't explain love

Because of my birth

I am somebody because of my birth

I am born into the most prestigious royal family

My father is the Sovereign Ruler

-of the entire universe

Because he is the almighty creator

-of everything that exist

My brother is the Redeemer

-of the human race

Because he conquered death,

The evil powers of darkness,

Selfishness and sin in all its fashions

My personal assistant is the Sustainer

-of the whole world

Because he is the eternal life-giving spirit

He assisted my father

-in bringing the world into being

He assisted my brother

-in bringing him back from the death

I am somebody because of my relationship

With the mysterious triune Being

Who loved me, chose me, and planned me

Even before the universe existed

Only because of his marvellous grace

I am born into the Kingdom of Love

Friendship with the Living One

Turns a nobody into a real Somebody

Knowing the Invisible

To be somebody is to know the Invisible

By living in a personal relationship

Through everyday life with him who walks with you

-when no one else is there for you.

You touch him

-even though you can’t feel him with your hands

You hear his tender voice of thunder

-even though your ear don’t register a sound

You see him clearly

-even though your eyes only see the natural world

By faith only you know the Invisible

-for faith is the art of hearing him

Through hope you cling on to the Invisible

-for hope is the art of believing him

Through love you get close to the Invisible

-for love is the art of trusting him

To be somebody is to hear, believe and trust

In him who no one can see

-even though he is ever present

-even though he constantly reveals himself

The Invisible can only be known in an intimate relationship

(Inspired by some phrases in Summoned to Lead by Leonard Sweet)

Seeing with eyes and heart

To be somebody is to see

That is what it is all about

Seeing with the eyes and the heart

Being present among our neighbours

Some have eyes but don’t see anything

Others have eyes that can’t see

But still they see more than the most

Seeing is discovering and perceiving

What people see, tells you

What kind of people they are

I am getting feedback, therefore I am!

To be somebody is to express oneself and having feedback

- from those who read or listen to us

- from those who observe and touch us

To be somebody is to interact with others

- because you love people

It is to communicate because you care

And staying connected because of the worth you find in others

The joy of being read

- is the knowledge that others take time with you

The excitement of having comments

- is the feeling that others take you serious

The thrill of getting feedback

- is the sense of being connected

To be somebody is being intoxicated

- by feeling of being in touch with the World

- the feeling of crossing borders

- the joy of breaking down barriers

- the excitement of getting rid of your own limitations

Being enabled to communicate

To people close to you and those from far parts of the world

Infecting people

To be somebody is to infect people

By your joy and hope

By your attitudes of faith and love

By your positive words

By your wholesome lifestyle

By your acts of kindness

Great people have the capacity

Of enjoying being with people who are different

Sharing their life and values naturally

Great people are infectious

In the way they live and speak

Always giving of themselves

When you are not infected by evil

Not infected by the greed around you

Not infected by the envy you face

Not infected by the materialism of society

Or the fatalism of traditional religion

But rather infecting your environment

Then you are really somebody

Great people

To be somebody is the same as being great

Great people can be seen

- By their unselfish actions and their sacrificial service

Great people can be heard

- By their encouraging words and faithful confessions

Great people can be touched

- Through their practical involvement in our lives

Great people can be felt

- By the atmosphere of love, joy and hope that surrounds them

Great people have an effect on us

- They bring out the best in us

And creates in us a desire to change for the better

As great people has the capacity for enlargement

And the longing for change

That motivates them to never settle

But reach their full potential in God

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

Creativity and beautiful living

To be somebody is to create life
In the virtual world or by physical material
It is to give it a new form
That touches other people’s lives
Because it stirs their emotions
Speaking with or without words
Making the imagination pregnant
Releasing exuberant joy
And fruitful ideas of the heart
Generating new forms of life

To be somebody is releasing others into creative living
By rejecting the self-absorbed life
For a life of generosity and nobility
The great things of a creative life
Come out of small acts of faithfulness and love
Every creative act is created in a generous heart
Not out of selfishness or self-indulgence
Creativity and generosity always result in a work of beauty

Having young people for dinner

To be somebody is having young people
Eating dinner with you in your home
And enjoying their company
Sharing our life with one another
As we talk of many different aspects
Of our life with God and our families

To be somebody is enjoying
Interaction with grown up people
Belonging to a different generation
That could have been our own children
But not noticing age at all
Because we all enjoy being God’s children
Having fun together
Appreciating one another’s company

Being married

To be somebody is to be married
Because marriage is a risky enterprise
To marry is to dare to commit yourself
- to another person for life just because of love
To marry is to renounce a life of sovereign decision making
And to embrace the views and opinions of another person
Before any decisions are made – together!
To marry is to dare to open up your life
And fully share it with the one you love!

To be somebody is to stay married
In spite of differences and conflicting interests
In the faithfulness and loyalty of love
You will find strength and wisdom
To overcome the biggest obstacles
And fight through the battles to win the war of Love
By laying down your life
To make your marriage partner happy

To be somebody is being married
And enjoy every minute
As you find your way - together

Leaving an impression

To be somebody is to leave an impression
Of depth and purity, integrity and love
On the people you spend time with
It is to make a lasting impression
On precious people created in the image of God
As you touch them with your life
Of honesty and transparency
Even though they seem indifferent to you

To be somebody is to leave a beautiful mark
Of the loving presence of God
On persons you interact with

Living beyond self-interest

To be somebody is to live beyond self-interest
Knowing that you are sent on a mission
Knowing that your life has a purpose
Knowing why you are here
Not living for yourself but for something greater than yourself
Not living for self-interest but for the will of God
Not living for your own honour but to glorify God

Those who do the works they are sent to do
Are really somebody who have achieved a lot in life
For they have embraced the cross
And died to themselves
To become something for others