Erling Thu

To be somebody is not to worry about anything

To be somebody is to be worry-free
Not worrying for eating or drinking
Not worrying for housing or clothing
Not worrying for the day tomorrow
Not worrying for my good name
Not worrying for my acceptance in society
Not worrying for my appearance
Not worrying for my beauty
Not worrying for my professional career
Not worrying for my funeral
Not worrying for my car
Nor worrying for my possessions
Nor worrying for my children
Not worrying for accidents while travelling
Not worrying for terrorists
Not worrying for the persecutors
Not worrying for ridicule
Not worrying for rejection

I am really somebody
When I live worry-free
In the middle of difficulties
In the face of challenges

I am really somebody
When I generously give away everything
To follow in the footsteps
Of him who had no pillow to rest his head on

Looking with new eyes

To be somebody
is not only to explore
virgin territory or unknown places
but to look with new eyes
- look from new perspectives
- look with new perception
- look with new expectancy
- look for new insight
to the old and known world
to discover the virginity
and the hope for a new beginning
in the midst of corruption and decay
and than seize the moment
to make history
in our own little world
knowing that the great achievements
is the sum of all the small deeds of faith

By faith we can see
the impossible become possible
and the invisible become visible
and the world changed to a better place

Accepting ourselves for what we are

To be somebody
Is to accept ourselves for what we are
And at the same time rejoice
In all the good qualities
We are able to see in other people

To be somebody
Is to be yourself
Without being sufficient in yourself
But to develop your strengths
That all may see what you really are
To be yourself is to try to see something
Positive in your weaknesses
As you try to make them be less visible

Celebrating life

To be somebody

is to celebrate birthdays, wedding-days,

Christmas, Easter, Whitsunday

or any other special days

and New Year with great joy!

It is to make use of all circumstances

to celebrate and rejoice

in the rich life from God!

It is to rejoice in being

uniquely created in the image of God,

rejoicing over all our gifts and talents

enjoying life to the full!

Life itself is the greatest reason for celebration

Only when I am alive

I am somebody

Suffering loss

To be somebody

Is to suffer loss with dignity and trust

• the loss of a son who dies
• the loss of friends who turn out to be no friends
• the loss of sleep or rest
• the loss of health
• the loss of memory
• the loss of peace of mind
• the loss of a poem as the pc crash

Losses come in many forms

some are deeply personal and painful

some can be hurting but helpful

some are very dramatic and domestic

some are instant and intense

To be somebody

Is to embrace loss willingly by faith

Because you are looking forward

For something greater and better

When you have seen the Invisible

The losses in the corruptible world do not matter any more

Text: Erling Thu (c)

Daring to be yourself

To be somebody
Is to dare to be yourself
And still not rely on your own strength or human resources
But submit to the leading of the Spirit
And draw on his mighty strength
Allowing him to unfold his power in your life
Enabling you to break out of all human limitations
And enjoy the abundance of blessings
And the liberty of God's children

To be somebody
Is to accept yourself the way you are
And trust God for a supernatural life in the Spirit
When you have learned to say no to yourself
- say no to your own strengths and weaknesses
But to embrace everything that God does for you
Then you can live life to the full.

To be somebody
Is to accept no limitations as failures
But as divine steppingstones
Into the life of the Spirit
- the life of trust
- the life of faith
- the life of hope
- the life of love

Text: Erling Thu (c)

To be somebody is to fly with the wings of encouragement

To be somebody
Is to allow words of encouragement
To become wings of faith
Making you ignore limitations
Causing you to jump over walls
Motivating you to cross borders

To be somebody
Is to believe and receive words
Appreciation from unknown people
Praise from close friends
As seeds of greatness
Producing desires to serve
In greater variety and measures

To be somebody
Is to fly with the wings of encouragements
To new horizons of joy
In being connected to a new reality
Having your life enlarged
Being enabled to break out
Of geographical and cultural limitations
To explore the limitless sky
As prophetic words are coming true
In walking humbly with your God

Text: Erling Thu (c)

To be somebody is to take advice

To be somebody
Is to be humble enough to take advice from others
To listen to the insights of my elders
To follow the wise counsel of the experienced servant of God
To be willing to change my mind
To make new decisions going a new direction

To be somebody
Is not to compromise my vision or calling
But to find better ways of achieving my destiny
Through taking good counsel from godly persons
Committing myself into the hands of God

Only the one who really is somebody

is big enough to take advice

Text: Erling Thu (c)

Being a moral person

To be somebody
Is to be marked by love
Knowing how to distinguish
Right and wrong – goodness or badness
Love is never glad about injustice
But rejoices every time the truth wins out
Love never gives up
Love never loses faith
Love is always hopeful
Love endures through every circumstance

To be somebody
Is to know that it is possible
To refuse to do evil things
Knowing it is possible to be a moral person
Irrespectively of what others do
Irrespectively if others follow your example
Irrespectively of the outcome of your life
Even if you don’t become a hero
Even if you don’t save anybody by your sacrifice
Even if you don’t change anything by your stand
Even if you have to die for your belief

To be somebody
Is to be a moral example
Even more - it is to be a moral person
To refuse to do evil
Solely because it is bad
Then you make a difference
- to yourself
- and to us

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. 

Having an inbuilt dignity

To be somebody is having an inbuilt dignity

Carrying on your broad heart the heavy weight of worth

From being created in the image of God

Displaying the beauty of his holiness

Reflecting the glory of his love

As you honour and respect every person

- for what they are in God

Bestowing dignity on all human beings

Loving your neighbour as yourself

Christ made me somebody

To be somebody is to be in Christ

- purchased by his blood

- redeemed by his death

- regenerated by his Spirit

- a new-born child of the Almighty God

- a brand new creation

- somebody that never existed before

 

I am somebody because of Jesus Christ
I am the recipient of divine grace and forgiveness
I am liberated to fullness of life
I am recreated in the very image of God
I am somebody because of Jesus Christ
He is the One who made me
SOMEBODY

(Written as a response to Mayes comment on Being pure of heart)

Being yourself

To be somebody is to be yourself,

Fully confident of whom you are,

Humbly fulfilling the purpose of your life,

Serving others in peace and harmony,

Living a holistic life,

Fully integrating meaning and purpose

In everything you do.

When you are accepting yourself

-         created in the image of the Creator

You will be yourself in a creative way,

Confidently exploring the talents given to you,

Blessing and serving your neighbours,

Releasing them to develop their own unique gifts.

When you dare to be yourself

You help others to be free

-         from the fear of men

-         from the tyranny of accepted opinions

When you dare to be yourself

You prove to yourself that you are somebody

And people around you will look up to you

Refusing to abort a defect foetus.

To be somebody is to refuse abort a defect foetus

When all the medical experts

Advise you to end the life that you carry in your womb.

It is to choose to trust the Creator of life

To let the embryo develop its own way,

And not to interfere to end the life of the handicapped child.

In spite of all the medical facts you are confronted with,

You choose to give the foetus, the child in your womb, a chance.

To be somebody is to choose to give birth

To a child with severe defects,

To carry it for nine months under your heart,

Only to bring forth a stillborn baby.

To be somebody is to give thanks to God

With streams of tears from your eyes

When you suffer the terrible loss of a daughter:

Thank you God for being so merciful and good!

Thank you for creating our beautiful Natalie.

Thank you for taking her into your presence

Even before she ever felt any pain or worry.

Thank you for being my faithful Father,

For being my mighty comforter, helper and friend.

Thank you for raising a shelter around us

Of dear family and close covenant friends.

You are my peace, my life, my world,

My foundation, my all and everything.

Words cannot express,

Oh, how I love you!

This poem is written in the honour Nina and Per Filip Osland for their decision not to end the life of their defect daughter through abortion when the doctors put heavy pressure on them. When the child was stillborn after nine months of pregnancy, Per Filip wrote the most beautiful thanksgiving to God. I admire my two young friends. They are true heroes of faith. They are really somebody. I am proud of knowing precious people like Nina and Per Filip! They make this world a more beautiful place to live through their devotion to serve life only.

Standing on your own feet

To be somebody is to stand on your own feet,

Choosing your own way,

Breaking new ground,

As you keep to the straight and narrow path.

When you are standing upright

With your head lifted high,

While you receive scorn and mockery,

As token of distinction,

And marks of honour,

Then you are showing the inner strength

That makes you a real somebody!

A historic person

To be somebody is being a historic person

born into history by real parents

raised in a family of brothers or sisters

educated in a public school system

-but climbed above the average

-by becoming self taught

-in skills of life and spiritual wisdom

Being a historic person born into history

-not just to flow with the current trends

-but to create new trends

-set an example

To be somebody is to motivate change in people

-to change the course of history

-by many followers

Docta ignorantia

I am somebody because I understand

-how ignorant I really am

If I say I know the truth

-I only deceive myself and expose

-my own ignorance and pride

The more I know Him who is the Truth

-the more I realise how little I know

The better I know the truth

-the more I seek to know Him

The truth is always greater

-greater than all my images

-greater than my understanding

-greater than my faith

-greater than my knowledge

-greater than my experience

-greater than my explanation

-greater than my insight

-greater than my thoughts and mind

-greater than my heart

He who is the Truth is always greater!

Still this is my testimony:

I know Him and I love Him!

Being a poem

I am somebody because I am a poem

Everyday I can enter into human lives

-at the workplace and in the neighbourhood

With grace from God to bless

I can come as a poem

A poem that is touching the inner longings

-conjuring up dreaming melodies of the heart

-painting colourful images of the soul

A poem that is putting words on the sprouting faith

-calling forth cries for salvation

-giving birth to prayer for forgiveness

I am a poem written by God

I am a work of God

I am a masterpiece of God

I am God’s own masterpiece of art

I am somebody

I am born again

I am somebody because I am born again

I have been born twice

I have been born through my parents and by the Spirit

Humans can only reproduce human life

That which is human falls short of God’s glorious standard

That which is born of the Spirit is spirit

Only those born from above can enter the Kingdom of God

I am born again by the Holy Spirit

I am born into the family of God

I am a child of God, the Eternal Father

I belong to the Kingdom of God

I am a Kingdom person

I am a Spirit person

The invisible Spirit moves me

-through new life from heaven

I am somebody when I am moved by the Spirit

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