Hi Readers,
In my business, we teach and prepare people for the 90:10 rule. (Some say 80:20; but from my observations, it looks more like 90:10 most of the time :))
For 90% of people, "Seeing is Believing". In other words, for most people, they think that only when they can see (e.g. that our business model works), will they believe that it does.
For the other 10% of people, the reverse is true: Believing is Seeing. Because they first believe, they can picture vividly the possibilities in the future as if it was already real and present.
I was reflecting on these thoughts, among others, as I thought about what I'd like to share with my highly-valued and greatly-treasured friends and associates in a Christmas email. Surely, Christmas could not come and go without comment from comment-happy me :)
Here, I am sharing with you a lightly-edited version of my Christmas eve email to my friends, partners and colleagues.
I thought about the "Seeing Is Believing" bit as I marvelled at how people all over the world, Christians and non-Christians, celebrate Christmas, acknowledging knowingly or unknowingly the historical event that occurred over 2,000 years ago - the birth of baby Jesus.
I remembered sharing with someone who was in trouble with himself and making a mess of his life only a few weeks ago, that Christ was the only baby ever born to die.
He would die young so that we may live long and abundantly. He would die poor and wretched so that we may live rich and well. He would die taking on all our infirmities and sicknesses on his body so that we may live in health. He would die cursed so that we may live blessed. He would die, a Star hanging from a Tree (see picture), bearing all of our sins and wrongs so that we may walk in His righteousness and appear spotless in God's eyes.
Then, I thought to myself: Hey, Jesus was God personified - in speech, in action, in demeanour and in style. Everywhere Jesus went, as recorded in the Bible with many supporting cross-references, he performed great miracles e.g. bringing people back from the dead, healing the sick, helping the blind to see again, calming storms with just one utterance, walking on water.
For those people who believe in the axiom, "Seeing Is Believing", consider this: Did everyone who see Jesus do what he did and hear Jesus said what he said believe what they saw and heard? Some did; many didn't.
Now, do I have to see God personified to believe that He exists? Nope, not for me, not anymore. I'm happy to say that I regard myself to be among the 10 in the 90:10.
I believe; therefore I see. And for that, have I been blessed mightily.
I am thankful to God for watching over me, my family and my finances all of this year. With divine timing and interventions, we have been able to navigate the ups and downs of the economy and the markets exceedingly well.
I am thankful to God for answering all of our little prayers, reaffirming us in our faith that nothing is ever too trivial for God nor is anything too big. Whatever concerns his children, matters to Him.
I am thankful to God for empowering us with a stress-free, rest-ful life. Whatever happens to the economy, or the marketplace, we have no need to be anxious or worried. What we can do, we do; what we can't, we just leave it to God. Our being anxious doesn't contribute to the solution, and for those of us in the health & nutrition business, we know very well that anxiety or stress is bad for health.
I realized that it's because of Jesus that I can talk to God, talk about God and have a relationship with God.
I do feel greatly blessed, highly favoured and deeply loved, every day.
Now, you know my "secret" - the source of my unshakeable calm and enduring optimism :))
This Christmas, please allow me to be completely open with you and share with you what gives me both Rest and Power to do what I want to do. It's Jesus, whose birth we all celebrate with Christmas.
You must have heard or read these verses before, but if there is ever a good time to read them again, it is now:
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." - John 3:16-17
So, my dear readers, I wish you a Wonderfully Blessed Christmas. May the true meaning of Christmas touch you and bless you in the days and the years ahead.
God Bless You,
Eng Hai.
