[:en]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

As our sister Beppy shared in the retreat, last Friday she and her family gathered together to remember the passing of her father, Oom Tek Bien. Yes, a year ago on Thanks giving Day, on the way to our church retreat, Oom Tek Bien slipped into eternity. Personally I wish to thank many of you who, in memory of Oom Tek Bien, had written beautiful notes about him. I had the privilege of reading those notes in the brief yet intimate “memorial fellowship.” You don’t know how much these notes meant to the family. Thank you.

When I think of Oom Tek Bien, what comes to mind is how good he was in starting and maintaining relationships. I noticed, not only did he have a way of initiating a conversation with a complete stranger; he also had a genuine interest in people. He really cared! I believe the fact that he cared for others, made him so good in maintaining friendships with so many and for so long.

Proverbs 3 contains a few advices given by a father to his son. When I read this—especially Verses 3-6—I couldn’t help but see how well-fitting it was with who Oom Tek Bien was. There are two pearls of advice tucked in these four verses. The first is we ought to love and be faithful. We who love and are faithful to God and others, will never run out of God’s and man’s favor. Oom Tek Bien loved and was faithful to God and man; no wonder he was well-loved by all.

Secondly, we ought to trust God with all our heart and not lean on our understanding. Since Oom Tek Bien trusted Jesus, he’d placed his life in the hands of God. He did not listen to what his heart told him; instead, he listened to what God told him. Consequently, he grew; each day he was becoming more like Jesus. Two pieces of simple yet life’s transforming advice. It changed him, it’d change us.

Pastor Paul[:id]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

As our sister Beppy shared in the retreat, last Friday she and her family gathered together to remember the passing of her father, Oom Tek Bien. Yes, a year ago on Thanks giving Day, on the way to our church retreat, Oom Tek Bien slipped into eternity. Personally I wish to thank many of you who, in memory of Oom Tek Bien, had written beautiful notes about him. I had the privilege of reading those notes in the brief yet intimate “memorial fellowship.” You don’t know how much these notes meant to the family. Thank you.

When I think of Oom Tek Bien, what comes to mind is how good he was in starting and maintaining relationships. I noticed, not only did he have a way of initiating a conversation with a complete stranger; he also had a genuine interest in people. He really cared! I believe the fact that he cared for others, made him so good in maintaining friendships with so many and for so long.

Proverbs 3 contains a few advices given by a father to his son. When I read this—especially Verses 3-6—I couldn’t help but see how well-fitting it was with who Oom Tek Bien was. There are two pearls of advice tucked in these four verses. The first is we ought to love and be faithful. We who love and are faithful to God and others, will never run out of God’s and man’s favor. Oom Tek Bien loved and was faithful to God and man; no wonder he was well-loved by all.

Secondly, we ought to trust God with all our heart and not lean on our understanding. Since Oom Tek Bien trusted Jesus, he’d placed his life in the hands of God. He did not listen to what his heart told him; instead, he listened to what God told him. Consequently, he grew; each day he was becoming more like Jesus. Two pieces of simple yet life’s transforming advice. It changed him, it’d change us.

Pastor Paul[:]