Saturday, November 01, 2008

What Is Your Song?

Recently i encountered two heartwarming episodes, that I know I must write down, so that after some years when I looked back, I would still remember these 2 almost insignificant yet powerful episodes.

Just today, as I had to visit the bank, I reluctantly went to have my breakfast at the market with my mom. (Actually I don't really like wet market since young, I dislike the wet feeling that gets on the slippers which is always associated with it, plus the rain today, it is likely to be wetter.)

Anyway, as I sat down waiting for the food, sharing table with 2 very young children, the older brother, I think is about 9 to 10 years of age and a little sister, maybe 6 years old or younger. The brother, though still young, bought the prata breakfast for the sister and himself, after which he went to buy drinks. As he sat down, unconsicously, he push the curry gravy as close to his sister as possible even though he is also sharing the gravy. Then he opened the lid of the Ribena that he has ordered, and pour for his sister first and then himself. All the while, the sister had already started eating even before the drinks have arrived. Finally, when the sister had been well taken care of, he proceeded to eat his own prata. The sister had an egg prata, whereas he himself had a plain prata. I was speculating, perhaps he gave the better one to his sister? Yes, love is displayed right before my eyes, an unselfish love, expressed by a young little boy for his younger sister, a very touching scene that I witnessed. Thank God for the breakfast I had at the wet market. I almost wanted to commend the little boy, but I decided not, after all, it is something so natural and so beautiful, anything that I attempted to add to it will spoil the beautiful scene.

Last Sunday, as usual, I would spend my time from 9pm to 1045pm watching the Taiwan singing competition (similar to American Idol, but to me, much more watchable, and heartwarming). Each week they will come up with a theme for the competitors to select their songs to sing. So it happened during that week, the topic was to choose a song that represent their lives or an important episode in their lives. Each chose different songs, several chose songs that are sad, sentimental, be it in memory of a lost loved one, the difficulties in life, etc. At that moment, I felt in my heart, a question popped up, if I am one of the contestants, what will be my song. Almost instantaneously, I said to myself, "Amazing Grace?", for surely I was once a wretched sinful soul, saved only by grace. Yet just then, I caught myself, who in the world will choose a Christian song for such a renowned secular singing competition? (I was ashamed of myself for thinking those thoughts.)

With that I went on watching. Just as the show had come to the final few contestants, this guy came forward, and he told the compere the song he chose was "Amazing Grace", revised version by Chris Tomlin, one of my favourite rendering for this song. My eyes were almost overwhelmed with tears. The guy said, as he was listening to his other peers singing their songs, he realised indeed how blessed he is, with his family always with him, and that is why he chose the song, no really sad episode in life, just a heart of gratitude for his blessednesses. I was touched by his choice and his singing. What I least expected was that, after his singing, the judges said they were very touched by his singing and the way he expressed the song, almost felt that sense of love in it, despite it being a Christian song. And much to my surprise, he had the highest point of 20 among all the contestants in that episode, praise the Lord! I almost forgot one can choose to praise the Lord in such a public assembly, yet received such glory and also touches life! Indeed love can be seen!

I am awed.
I am touched.
So what is your song today?