The Christian, the MOE staff, and the McDonald's staff

How do people recognize your identity? Is it by your uniform, your name tag, or your behavior? Below are separate encounters that set me thinking, that as Christians, we need to do more if we want to let the world know about the love of Christ.

The Unexpected Gesture by a McDonald Staff

I was traveling by the MRT train to work as usual. Part of the journey would involve transferring at the ever-crowded Jurong East Interchange. Regardless of all the video clips on courtesy and all the PA announcing the need to allow people to come out first, people from all age range simply refused to heed the advice. People are so thick-skinned when they queue in front of you, or simply directly in front of the train door.

It was just my day, that I ended up in a cabin without working AC. The weather was hot, but inside the cabin, it was like Sauna. People started to complain, all are sweating because of the rising temperature, some are cursing the SMRT for taking the people's money but never do a proper job in maintaining the system.

When we reached the next stop, an elderly gentleman walked in aided by a walking stick. He moved rather slowly, but was graciously given a seat by a young lady who happened to sit on the priority seat. Priority seat is designated for the elderly, pregnant ladies, small children and those with handicapped. Despite the educational videos, many do not give up their seats to those rightful persons, and so the act done by this young lady is still plausible.

The gentleman sat down, and smiled to the passenger seated next to him. She smiled back. And so the journey continued on. I was standing right in front of them.

As the journey progresses, the gentleman started to sweat profusely due to the temperature. It was at this moment, that I saw an unexpected gesture of kindness displayed by the passenger seated next to him.

She opened up her briefcase, and took out a sheet of plastic file. And then she started to fan the elderly gentleman.

I was shocked. I never saw someone did something like that in my 15 years taking MRT in Singapore. Giving up seat is fine, passing up tissue paper is okay, but fanning a stranger who is sweating... I have to admit, that this thought never crossed my mind.

The gentleman appreciated the kindness of the young lady, and asked her to stop. Probably he was shy. After a while, the lady put back the file back in her briefcase.

I observed the lady carefully, and noticed there is a logo sewn at her collar. The world famous 'm' logo symbolizes the fastfood chain 'McDonald'. When I reached my station at Sembawang, the lady get off the train too, and I noticed that she works at the McDonald branch at Sun Plaza. I made a mental note to thank her and commend her for her acts.


The Unexpected Act by an MOE Staff

Littering and smoking are two 'minor' problems that are so prevalent in Singapore. You've seen littering everywhere. Rubbish on the floor, rubbish in the lift (including pee and saliva sometimes), rubbish in the bus (and saliva too, yuck!). Despite the fact that rubbish bin are everywhere, and as we would like to boast, most Singaporeans are 'educated'. But educated and learned are certainly two different things altogether.

As for smoking, despite the fact that the governments have passed on laws to curb down smoking in many places: lifts, public waiting area, tunnels, bus shelters, covered walkway, hawker center, but because most of the laws are for 'deterring' purpose, there are basically nothing we can do to stop people from smoking in the places that they should not.

Some of the smokers hid their cigarettes as they crossed the tunnel. But many simply could not care less about the no-smoking sign pasted on the wall. Some even forcefully took down the signage, and nothing is being done to replace. Some are with tattoos (makes you think twice if you want to stand up and talk to them).

Last week, as I was going for a conference, I walked towards the bus shelter just outside block 43 Commonwealth ave west. The time was almost 2 pm, after lunch hour. There were three benches along the bus shelter, which is used to serve public buses as well as shuttle buses to nearby MOE and Fusionopolis.

When I was approaching the bus shelter, at 30m away, I saw a solitary figure sitting at the bench closes to me, and he was smoking. The other two benches are full of people, apparently they were avoiding the smoke from this elderly gentleman. He was around the age of 50 years old, a bit fat, wearing a short sleeve-purple ironed shirt.

I noticed there was a name tag hanging directly on his chest. Curious, I walked closer, pretending that I was moving towards the other benches, but at the same time focusing my eyes on the name tag. I thought maybe he is a man with special need. Why else would you display such a tag, in such a prominent location?

I was wrong. The name tag says that it is by Ministry of Education. And nicely printed below was his name. Mr CKL. He is a staff with MOE but I could not be sure of his title or position.

As I was observing him, and pondering what should I do towards him, I started to take out my handphone. I thought, this would be a nice picture to send to STOMP. (An Officer of MOE Smoking at Public Bus Shelter, featuring the man - in mozaic - with the smoldering cigarettes).

However, when I looked at him again, split seconds later, his cigarette was no longer there. I looked around, and saw he threw the half-burned cigarette on the floor just behind his seat. The smoke was still rising, and it is apparent that he did not intend to put it off. It was infuriating, because the the nearest rubbish bin was just two meters away from his current position, and yet he did not even bother to bin it.

I looked at him, and looked at the cigarette on the floor, and because the way I do it was probably too obvious, he noticed. He turned back his head, and look at the cigarette that he just threw, then he looked at me. Fearing that I may take a picture of him (it did cross my mind), he stood up, and moved away to the first bench, without bothering to pick up or put off the cigarette that he threw away.

Shortly, a shuttle bus arrive at the bus shelter. This bus is designated to bring people back to the nearby MOE building after the lunch hour. This elderly gentleman boarded the bus and left me and the smoldering cigarette behind.


The Response of a Christian

As I meditate on these two encounters, I wonder: Have I live up to my identity as a Christian? Have I been a faithful pastor, not just for the sake of my congregation members who can see me, but also for others, and ultimately for God whom I cannot hide from?

The McDonald staff's identity is shown by her uniform. Because of her kind gesture, it makes me admire her personality, and perhaps think that that is the McDonald culture.

The MOE staff's identity is shown clearly by his name tag. His inconsiderate behavior in littering and smoking at the bus shelter sends a totally different message. If the people working in MOE, the ministry supposed to educate the future citizens of Singapore, are not obeying the law, then what for are we obeying the law. Of course, this is over-generalization and not true, because not all the staff are like that.

These two events set me thinking. If I am representing a group, organization or company, I need to behave according to the culture or philosophy of respective group I belong to. If not, it is better for me to go out without identity, for I will not harm anyone when I do wrong. It is also better, if people want to find out about who I am, because of what I do or say.

As Christians, we bear the name of 'Christ', which literally meant: we are little Christ. Have we been living like Christ, by way of what we speak, what we think and what we act? Do we tell people that we are Christians, and yet foul and swear words keep coming out of our mouths? or cheats in our business dealings? that all the people can see our hypocrisy? If we are doing so, it is better for us not to say that we are Christian! For not only will we pollute the name of Christianity, but we disgraced Christ whose Name we are using.

I am not saying that we should hide our identity, so that we can do whatever we want without smearing the religion or our God. No!

I am saying that we should prove our being - as a Christian, with our action - as a Christian. Let people know that we are Christians, from what we say, we think, we do in the society. Let people know that we care, and we love them, genuinely, not just in the act, but also in our heart.

If Christ really lives in us, it should not be that heart to be good and kind to people around us. If McDonald's staff is identified by her uniform, and the MOE staff by his name tag, by what should a Christian be identified? May I suggest, by our Act of Random Kindness (ARK).

Let us try to perform Acts of Random Kindness, wherever we go, wherever we are. Let us go the extra-mile with our ARK, trusting that with our ARK, we can get more people to come to know Him and be saved.