About the message not the messenger

During the mid-year prayer and fasting of our church, I was requested to be one of the representatives to go up on stage and lead a specific prayer. My assignment was to represent and pray for Philippine media while others were asked to pray for other fields such as entertainment, arts, business, government, the military, etc.

To be honest, I did not respond to the SMS/text invitation and like the biblical Jonah I much preferred to bail out of the assignment. The last thing I wanted to do was act as a hypocrite before the church and people I love and admire. How does one stand in prayer for Philippine media knowing that I’m no better than the rest of my fellow practitioners? What right do I have to stand representing and praying for Philippine media, knowing only too well my own transgressions, bias and yes, even moments of compromise? How does one pray in faith knowing the many times when I trusted in my own abilities, was swayed by public pressure or expectation rather than turn to God for both inspiration and provision.

But how do you say no to God’s calling, especially when he gently “tells” you: “How is it that you can drive from Lipa to Manila to keep a promised appointment to a politician but you won’t drive the distance to represent the field I have planted you in?” As gentle as it was, it was a nuclear rebuke and a guilt trip! So I drove the 80 kilometers from the farm to the church but even after that, I still advised one of the coordinators that I would much rather they found someone else, someone younger and “worthy.” Unfortunately, God has his own “signal blocker” that makes people deaf to letdowns, turndowns, or apparent attempts to escape from an assignment. Someone equally deaf came up to me, ushered me to my seat among the “chosen ones” and left me there. Once again I was reminded of Jonah in the belly of the whale.

I paced back and forth in the back row. I was not worthy, I was not prepared, and I certainly had no prayers. But just then I had a moment of clarity. God was not interested in my condition, my status, or what “I” had to share. He reminded me of Peter, of Paul when they were recruited. Tonight was about his message and not the messenger. I realize then that there was a message and I simply had to write it down as it came. Call it prophetic, call it divine inspiration, call it what you want but the message was clear, so I started writing in a rush.

As I stepped up for my turn, it was clear that the only way I could turn things around or make things right was to speak from the heart, make a one man confession for myself as well as for the institution I was about to pray for. Details were not necessary but an admission and confession was. From there I asked the attendees a rhetorical sort of question and shared the message:

“Who among you here are on Facebook? Who are on Twitter? Who use Instagram etc.?

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: good or bad what we share has affected one or one hundred lives. Social media has been given to us because traditional media has come into ownership and control of business and political interest. We in traditional media have become captives and damaged goods. In what we can only call a world and word war there are very few of us good or bad. To turn the tide God has created a democratic and more powerful media. But this requires each and everyone of you to intentionally and purposefully use — to print and broadcast your testimony, your chosen lifestyle, the word and every inspiration that will introduce, remind and establish God’s goodness, faithfulness, his mercy and his love. I’m also reminded that we must also use these to defend others, even our brothers and sisters whether it is a Senator, a Congresswoman who attends our church or anyone else being attacked or oppressed. Tonight receive the challenge and your appointment as members of the New Media: God’s dedia.

And to guide you in your work remember what is written in Philippians 4:8:   

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things”

*      *      *

After coming from that event I was reminded of the one single advise — instruction that my “recruiter” — the person responsible for letting me jump the line of aspiring columnists in the Philippine STAR — Mr. Max Soliven who told me:

“Write about Human Interest. Don’t write about politics, let the others do that. There are more than enough of them doing that. Write about people. That’s what you’re good at.”

Once again, I’m recommitting myself to what Tito Max told me and what the Lord leads me to do. I realize that there will be a few who will find all the talk about God, Church, etc., as being religious or spiritual. My response would be: So what’s wrong with that? It seems to me that so many people in the “free”— “non-Islamic world” have gotten away with “Dissing” (disrespecting) God and those who believe in him. In a world and time when society has given more time and space for other opinions, life choices and even other religions or the absence thereof, we the believers are also entitled to be heard, accepted and respected. The “Silent Majority” needs to be seen, be heard and be felt and not expect someone else to represent them. 

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]