I am really easily influenced by others.

Today, because the scripture shared did not fit the context, Teacher Zhang took the opportunity to share a bit. I was very unhappy at the time, racking my brains to check ESV and the Hebrew original, only to find that I seemed to have really made a mistake. Unwilling to admit it, I went to search for unorthodox corroborating evidence, going to all lengths so much so that I didn’t hear my classmates’ sharing (anyway, I wasn’t taking notes).

Later, we talked about what happened in Chinese class today, which was about filling out a questionnaire. I heard my classmates mention that Teacher Zheng (our Chinese teacher) sent an email accusing students of refusing to repay kindness by filling out the questionnaire. I knew I had completed the questionnaire, but I still couldn’t help but look at this mass email. In the first few sentences, I saw: “I would like to express my appreciation to Zitian for assisting PG with the survey for Y12 Chinese First Language SAC 1.” For a moment, a mix of emotions surged, mainly touched by this.

Later, Teacher Zhang admonished the students about this matter. The scripture he used was Luke 6:35: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” And one sentence in his explanation particularly impressed me:

“Are you children of the Most High? If not, then support yourselves with your own hands and see how capable you are.”

The teaching I once received was always to “take control of your life” and that betraying oneself was always considered not acting according to one’s inner feelings. However, we do not live by ourselves; we have someone above us! If we relied on ourselves, we would not be able to do anything; only through the salvation accomplished for us by the Most High who humbled Himself and came to earth, and through the Comforter who dwells in our hearts, can things be done.