One of the rewards of going to a prominent school is getting to have classmates and schoolmates who will be successful later on in their career after 17 years. Dr. Rodney Perez, one of the youngest yet top microbiologists in the Philippines was my former schoolmate, dorm mate, friend and now a brother in the Lord. (Click here to see one of his corporate scientific research project)
Looking back at our high school life, I never thought Rodney will become one of the top young scientists in the country. He was very small when I first met him back in 1996. He was a very naïve, innocent young boy whose main goal is to be with his brothers in school. After nearly two decades, he is now a very professional, scientific minded PhD who aims to tag his name whenever “microbiology” is mentioned.
Behind all these success, Rodney is just like an ordinary man who knows he needs God. There are lots of plans in life, lots of opportunities but sometimes, walking in life can be quite dim. No matter how genius we are, we need God to direct our life (Hebrews 15:1-2). And I praise our God that He is at work in the life of Rodney and his wife Dinah teaching them the “MOST IMPORTANT” person in life which is our Lord Jesus Christ. I also impart my life with them as spiritual adviser and their pastor here in Ormoc.
Contemplating on this, one of the biggest mistakes that many successful people think is that they are too busy to have God. They do not have a time to worship, they do not have time to pray, they do not have time on Sunday or whatever day it is to worship God. Self-reliance is one of the most common sins that many people commit these days.
God wants us to be dependent on him. Thus, John 15:5 should be part of the core virtue of a Christian: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Recognizing in ourselves that apart from God we can do nothing is very important in developing dependency to God. There will be a “radical transformation” of one’s life when we begin to learn this process. It will be a totally different approach in living our daily lives. It is already about “God’s plan” in us and not “our plan”.
Whatever your status in life, whether you are rich or you are poor, whether you are an ordinary man or an intelligent man, you need God. You need to know Him in personal life changing way.
Yesterday, Rodney was a dorm mate and a schoolmate. Now, he is a brother in the Lord. May the Lord direct your path Rodney.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
