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I read with deep disgust in the Today’s paper of another case of loan shark vandalism. This time, a loan shark runner poured paint onto the door of a poor lady’s apartment which was newly renovated. This innocent lady is unemployed and walks with a limp due to a stroke about 15 years ago. What has happened to our society? What has become of us? The lady is not even the debtor. The debtor is the former occupant of that apartment who owed the money to the loan shark. The new laws to mete our more serious punishment to these heartless loan sharks and their runners might perhaps have come to late. Nevertheless, it is better to be late than never! We just hope that the new laws have lasting and positive effect to contain the situation because it seems that such vandalism is now a daily occurrence in Singapore!
I just couldn’t understand. These people, presumably, are healthy and able-bodied young men with healthy limbs but prefer to undertake such task rather than seek proper employment, earning a decent living. We see there are so many old men and women working in the hawker centers and food courts clearing the left-overs and sweeping and cleaning tables, chairs and washing dishes. As we drive or walk along the streets, we often see very old men and women collecting newspaper and cardboards. They may be poor but they have dignity, unlike those loan sharks and runners. In every sense of the word, these loan sharks and runners are just society nuisance!
I also want to share a real story that was told to my one of my close friends. One day as he was traveling along Tanjong Pagar at around 10 pm, he saw one very old lady collecting old newspapers and cardboards. He guessed that she was in her 70s or 80s. He stopped his car and thought of just giving her couple of dollars and so he waved at her. She came and asked my friend what my friend wanted. My friend then took out his wallet and to his surprise, just at that moment, he didn’t have any small notes but rather 2 pieces of 50 dollar notes. He was took out one 50 dollar note and gave it to her because he didn’t want to disappoint her, and felt bad just walked away without doing anything. My friend told to me, “Let me tell you honestly – it was so very, very painful to part that 50 dollars. Though I did force myself to give cheerfully as what the Bible teaches but my heart was very different. I actually regretted and told myself I should have checked that I have small notes first”.
As it was dark, the old lady took the money and did not really notice that it was a 50-dollar note. As he was about to drive away, the old lady suddenly run towards him. My friend said that his carnal sinful thought started working on his mind. He thought that the old woman saw the 50 dollars, was still not satisfied and had wanted to ask for more. But to his great horror – she put back the 50 dollar note into my firend’s shirt pocket and told him in Cantonese that why he gave so her so much. She thought he had made a mistake! She refused to accept it! My friend told me that this is the first time you gave money and someone has refused! What a great woman. In spite of her poverty, she preferred to work and earn the money herself rather than depending on others. She really put many of us, including myself to shame!
Are we really in the last generation? People will just do everything and anything to satisfy their evil desires! Bible has given us stern warnings that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3;1-5).
I just couldn’t understand. These people, presumably, are healthy and able-bodied young men with healthy limbs but prefer to undertake such task rather than seek proper employment, earning a decent living. We see there are so many old men and women working in the hawker centers and food courts clearing the left-overs and sweeping and cleaning tables, chairs and washing dishes. As we drive or walk along the streets, we often see very old men and women collecting newspaper and cardboards. They may be poor but they have dignity, unlike those loan sharks and runners. In every sense of the word, these loan sharks and runners are just society nuisance!
I also want to share a real story that was told to my one of my close friends. One day as he was traveling along Tanjong Pagar at around 10 pm, he saw one very old lady collecting old newspapers and cardboards. He guessed that she was in her 70s or 80s. He stopped his car and thought of just giving her couple of dollars and so he waved at her. She came and asked my friend what my friend wanted. My friend then took out his wallet and to his surprise, just at that moment, he didn’t have any small notes but rather 2 pieces of 50 dollar notes. He was took out one 50 dollar note and gave it to her because he didn’t want to disappoint her, and felt bad just walked away without doing anything. My friend told to me, “Let me tell you honestly – it was so very, very painful to part that 50 dollars. Though I did force myself to give cheerfully as what the Bible teaches but my heart was very different. I actually regretted and told myself I should have checked that I have small notes first”.
As it was dark, the old lady took the money and did not really notice that it was a 50-dollar note. As he was about to drive away, the old lady suddenly run towards him. My friend said that his carnal sinful thought started working on his mind. He thought that the old woman saw the 50 dollars, was still not satisfied and had wanted to ask for more. But to his great horror – she put back the 50 dollar note into my firend’s shirt pocket and told him in Cantonese that why he gave so her so much. She thought he had made a mistake! She refused to accept it! My friend told me that this is the first time you gave money and someone has refused! What a great woman. In spite of her poverty, she preferred to work and earn the money herself rather than depending on others. She really put many of us, including myself to shame!
Are we really in the last generation? People will just do everything and anything to satisfy their evil desires! Bible has given us stern warnings that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3;1-5).
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