One unassuming day—whose exact date has escaped my mind, though the month was unforgettably January 2020 (memorable because Singapore had just announced its first COVID-19 case)—taught me two lessons I’ll never forget:
First, that we can entertain angels without knowing it. Second, that working toward becoming a good person who relates well with others is one of the most important investments you will ever make in your life.
That day, we found ourselves stuck in a never-in-a-million-years-could-I-have-imagined-this type of predicament. One of those moments in life that leaves you completely at your wits’ end, where the only way out requires a miracle.
That day, I can speak for my people when I say: we truly experienced firsthand what a miracle is. We were saved (in every sense of the word) from a bleak situation by someone my dad had formed a respectful connection with years ago, someone who had actually been looking to reconnect with him.
My youngest brother often says that when one of us siblings writes a book someday, people won’t believe some of the things we’ve survived, both mountaintops and valleys that God has carried us through, using people.
Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” is a verse that speaks powerfully of God’s sovereignty. It reminds us that God holds ultimate authority, even over those in high positions. He can influence hearts, shift decisions, and move people in ways that serve a greater purpose.
This verse stayed with me after recent online fellowship with a community of sisters I’ve got to know over the past few months. Proverbs 21:1 affirmed something I’ve come to witness firsthand: that God can (and often does) strategically position people to help you at just the right time.
That truth has never felt more real than in this current season of my life, and that of my immediate family. It has been a challenging time (something you may have picked up if you’ve been following my previous posts). And yet, even in the midst of hardship, we’ve been carried.
Carried by community.
A community whose members have not forgotten my dad, and because of him, have held us up too.
During a surprise video tribute played at his 60th birthday celebration in May, featuring messages from friends and family in different countries, one truth stood out: my dad—without ever being loud about it—has valued people. And when people are valued, people value you.
This post is dedicated to my dad. To say: I see you. I am learning. We are learning.
It’s also meant to offer encouragement to you, dear reader: being a decent human being is never in vain. More often than not, the goodness you put into the world finds its way back to you.