Everything But My Blackberry

I used to say, “Everything but my Blackberry.”

Last night, I lost it, to three thieves on the bus who obviously were experts at stealing phones and the like.

Not knowing, what to do, I called my mom and cried to her. I realized that when you’re comfortable with someone, it is okay to just cry and not say anything.

I have developed many other insights as to the loss of my Blackberry. The wisdom that came after it has been expensive, I think I should share it.

The experience still brings traumatic stings in my heart so I will spare myself and you of the details. At this point, it’s like a pink bruise that stings from time to time.

The moment I realized my phone has just been stolen, a voice inside me said, “It is okay. Do not get hurt of anything that kills the body but can not kill the soul.”

I was thankful I was safe but then again, losing a phone because someone took it away is different from simply losing it because of clumsiness or oblivion. It brings a feeling of being cheated on. It makes one feels foolish and it is a sad reminder that man is wicked and that we live in a broken world.

With my heart in the state of shock, I still thanked God that I am the one being stolen from and not the one stealing.

Despite memories of how my phone served as my iPod, my digicam, my videocam, my notebook, laptop, and of course, avenue to communicate with loved ones, I thanked God that there are only three things that last: God, His Word, and the souls of men. I am glad that these three could not be taken away from me, despite any undesirable circumstance. It is not “things” that will comfort me when things go bad, but God, His Word and loved ones.

This experience made me think of my students, of the possibility that they could be one of those thieves in the future, and how I could influence them not to be such.

I also realized that Satan and those thieves have one common tactic in “taking something important away” from me, and that is DISTRACTION. The enemy works in full force and he is not alone. One does the distraction, another does the stealing. Once I am distracted, something important is being taken away, without me noticing it and the next thing I know is that it is gone.

I still miss my Blackberry, but I can use a simpler phone this time. I think I have to change my line from “Everything, but my Blackberry” to “Everything, but my Soul.”

I am glad when it’s the matter of the soul, I am quite secured about it.

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Thank you Lord Jesus for the Eternal Life you gave that cannot be taken away from me. I can lose a thousand Blackberries. I am just glad I can never lose my chance of spending eternity with you.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” –John 10:28-