News about the demise of someone known to us naturally provoke us to recollect his life. Often, our thoughts of the deceased tend to be based on the last phase of his life. If this final phase was flawed, that’s most probably how we would remember him, never mind if he was a sterling example of humanity in his youth. People who have led worthy lives that impacted their world for the better but crashed out at the final lap or appear to be crashing out – they will, unfortunately, be remembered for the way they finished. Unfair as this seems, this is the reality of perception. As Christians who are bearers of the Name of Jesus, how then do we work towards a grand finish?
Berita NECF asks NECF Malaysia Executive Advisor Rev Wong Kim Kong for his thoughts. Rev. Wong is at the last lap of his journey in NECF after serving as Secretary-General for 10 years.
What does "finishing well" mean to you in the context of ministry?
Generally, people see finishing well as accomplishing a ministry responsibility or task with satisfaction. The expressed objectives and goals have been achieved without leaving behind any traces of dissatisfaction, complaint or unhappiness within the place of service.
Personally, I prefer to follow Paul’s words, “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim. 4:7). It is not just about fighting the fight, but fighting a good fight. Good is a clear indication of finishing well, which means not only finishing the task but making a difference to the ministry and leaving behind significant evidence of the difference.
Finishing well means leaving a legacy on your work. It means having contributed to establishing a solid foundation of the ministry so that the ministry can go on with the colleagues and partners that you have equipped. They can act independently and efficiently without you.
But here, I am mindful of those, especially missionaries, who have put in their whole lives to a particular work and passed on without ever seeing their work bear fruit. Does this mean they have not finished well? No, because often, the impact of their hard labour is felt much later on down the road. There is a legacy still.
In the end, what’s important is that you settle with yourself whether you have fought the good fight.
Finally, finishing well means having built a good and lasting relationship in the team that you have worked with. As far as possible, leave the ministry with as clear a conscience as you can have in the area of relationship. To finish well, we do not harbour any grievance against anybody.
How can a person "finish well"?
Firstly, right from the beginning, you must intentionally purpose to finish well. It helps if you have a perspective from the end and know clearly God’s will for your future. Visualise the finishing line, and begin your good fight at the start. Purpose in your heart to finish every point of the race well because the final lap depends very much on the previous laps. Each of the previous lap must be evidenced by your excellent performance in order to finish well.
But be careful not to burn out halfway through the race, for the last lap is always the most difficult and most strenuous. So, you must conserve energy and have enough stamina to end well. For this, you need to draw from God’s well of strength and wisdom, without a doubt. It is He who sustains us and keeps us going. But there are practical measures we can take, such as having adequate rest, taking periodic breaks to refresh your body, mind and soul, ensuring you don’t carry emotional baggages et cetera.
Also, the fulfillment and satisfaction of having completed your ministry is determined by your conscience. Do you have a clear conscience that you have done your job to the best of your ability?
When a person falters along the way such that his race is stalled, how can he get up and continue the fight?
It’s not the end of the fight. However, there are things the person must do to continue the race. Firstly, he must admit his wrongdoing, and confess, not just in his heart, but to the people who have been affected by his wrongdoing.
Then, he must make a definite decision to be redeemed or helped. Next, with all humility, ask for help. Finally, allow the ministry, church or organisation to chart a constructive rehabilitation plan or programme. Rehabilitation is a dirty word to many people as it implies that a person is helpless on his own. Dirty or not, when you are down and you can’t get up, be humble enough to admit it and beg for help. Otherwise the finishing line will just be a mirage.
The whole process of helping the wounded person must be redemptive, reconciliatory and restorative. The primary purpose is to restore the person and help him get up to continue the race.
For the third party, the ‘outsiders’, we must allow the person to be restored. I like the story of the potter’s clay in Jeremiah 18 because it speaks of second chances. So, give him a second chance. Who knows, we may need that second chance ourselves.
What else can a person do to "finish well"?
Finishing well has to do with closing the chapter of your ministry. Firstly, you must recognise that you are about to complete the task and acknowledge that you are not indispensable.
Secondly, you must recognise that the ministry does not belong to you alone, but the Body of Christ, and that someone else will be able to continue the good work. Some people are very possessive of their ministries and find it hard to give up a ministry they love so much. So, be prepared to let go of your “Isaacs”. If not, the ministry will stall instead of flourish under another person. You need the humility to accept and hope that someone may and will take the ministry to greater heights in a way that is different from yours. But don’t suka-suka (randomly) quit. Identify the right moment to finish your task and when the time is right, have the security to pass on the baton to your successor.
Finally, finishing well in your ministry means letting God lead you on to the next part of the race. You may be stepping on new territories, new ministries, playing different roles. Move on and purpose in your heart to run the next part of the race well.
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