Alright, let us delve into the concluding chapter of Conduct and Competence. I gather that I may have dwelt a tad extensively on theories and concepts, yet these notions are paramount, wouldn't you agree? For without them, progress is scarcely attainable. A barrage of case studies, whilst informative, might breed a degree of disarray. Thus, our focus today rests upon self-transformation through action.

I. The Realisation of Inadequacy Through Action

Has this principle resonated with you? It is through the act of doing that one uncovers their shortcomings. Consider the pursuit of employment. Upon perusing job advertisements, a litany of requisite skills and attributes are laid bare, exposing one's deficits. But why this inadequacy? Due to past indolence, a penchant for shirking responsibilities. In Singapore, we have a term, ‘chiasnake,’ which describes the act of evading work, seeking refuge in idleness.

Past occurrences hold a certain intrigue. It strikes me that my life's endeavours, in sum, have served as a rigorous training ground for myself. If that be so, what cause have I for complaint? Where else would I have access to this platform to refine myself but for the opportunities granted to me? There was a period of discomfort, stemming from a promotion. I, once a dedicated technocrat, consumed entirely by the minutiae of technology. Once mastered, technology becomes settled, finite. Yet, the management of people is an entirely different kettle of fish, a realm far removed from the technical.

The promotion, of course, brought with it an increase in remuneration. But people management proved vexing, a daily source of frustration. Upon encountering individuals, I had to remind myself: You must find favour in this, and if not the work itself, then the financial compensation it provides. A pragmatic approach, indeed. Gradually, I realised that the discomfort stemmed not from the nature of the work, but from my own ineptitude. I threw myself into immersing myself in learning the intricacies of management.

Some might suggest: Endure it for the sake of the money. Verily, this sentiment held sway. Endure it, for the financial rewards are considerable. Aversion to money would be ill-advised. Not to say that I am enamoured with money, but its abundance is invariably advantageous.

A profound realisation dawned upon me: I am, in fact, inadequate. Having acquitted myself well in technical pursuits, I was elevated by my superiors only to discover my deficiencies. Thus, I am perpetually disbarred from arrogance. Scarcely had I found my footing, basking in perceived competence, when a promotion would ensue. Just as I began to believe in my ability, yet another advancement beckoned. Naturally, accompanied by increased financial rewards, compelling me to endure for the sake of pecuniary gain.

Through perseverance, I underwent a metamorphosis. I express my gratitude to God for the unceasing opportunities to refine myself. Would you not agree that the realisation of inadequacy through action is not detrimental? Rather, it is an opportunity to affect transformation. Hence, this summation resonates: self-transformation through action. If you lack proficiency in interpersonal relations, acquire the necessary skills. If you are deficient in competence, dedicate yourself to learning.

Subsequently, I observed that every endeavour revealed my shortcomings. Can you fathom the unease? Devoid of ability, methodology, and knowledge, emotions flared. Do not be misled into believing in my exceptionalism. The experience of heightened emotions is undeniably vexing, a source of distress.

This shared experience forges a bond. The paths you tread, I have traversed, and I comprehend them intimately. The inherent aversion to complexity, the feeling of overwhelm upon encountering a voluminous tome and wondering when it will ever be completed. How to address this? Confronting oneself.

Recognise that your endeavours are aimed at self-transformation; this is what is known as pliability. I have observed a predilection for self-indulgence. Some question: If I accede to your guidance, will I retain my individuality? I respond: Considering your current state, would that be desirable? The desire to cultivate a unique persona is prevalent. An abundance of unique individuals already exists, and do you desire to join the ranks of the inadequate?

Thus, I have come to recognise a singular virtue within myself: pliability. I am amenable to self-transformation, a singular advantage. Deficiency in ability necessitates its enhancement; incorrect methodology demands its correction; inappropriate attitude requires its adjustment; and surging emotions must be quelled. Ineptitude in interpersonal relations necessitates its study. I once held an array of assumptions, presuming uniformity among individuals. This is not the case.

Your assumptions are rendered useless. I will tell you, I thought I was very good to my employees as a manager. The opposite happened, however, and they bullied you instead. I said, What is this? What's going on? I felt like I had learned a lesson and realized that I had not done it right. It is not that if you are good to him, he will be good to you either, nor will he love you more if you love him more - it is not the case. I changed myself, so I am still training myself today, with so much work to do.

Some time ago, I found that there were too many things piled up and the accumulated things were too dirty. I started cleaning them one by one, and finally trained myself. In fact, I later summarized this matter, which is to change myself - can I remember it? If you do something wrong, it will not change immediately. Then do you know how to live? You can’t survive, so when it comes to the word living, it’s extraordinary.

Some of our brothers and sisters are very interesting. A classmate of mine got a deadly disease a few years ago. She sent me a message asking if I could help her. I thought, what can I do to help others? I guessed that she must have encountered something she couldn't handle. Like us pastors, people come to me when they encounter things they can't handle, and I like to do these things that people can't handle.

I went to the hospital and prayed for an hour with her, and she went home alive and kicking, and then started the road to change herself. Among us, the timid have become bold, the lazy have become diligent, the dirty have become clean, and those who recognize good and evil have become those who see everything as good! Many people's perspectives have changed, and this is changing themselves. So what kind of person is difficult to deal with? It is difficult to deal with stubborn people.

Later, her sister got sick, and she went back to see her. Her sister's condition was quite serious. If she had gone back by herself, she would have collapsed, because her sister had always lived in a state of collapse whenever something happened. As a result, after she went back, I quickly took over and said: This is not okay, you can't collapse when you go back! Don't cry on your sister's body, and don't cry and say, Sister, you can't die. In fact, the person is not dead yet. That’s sisters' relationship is exceptionally good.

After she went back this time, her sister introduced her sister to her relatives, friends, and people who came to see her: Oh! My sister has changed a lot since she believed in the Lord. As a result, I don’t want to believe in the Lord myself, but it doesn’t matter, you can continue to be yourself. We must start learning to do things. If the church does not promote people to do things or deal with people, how can people grow? How can people know that they are not good enough?

It is difficult for people to change if they do not do things, and it is difficult for people to change if they do not encounter things. So I tell you, the church must encourage people to do things. Do things in a down-to-earth manner, those who should manage should manage, those who should do what should do, and slowly sort things out. Constantly ask yourself: I don’t understand this matter very well, am I doing it right?

A sister also shared with me that when you encouraged me to do the renovation, my head was throbbing, I was uncomfortable, it was hard, it was painful! Then she said in English: I hate renovation. Meaning 'I hate renovating'. The results? She has now changed.

So I tell you, when people do things, the secrets of their hearts are revealed. If you don’t do things, everything looks pretty good. Sometimes I joke with some brothers and sisters. I said: Oh, you are dressed so nicely and dressed so prettily, go back and look at her nest. As a result, when you look at the nest, it forms a sharp contrast with the person. The nest is like a doghouse or a pigsty. Even a dog can sweep its nest cleaner than her.

Some people wear jeans and high heels, and the sound of walking is tick-tock, but they don’t know if they have any knowledge in their heads. So I tell you, doing things is very good! I thank God that through doing these things, I can examine what kind of person this person is as soon as I do them. So today everyone needs to start learning to be a person, learn to be a person in doing things, and change yourself in doing things.

II. Acting on God's Word is Wisdom

The essence of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine stems from this very statement. Upon reading it, I concluded that wisdom is a virtue. Would you aspire to be wise? There is no dearth of those who yearn for wisdom, yet few attain it. Why? Because they neglect to act upon God's pronouncements. There exists a maxim: One action fails, all actions fail. A concept foreign to the uninitiated, appreciable only by the authentic Chinese.

One action fails, all actions fail, which means one will not be able to conduct oneself with competence. Therefore, acting on God's word is of paramount importance to me. Why? Because building upon rock signifies wisdom. What then must one do? I impart to you the truth that acting upon God's word will reveal your lack of comprehension of said word.

Bear in mind, that acting in accordance with God's word will reveal that it differs from your preconceived notions. Here lies the crux of the matter! Failing to act upon God's word equates to the folly of erecting a house upon sand. And with the onslaught of rain and flood, it crumbles precipitously, with devastating consequences.

To neglect diligence in one's youth is to invite tribulation. Come old age, one is left to ponder the course of action. Naturally, in matters of interpersonal relations, enlightenment dawns through collaborative endeavours.

Why do some couples find themselves in untenable situations? Due to the intensity of their proximity. Excessive closeness exposes the source of discord: mutual disapproval of each other's actions. A frequent occurrence. Yet, if one's actions elicit awe, can disapproval persist? Assuredly not. Impressed by competence, one will acknowledge your prowess. Then, your words will carry weight, underpinned by theoretical foundations.

Avoid confrontation, transforming interactions into presidential debates, fraught with animosity. The root cause? Deficient theoretical knowledge rendering one incapable of articulation. Do you possess genuine knowledge of God's word? Are you truly adept at enacting God's word? Do you possess the knowledge of how to enact God's glory? Many are unaware, gaining enlightenment solely through action. Lack of comprehension is justifiable, the realisation of inadequacy through action is understandable, compelling self-transformation. For in transforming oneself, wisdom is acquired. How, you may ask, is wisdom attained? Wisdom is the byproduct of recognising inadequacy through action, hence, the imperative to shun obstinacy.

Consider the case of a child subjected to bullying at school. Why is this child singled out? There exists a correlation. One must acquire the skills to navigate these situations, to conduct oneself with competence, to act upon God's word. Take, for instance, the initial chapter of Genesis. Repeated readings are essential as it alludes to God's image. Upon engaging with Genesis 1, you may find yourself at a loss. To this day, our scrutiny of Genesis 1 remains unparalleled in its uniqueness, unattainable elsewhere. Many churches do not orient their practices towards action.

I once posited: if Genesis 1 proves insurmountable, how can Genesis 2 be within reach? If Genesis 1 remains elusive, can Genesis 3 be mastered? Should Genesis 1 be unattainable, what of Exodus? Disregard it! Let us also disregard Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Failing to enact Genesis 1 renders one undone.

Subsequently, I embarked upon the journey of acting upon and engaging with Genesis 1. This marks the inception of our Chinese Mingding Doctrine, a formidable feat. I discarded my conventional theological precepts, embracing God's revelation to decipher His volition. And what did I comprehend? That acting upon Genesis 1 signifies wisdom, embodying the essence of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine. Its eloquence is undeniable!

I see many brothers and sisters cleaning, taking photos and videos of their homes. When I saw it, I thought it was good! I said, This house is very good. Don't think it's a rural house, built on rural land, but the house is as beautiful as a villa, even more beautiful than a villa. I think it's very good and comforting.

Three: Removing Our Presumptions

What's the point of doing God's word? It's to remove our presumptions, because we have so many assumptions inside. Anything that can remove our presumptions, things we think are true but actually aren't, remove that. Why? Because you can remove it by doing things. Once you do it, you will find: Oh, I thought I knew. Later you realize you don't know at all.

If you are good at accounting, then show me the accounts. Can you explain the inventory to me clearly? What is the inventory all about? Do I have any raw material inventory? Do I have any finished product inventory? Are these two types of inventory the same? They are not the same. So, when everyone starts doing it, they will find something is not quite right. Everyone needs to remove their presumptions and expose the hidden things inside us, which is a good thing.

Some people find it embarrassing when they do things because they don't know how. What did they do in the past? They were just extras, following others. Then what happens? People hide because they find it embarrassing to do things. You say you know how, but now you don't. Someone says, I can drive a big truck. I said, Then drive my car to do errands. He said, I can't drive, I can only drive a big truck, not a sedan. I thought, is there such a thing? It sounds strange.

Everyone should remove things like vanity, bragging, laziness, and stupidity. It's good to change yourself. Many people in the workplace like to be extras. They are extras for a lifetime, with no skills, and they still think it's good. I see many such people in the workplace, just doing odd jobs, achieving nothing. If you can't do anything else but be an extra, then you need to change yourself.

Change a little today, a little more tomorrow, and a little more the day after tomorrow, keep changing, and remove all those presumptions inside us. Won't you live out the image of God then? You will definitely live out the image of God. So, step out of your comfort zone. You may be in your forties, fifties, or sixties, and you have been doing what you are best at, and you don't know how to do anything else. Isn't that a problem?

Step out of your comfort zone, and constantly change yourself, constantly grow. Once you grow, you will have joy. My past articles have explained it clearly. So, be sure to remove these presumptions. If you don't put it into practice, you won't know. So practice, whether it's management science or the science of doing things, it's the same.

For example, how do children get along with classmates in school? If you always want to be yourself, what will happen? In the end, the relationship will definitely not be good. So you can't be yourself. You say, If I don't be myself, what do I do? Actually, what kind of person you are is not important. What's important is what kind of person you should learn to become. What kind of person should people become? That's important. So if you look closely, foolish people are all presumptuous, and in the end, they harm themselves miserably.

When I was sharing with a sister, I said: Cancer patients are all frightened to death by themselves, they all die in their own concepts. Many people don't know their limitations until they encounter something. This sister told me about her sister-in-law. Her sister-in-law was sitting on a park bench. The test report came out, showing cancer. As a result, her whole body went soft, and she slipped under the park bench. A group of people pulled and dragged her home.

After a while, the test result came out showing that the cancer was gone. Her sister-in-law was full of energy again. This is an evil thing. All cancer patients actually don't die from cancer, but from their own fear of cancer.

Four: People are More Important Than Things

Everyone's concepts must change. People are more important than things! In the end, it's training yourself. Always remember, people are more important than things. You are more important than those things. This thing cannot ruin you, you are much more important than this thing.

There is a sentence that I often use on myself, that is, in the end, it trains me. In fact, training and training, in the end, trains me. For example, whether it is ministry, shepherding, or doing things with your hands, in the end, it trains yourself. Some people don't know that they are not pushing in the direction of training themselves, so do you think they can not be distressed? They must be tired in their hearts.

People take things too seriously, more seriously than themselves, and that’s bad. After people take things too seriously, that thing is similar to the personality of cancer. There are many things that put things above people. Why is there pressure? Because they forget that these things are to train themselves, forget that these things are to change themselves, forget that these things are to train themselves to learn how to be people. If you take those things very seriously, isn't that a problem? In the end, all these things are learning to be human. So the concluding chapter at the end is actually combining doing things and being a person together, learning to be a person while doing things.

So everyone should seize the opportunity to train themselves. There are many things to do in a person's life. Some things are not about what will happen if you do them, but you must do them. For example, cleaning up your surroundings is something you must do. So, seize every thing, these are all the results of training yourself. For example, finding a job, finding a job is actually training yourself. How to write a resume, how to send a resume, how to interview, how to get a job, these are all opportunities to train yourself, and then people will transform in growth.

If you come out from a village, you need to grow and transform. If you grow up in a city, you need to grow and transform. Once you grow, you will have joy and learn to be a person. You used to do it with a sad face, but now you are doing it with joy and comfort, isn't it? Then people's yang energy is also strong, labor nourishes yang, rest nourishes yin, yin and yang coordination.

I think when we are alive, there are many things that are our responsibility, and you should not shirk your own responsibilities. For example, if you are a housewife at home, then it is your responsibility to clean up the house. This is not a great thing, it is the most basic thing. Do what you should do well, this is your responsibility. Don't think that that thing is more important than this thing, and then make the house a mess.

Many people think that that thing is more important than this thing, and this thing is not as important as that thing, and then make a mess. That should be your responsibility, clean it up, don't worry. When you develop a habit of taking on your own responsibilities, then you can expand. Essential things are what we should do, do them well, and then we can talk about other things, it will not delay things.

For example, if we have rental houses, don't we have to manage them? You can't disagree with money, right? If the house is a mess, people won't rent it. Even if people rent it, it's reluctant. So you have to take care of things. So in the past few days, I have upgraded our rental house again. It's good after the upgrade! The vacancy rate is low. I calculated my vacancy rate. If it is 10% less, the occupancy rate was 90% before, and now it has increased to 100%, isn't the return much more?

Then I take the money from this vacancy rate to do the transformation, and my vacancy rate will drop immediately, maybe it will drop for several years. I made the whole thing very easy to take care of, not easy to get dirty, and it is a bit difficult to get it dirty, so this is my responsibility, not a great thing. So I tell everyone that people are more important than things. It's not that this thing is more important than that thing, it's training yourself, you must have a sense of responsibility.

You have an opportunity to take on responsibility, and then in the process of doing this, you train yourself, and you grow a lot, because this is your responsibility. It's so good to grow in the process of doing things! I want to tell you good news, after you have fulfilled these responsibilities, it doesn't like to be dirty, it doesn't like to be chaotic. It is not dirty to clean it once a week and not dirty to clean it once every two weeks. Which one do you think is better? Of course, it is more comfortable to keep a clean environment with the same effort.

Everyone must know that garbage attracts garbage. If you pile up a small pile of garbage in that house, later there will be a big pile of garbage, do you believe it? The tenants will pile up there. You can't allow garbage to pile up, right? Garbage attracts garbage. Birds of a feather flock together, and garbage also flocks together. So you clean it up so that the tenants are reluctant to make it dirty, isn't that easy? It's good to clean it up once every two weeks.

If a person is garbage, he will attract garbage things. So I advise everyone, if you can, take care of your living environment, your responsibilities, and your responsibilities at home. You say: I don't have time. I have done all these things, how can I still have time? Why don't you have time? Because people are stupid. Do you want to be a smart person? You think these things can be saved, but you waste more. Which one is better to use the same effort to maintain a dirty environment, and to use the same effort to maintain a clean environment? Of course, it is more comfortable to use the same effort to maintain a clean environment, isn't it?

So people are more important than things, constantly training themselves in all environments, constantly training their ability to clean up things, their ability to organize, and constantly training their ability to use time, isn't that good? I saw a brother today, he was wearing headphones, I shouted at him and he couldn't hear me, the headphones completely blocked the sound. Why? He was cleaning up his room, listening to things while cleaning up. Sitting there honestly listening, and sitting there cleaning and listening, the effect is the same, cleaning does not require ears.

So we will slowly discover that all these things are training ourselves. Training ourselves to be more efficient, more creative, and more organized, training ourselves to be better at managing and getting along with family members. Everyone must know that the Chinese Mingding Doctrine is not to train people into religious fanatics, but to train people to be like God, to train people to be as creative as God, as God is, do things in an orderly and proper manner.

So if you all know how to be people, manage things very well, and do your things very well, that's great! Maybe next I will talk about some project management things, how to manage a project. But I can only talk about the projects I have managed, I am not good at managing the ones you manage, I can only manage the ones I have managed. Project management is a unique skill, if people can't manage, it's troublesome! Next, we will discuss how to manage people and things. In this last lecture, let's make a break between being a person and doing things. Everyone starts to change themselves in doing things, because you are more important than things.

May God bless everyone!