OARRCAR: Observation, Analysis, Reaction, Reflection.

Conclusion,
Application and Recommendation

Observation:
Based on the discussion about Matthew 5:8 and John Wesley's Manifesto, if
you’re a person with a good or pure heart - you will be able to let God into your life
and encounter Him and His love. Because once you let Him in, your heart will
transformed and you can use it to change the world. Like how John Wesley's pure
heart led him to help all kinds of people from the richest to the poorest because he
embodied the values that he learned from encountering God. His pure heart was also
the reason why he helped even the poorest of the poor because he knew that he had
already experienced the Lord and he used that to transform the world.

Analysis:
God had been encountered by John Wesley because of his willingness to let him
in to his life and store love, grace and purity in his heart which he could use in his
purpose of helping people - which gave birth to John Wesley's manifesto. My analysis
about his manifesto was that it was one filled with the desire to touch people's heart
and help them help him change the world so that all of the people can live together in
harmony and happiness. His intention was pure and not one laced with the desire for a
monetary or materialistic return. And through my analysis, I can compare it to our
current situation where many people are having trouble working because of the threat
of Covid-19 and thus they find it difficult to provide for their families. But I can see
people I know who are not that rich, but are still willing to help people through any
way they can.

Reaction:
When we watched the short clip about Jesus Christ and the rich man, I felt
dismayed that the rich man who wanted to be saved and live in heaven was still in the
state of hesitance to give his riches and belongings to the poor - even though Christ
had already told him that he cannot serve two masters as he would love one and hate
the other. If I relate it to Matthew 5:8, I felt sad because his heart was not yet pure and
ready to encounter God so that he may receive salvation; and troubled that I know in
person some people who are as reluctant as him to serve only one master and engage
with Christ, as they do not want to give up their riches and position in society.

On the other hand, I was glad that John Wesley was a person who helped all
kinds of people and not by looking at their standing in the societal hierarchy. He was
willing to ride his horse and go to the farthest of places in order to provide his
services even to people who were at their lowest. I felt disappointed that priests who
refused to serve people other than those in high positions existed even before and they
are still some of those kinds of priests in the present. Its saddening that people seem to
think that not everyone deserves to be helped and salvation.

Reflection:
The angle I want to reflect on is that as long as you're willing follow the Lord,
strive to become a better person and use that to help other people - you will obtain a
pure heart and help in transforming the world. I realized that a small and single person
like me can actually make an impact and difference in our society today - the reason is
because I was willing to have goodness and purity in my heart by letting God in and
mature inside me, so that everything I say to other people about the Lord are good,
meaningful and has the possibility to enrich the person I'm talking to.

Like how John Wesley's Manifesto came to life. He was just a single person but
because of the salvation and courage from the Lord, he came up with 12 steps or ways
that we can transform the world - step by step, day by day, and person by person. Like
how we are right now in the pandemic, I can see people from all over social media
where they sell clothes, bags, plants or food and use the money they earned to buy
food for those who are not as blessed to have food everyday.

Conclusion:
The impact of this is that we come to realize that all of us have power in our
hands. It's just up to us how to hone that power and use it towards the greater good
and not just for our selfish desires and wants. Especially now that we are in the midst
of a pandemic where all of us are suffering, but especially those in the lower level of
the societal hierarchy. If we utilize the goodness and purity in our hearts, we would be
able to encounter God and know about His plans to help everyone in need - and in
turn, we would be the ones to carry out His plans by helping through monetary
donations or giving food to the needy.

Application:
At first, it seemed difficult to me and I couldn't see how a person like me could
possibly help and make a difference. But after the discussion we had in CE 3 and
learning about John Wesley's manifesto and his journey to help people - I was
persuaded that even a college student like me have different options for me to choose
from regarding what I want to do to be able to encounter God, have a good and pure
heart, and use that purity to help people in need through any way I can. And although
I cannot do exactly as what John Wesley did in his lifetime, I can start by doing small
things that can change my life first like changing my bad qualities and improving
myself to become a better person.
Then I can start making spiritual changes in my family, in our community, with
my friends, and my community. And one day, I would like to be able to make a
difference that can change the state of our country.

Recommendation:
There is one relative in my family who is similar to the rich man who was
hesitant to let go of his riches even if he wanted to go to heaven. I would recommend
or tell her the lesson from this angle and story because I believe that with what I
learned about this lesson I can change her mind and her principles about helping other
people - because it is exactly the essence of this subject entitled 'Transforming
Society'. The reason I picked to relative to recommend the story and lesson to is
because I know that there is goodness in her heart.
Like how the Yin in Yin Yang which is the black half of the sphere has a small white
circle inside of it. Based on an article I read before, it means that there are people who
might seem bad or ill natured but deep inside of them is goodness that needs to be
enriched and be encountered by God so that their heart can transform for the better.