19 Jul 5 C’s & 6 C’s

Recently I was watching a WhatsApp video of Ms. Indra Nooyi, Chief of Pepsi Co Global speaking on her success mantra based on 5 Cs i.e. Competence, Communication, Courage and Confidence, Consistence and Character. Later, when I was reading and meditating from the Word of God, these 5 Cs came to my mind again and God was speaking to me through this. Indra Nooyi can be considered as one of the most successful persons in this world as per corporate terms. And for us as Christians called out as Christ’s Ambassadors in this world, these 5 Cs are very much applicable. And then God gave me another over ruling C i.e. Christ-centred. Let us just reflect on these 6 Cs which can be adopted as our success mantra for a successful and blessed Christian living.

Competent
“Are we competent enough in our faith and the Word of God to share and defend it?”
We have a very high calling. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors. . . ”. What is expected of us is said in 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, so that as it says in 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. As we continue to read verses 3 and 4, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths”, we understand why this is very much the need of the hour. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”.

Communication
“Do we communicate in the right way and speak the right language both vertically and horizontally? What is the message that we want to give out through our lives?”
In Psalms 55:16-17 David says about speaking to his Heavenly Father “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice”. In Matthew 6:6-13 Jesus Christ teaches us how, when and what to pray “But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” In Matthew 14:23 we read about Jesus going away from the crowd, even His disciples, and praying and having fellowship and communication with the Heavenly Father. When our vertical relationship and communication is strong, all our horizontal relationships and communication, be it with our friends, neighbours, colleagues, family, Church members, will fall rightly into place. Colossians 4:6 says “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”. Matthew 5:44 reads “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. Returning good for good is worldly, returning evil for good is devilish and returning good for evil is godly. Even though it may seem difficult, but by being different, we can show Christ through our lives. It is not how long you have lived that matters, but how well you have lived your life, counts. One life is all that we have and what is done for Christ is all that lasts. Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:14 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”.

Courage & Confidence
“Are we warriors for Jesus Christ – ready to stand up, speak out and take action?”
We read about Stephen in Acts 6:5 & 8 “They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit……Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people”. And in 7:59 we read how he becomes a martyr for Christ “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” The present times we are living in a bad world filled with all kinds of evil. Hence what is expected of each one of us is simply written down in 2 Timothy 4:5 “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and discharge all the duties of your ministry”. We need to have full confidence in our living God, who is faithful and all the most powerful, be deep rooted in His Word which is always true and relevant, and be warriors for our Lord in this world fighting against Satan and his army.

Consistency
“Are we consistent in our lives or are we tossed around like the leaf in the wind with ups and downs? Are we rooted in the Word of God deriving strength everyday through prayer?”
We read about Peter – the most dynamic disciple of Jesus and his ups and downs during the public ministry of Jesus. He tries to walk on water but starts drowning when he takes his eyes off Jesus. He does not want Jesus to wash just his feet, but his whole body. He says to Jesus that he is ready to die with Him, but later on denies Jesus three times. He draws the sword and cuts off the ear of a person when they come to capture Jesus. Then he leaves everything and goes back to fishing. But later on, after Holy Spirit comes on him and the other disciples, he becomes very consistent in his attitude and approach and accomplishes great things for God. We read about the fanatic Saul in Acts 8:3 “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison”. But after his encounter with Jesus at Damascus, he becomes a totally transformed man and consistently works for Jesus. In Matthew 7:24-25 we read about the house built on the rock “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock”. We are expected not just to be hearers of the Word, but be doers. This is very important. Most of the time we prefer to be passive listeners, but we need to be active doers of whatever God tells us from time to time.

Character
“Are we confirming ourselves to this world or transforming into Christ-likeness?”
Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will”. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”. More than our words, our lives should speak Christ to the world and its people.

Christ-Centred
“Is our life Christ-centred – in our bachelor life, in family life, in professional life, in spiritual life?”
This is possible only by adopting the approach of Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. We also need to change our approach to ‘Not me, but Christ’.
May the Lord Almighty help us to live practising the 5 Cs cited above along with Christ-centredness in our day-to-day lives.

Renjan Mathew Varghese, working with WWF-India as the State Director for Kerala based in Thiruvananthapuram and lives with his wife Neelu, daughters Reeba and Ruth and mother Aleyamma Varghese.