Go With Him Two . . .

On Friday mornings, after my Legal Argumentation class and office hours, I attend Prof. Enlow's "Christianity and Law" lectures at HILS. (Handong International Law School -- the graduate law school that is now located on the first two floors of All Nations Hall below my department -- the University's undergraduate School of Law housed on All Nations' third floor).  Yesterday's lecture focused upon the 2nd Century Letter to Diognetus written by an anonymous Christian who had been taught by the Apostles (most likely Paul).

The recipient of this letter, Diognetus, is considered by many scholars to have been the Diognetus who was the teacher of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (that's the emperor above; no known bust of Diognetus exists).  Diognetus, though, was a well-known philosopher of his day and may have looked a bit like this simply-clothed fellow striking a pensive pose with scroll in hand.

It is a very interesting letter seeing as it describes how followers of Christ, some 1800 years ago, lived their lives in the midst of the Roman culture of their day.  One passage from the letter to Diognetus was particularly arresting:

For Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the human race by country or language or customs. They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity or deep thought of inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do.

Yet, although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of the country in clothing and food and other matters of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth.

They live in their own countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land. They marry, like everyone else, and they beget children, but they do not cast out their offspring.

They share their board with each other, but not their marriage bed. It is true that they are "in the flesh," but they do not live "according to the flesh. They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, but in their own lives they go far beyond what the laws require.

I found that last line to be especially telling.  Could the same be said of Christ's followers today?  Could it be said of me here at Handong?  Do I make it a practice of my life to "go far beyond" what is required of me?  As a disciple of Christ do I follow his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount?  When I am compelled to go one mile, do I willingly "go with him two"?

And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.  ~ Matthew 5:40-42

First Day's Daunting

The first day of the new term can be daunting. When you look at your first class roster and see more names than the number of seats in the classroom you've been assigned, you can feel a bit overwhelmed. But, with the help of your able Teaching Assistant, you scout out available, larger classrooms down the hall and find, to your great relief, that the largest lecture room in the new wing of your building is open and accommodates all of the students who have registered for your course -- even the ones on the waiting list who are making heart-felt appeals for admission.

As the room begins to fill, you are pleased to see that you actually recognize some of the students as those who had taken (and survived) one of your classes in the past fall term.  You think to yourself, "Maybe this term I'll even be able to master some of their names." Then, it happens.  More students arrive.  Now there are students who are on neither the class roster nor the waiting list!  That daunting feeling begins to creep up on you again.  As the seats begin to fill, the students are thankful that you have selected the largest classroom, but you begin to suspect that a more moderate-sized one might have been a better choice.

The time comes to begin your introduction and overview of the course, and after a few words of personal greeting, you invite each of the students to introduce himself and herself.  As each rises to do so, up and down through all of the many rows, you realize once again why you do what you do.  Each face is full of expression.  Each voice speaks with its own accent -- Korean, both South and North, Vietnamese, Tajik and Mongolian as well as a few Korean Americans who grew up in Minnesota, New Jersey or California, and even other Koreans who have lived in South Africa and Senegal.  You have been given the opportunity of leading and the privilege of learning together with some of the best and brightest students from around the world.

While the day began under daunting circumstances, by the end of the first class period that overwhelming feeling has transformed into an enveloping excitement.  The new term has begun.  Its time to seize the day, and undertake another journey with your students as together you continue to pose and ponder the persistent questions of life.

Test everything; hold fast what is good. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Happy 5th Birthday, Maya!

Our granddaughter Maya Theresa just turned 5 years old! Happy Birthday, Maya! One of the most difficult challenges for Grandma and Grandpa here in Korea comes from our being half-way around the world on these special days when we would love to be together with our little ones. I don't think we could survive such a separation if we did not have the wonders of the internet and especially the opportunity to enjoy video calls through Skype. 

Sandy was delighted by a long talk with our daughter and the grand kids this morning. (It was early Thursday evening there in St. Louis). Maya was able to show and tell her grandma about the birthday bear she was built at the "Build-A-Bear" workshop. So, even though we can't be there in person, face-to-face, we can at least be present with one another face-to-face and voice-to-voice through the blessings of internet technology.

We wish and pray for you, our little princess Maya, all the happiness and blessings of God on this your fifth birthday!

The Gift of Mercy

My wife never ceases to amaze me.  She's been here on this new continent, in this new country, among a completely new and different culture for only one week, and yet she still has such a sensitivity to the needs of others as well as the personal initiative to get done what needs to get done, especially when it comes to helping another person -- whose name she doesn't even know -- obtain some measure of relief from physical pain.  Sandy demonstrated yet again --even here in this totally new environment -- that she has the gift of mercy.

It all took place Sunday morning.  We had been picked-up by Prof. Rhee who not only teaches in the Graduate School of Education at Handong but also serves as a teacher and leader for the Kids English Bible Study (KEBS) at Joyful Church in downtown Pohang.  I had been invited last semester to present the English Bible Story lessons at KEBS, and this semester the church leaders have asked both Sandy and me to serve as helpers and teachers for the kids on a regular basis.

Sunday was the KEBS orientation.  Over 75 children, ages 8 to 12, have been enrolled by their parents in the class.  The class is aimed at providing a double benefit -- instruction in God's Word, first and foremost, and also English language instruction.  Each of the teachers introduced himself or herself to the other members of the KEBS leadership team. 

There will be 16 teachers who will handle small groups of the children.  Sandy introduced herself briefly, but I followed-up and informed the leadership team that Sandy was not only an experienced Sunday School teacher, she was also a Physical Therapist Assistant and a nursing student as well as a former administrative assistant to the Provost of a university in the States.

One of the other Korean teachers introduced herself but apologized for not standing-up due to back pain that she was experiencing.  Following the introductions, Sandy went to this young lady and began to assess her pain and offer some help.  As Sandy was assisting her in walking up a flight of stairs, she realized that the young lady was in severe pain and needed to get home and lie down to rest.  The young lady, however, had driven herself to church.  She was now in no condition to drive due to the pain in her back.

Sandy came back down to the Sunday School room and asked Mr. Kim, one of the Korean men on the leadership team who spoke English quite well, to drive along with us while we took the young lady back to her apartment.  He drove his car so that Sandy and I would have a ride back to the church.  And who might you suspect was going to drive the young lady's car through the busy traffic of downtown Pohang on an early Sunday afternoon?  That would be me.  Sandy was in the back seat attending to the young lady in pain. 

Well, I managed to find my way to her apartment without running any red lights or missing any turns. (Actually, it was a pretty straight shot down one major street after I successfully navigated my way through the packed church parking lot).  The young lady lived with her parents in one of the typical high-rise Korean apartments.  I was even able to find an open parking place near the young lady's building.  Sandy walked her in and took her up to the apartment assuring that she was safely entrusted to the care of her parents.

Mr. Kim and I waited in the parking lot for Sandy's return and then he drove us back to Joyful Church where Sandy and I were treated to a lunch (continental European-style) of toast and cappuccino’s.  As I observed Sandy caring for this young lady in pain, I once again realized how naturally grace and mercy flow through her to serve the needs of others.  One with the gift of mercy serves whenever and wherever she senses the needs of others -- whether in St. Louis, Missouri among her children, grand children, friends and church family or in Pohang, Korea among people whose names she does not yet even know.

Commencement @ the Commencement of the New Year

This past Saturday, Handong Global University convened its 12th Commencement Exercises.  Throughout my teaching experience in the States, university commencement ceremonies were  traditionally held at the end of the academic year.  You would often hear speakers making the comment that though the ceremony occurred at the end of the academic year, it is called "Commencement" because it marks the beginning of a new stage in the life of each graduate.

The Asian tradition, however, places the graduation ceremony at the beginning of the academic year, and I think they get it right.  Not only does Commencement mark a new start for the many students who are graduating, it also signals a new beginning for the entire university community.  It was a joy to see several of my students, who I had had the privilege of teaching in the past fall term, step up to the platform as their names were announced.

Another excellent tradition is practiced by the faculty at Commencement here at Handong.  The graduates are called up to the dais according to their schools. For example, all of the graduates from the School of Management and Economics are called forward and their names are read.  Next, all the graduates from the School of Life Sciences are called forward.  Later, the graduates from the School of Law, where I teach, are also called forward. 

As each school's graduates are announced, the faculty from that school lines up across the platform. Groups of graduates step up in a line stretching across the dais with a student standing in front of each faculty member.  The student bows to the professor and the professor then takes the tassel that hangs from the student's mortar board and moves it from the right side to the left side thus marking, by this symbolic gesture, the student's passing to the graduated status.  The professor then congratulates the graduate with a hardy hand-shake and often, in this culture, a hug.

As the New Year here in Asia has recently been celebrated, it was a genuine pleasure to participate in Handong's 12th Commencement Ceremony at this the commencement of the new academic term!

Staying Up Late and Rising Early

Our first week back at Handong has been filled with a variety of meetings and tasks aimed at orienting the faculty to a new academic year and instilling us with a renewed sense of vision and purpose in our callings to learn and teach others.  Each day has been filled with sessions where the speakers have found some interesting ways to extend their presentations well beyond the time allotted on the published schedule of events for the faculty retreat.

One speaker, in particular, announced at the beginning of his lecture that he would require three hours to make his speech even though he had been slated for only one.  As he neared the 90-minute mark, he was handed a note informing him of the need to conclude so that he would be able to catch his flight back to Seoul.  Instead of bringing his remarks to a prompt conclusion, he publicly requested the University's president to change his flight schedule so that he might have sufficient time to complete his presentation.

Needless to say, we are still experiencing some definite challenges adjusting to the local culture.  One of the most "stretching" is an expectation of our participation in dinners that begin at 8pm and are followed by more meetings that continue until midnight.  Now, I do recall that when Paul was about to depart from Troas, he prolonged his sermon until midnight (see Acts 20:7ff), but this does not appear to be a pattern in either the Apostle's life nor was it in Jesus'.  So, I don't think that you could readily cite Biblical precedent for such late night meetings, but it does, however, seem to be somewhat the norm in this culture.

What's even more challenging than late-night meetings, though, is an expectation that you should also be able to rise up early each morning for a time of personal devotion and community prayer.  Now, I'll acknowledge that early rising is both a good habit and one that is modeled by many throughout the Scriptures. Bonhoeffer makes a succinct case for this discipline in Life Together.

On the other hand, there is explicit guidance in the Word against attempting to combine the two -- staying up late and rising early.  So, while adjusting to a new culture is clearly a challenge, maintaining and cultivating a healthy and balanced pattern of life is paramount, wherever you may be living and whatever the expectations of others may be upon your life.

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.  ~ Psalm 127:2

You Shall Live in Tents

About twelve years ago, when Sandy and I and the kids were moving from a 2,900 sq. ft., two-story colonial (that we had built when I thought I was on my way to becoming a partner at a large law firm) to a 950 sq. ft. ranch walkout in a much older section of Fenton, I began to say -- in a good humored-way -- that I was working my way toward living in a tent. I had left my law practice and had been involved in ministry with a young, small church while also beginning to teach part-time at Missouri Baptist (then) College. Down-sizing came with the territory.

I would joke with the family that "tent-living" was much more in keeping with the pattern of life described in the Bible, but only Caleb and Hannah thought that it sounded like I had a good plan.  Well, it seems that the Lord also has a sense of humor.  He's brought my "aspiration" to fruition in a way I did not anticipate.  It appears that we'll be staying here in what I had referred to last semester as my "hermitage" -- the very small but very adequately appointed studio apartment in the Mission House.  (That's our front door on the first level; I took this picture last August when I first moved-in; those rocks in the front are all covered with snow right now).  It is, however, no longer a hermitage.  Now, it has come to be called our "tent."

It's working-out pretty well, though.  We do have a wonderful scenic view of pine-covered rolling hills out the back through a window that stretches across nearly the entire length of the rear wall of our laundry and storage room with sliding glass floor to ceiling doors separting the laundry room from our studio.  Sandy loves the natural light and the fact that we don't have to climb three flights of stairs with groceries and laundry (the other apartment would have been on the 3d floor of another building).  We've also been promised a second wardrobe which, when it is delivered, will provide sufficient space for all our clothes. 

Other than that, and the fact that none of the apartments on campus have ovens (evidently the Koreans do not do any baking; instead, just steaming, boiling and frying on stove-tops), we pretty much have what is needed to live comfortably.  The studio is, to say the least, close quarters, but hey, aren't you supposed to grow closer and closer over 31 years of marriage!  We are in a land of sojourning here, and tent-living is beginning to suit us fine for the time.

You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.  ~ Jeremiah 35:7