오늘 6월 14일(금)은, 구주대망 2024학년도 1학기가 마치는 날입니다. 직원들은 8시 반에 모여서 묵상나눔을 했고 학우들은 마지막 수업을 하고 있습니다. 목회학 석사를 마치고 오신 열여덟 분들은 신학석사 과정 수업을 하고, 일반 대학을 졸업하고 오신 학우 열한분들은 성경학 석사과정 수업을 하고 있습니다. (물론 월요일만 수업을 하는 MBS 과정의 열 분은 월요일에 1 학기 수업을 끝냈습니다.) 한 학기 15주차 마지막 수업까지 흔들림 없이 강의하시는 분들, 수강하시는 분들을 보면 에스라만의 자랑스런 모습이라고 봅니다. 특히 ENFP인 총장의 눈으로 보면 흔들림이 없는 교수님들의 자세는 감탄할 수 밖에 없습니다. 마지막 수업시간에 졸음이 찾아올 것이 두려워서 믹스커피를 타서 들어가는 학우도 만났습니다.
이만큼 글을 쓰고 있는데 막 사무실에서 전화가 왔습니다. 동문 한 분이 찾아왔는데 우리 집으로 안내해도 되는지를 물었습니다. 물어볼 필요가 없습니다. 사경회를 가면 공개적으로 말합니다. 은근 손님접대의 은사가 있는 것을 자부하면서 우리 집은 1박 2식은 기본이라고^^ 그랬더니 지혜로운 여인들이 저를 깨우쳐 주었습니다. ‘목사님의 은사는 손님초대이고 손님접대의 은사는 사모님의 것’이라고요. 네 여러분도 아시죠? 진리라고 다 달가운 것은 아닌 것을! 아프지만 듣고 보니 그 말이 맞긴 맞더라고요.
찾아오신 김 목사님의 이름을 들어보니 전에도 만난 적이 있는 분이셨고, 두 아들을 두셨는데 아버지와 두 아들 모두 에스라 출신이니 총장인 제 입장에는 귀한 손님임에는 틀림이 없습니다. 이제 사모님만 공부하러 오시면 전가족 동문화를 이룰 기회가 성큼 다가온 가족들입니다. 큰 아드님의 <사람을 키우라>는 책 한 권을 선물로 받았고, 둘째 아드님은 캐나다 맥마스터에서 이번에 야고보서 연구로 박사학위를 끝내고, 이번 여름에 귀국한다는 기쁜 소식도 전해 주었습니다. 그래서 두 아들을 모두 목회길로 보낸 부모의 입장, 더 정확히 말하면 어머니 사모님의 마음은 마냥 기쁘기만 하지 않은 기도의 짐을 지고 계셨습니다.
큰 아들은 아직 신길동 어느 교회에서 선임 부목사로 있고, 학위를 마친 둘째 역시 귀국하면 일할 곳을 찾아야 하는데, 그것도 가르치는 사역이면 쉽지않아 보이니 어머니의 마음은 기도하는 가운데도 염려가 될 것이라고 짐작이 됩니다. 둘 중 하나를 선택할 수 있을 것입니다.^^ 염려하고 걱정하든지 감사하며 기도하든지~~ 경부선 고속도로를 달리다가 서울이 가까워지면 오른 쪽에 여운학 장로님의 <이슬비 편지> 사옥에 큰 글자가 쓰여 있습니다. <기도할 수 있는데 왜 염려하십니까?> 그래서 가끔 염려분과 위원장인 아내를 놀릴 때 제가 자주 쓰는 말입니다. <염려할 수 있는데 왜 기도하십니까?> 우린 둘 다를 할 수는 없습니다. 둘 중 하나를 선택하면 됩니다. 여러분은 어느 쪽을 택하렵니까? 저는 감사하며 기도하겠습니다.
Today, Friday, June 14, in the Year of our Lord 2024, marks the end of the spring semester. The staff gathered at 8:30 a.m. for our morning devotional sharing, and the students are now sitting in their final lectures. Eighteen students who have completed their Master of Divinity are attending their Master of Theology (Th.M.) classes, while eleven students who entered after graduating from secular universities are taking their Master of Biblical Studies (M.A.) classes. (Of course, the ten students in the Monday-only MBS program already finished their semester this past Monday.) Seeing professors teach steadily and students listen attentively right up to the final lecture of the fifteenth week—I believe this is a distinctive mark of pride for Ezra. Especially through the eyes of an ENFP university president, the unwavering dedication and poise of our faculty can only evoke sheer admiration. I even bumped into a student heading into the classroom with a cup of instant mix coffee in hand, determined to stave off the dreaded drowsiness during that last lecture.
Just as I was writing these words, a call came from the administrative office. An alumnus had dropped by, and they asked whether they could direct him to our home. There was really no need to ask. Whenever I preach at Bible conferences, I say openly and proudly that I have the spiritual gift of hospitality, adding with a smile that a stay of one night and two meals is standard at our place. ^^ But then, wise women corrected my misapprehension: “Pastor, your gift is merely extending the invitation; the actual gift of hosting belongs entirely to your wife!” Yes, as you all know, truth isn’t always sweet! It stung a bit, but hearing it out, I had to admit they were entirely right.
Upon hearing the name of our visiting guest, Pastor Kim, I remembered that we had met before. He has two sons, and both the father and his two sons are alumni of Ezra Bible Graduate University. To me, as president, he is indeed a most precious and cherished guest. Now, if only his wife comes to study with us, this family will accomplish the milestone of every single member becoming an alumnus. I was presented with a book written by his elder son, titled Raise People, and he also shared the wonderful news that his second son has just finished his doctoral dissertation on the Epistle of James at McMaster in Canada and is returning home this summer. Yet, from the perspective of parents who have sent both sons into the pastoral ministry—or more precisely, from the heart of the mother—she was carrying a quiet burden of prayer that kept her from simply rejoicing without care.
The eldest son is still serving as a senior associate pastor at a church in Singil-dong, while the second son, having earned his doctorate, must also look for a place of ministry upon returning home. Since finding an academic teaching position is far from easy, I can well imagine the mother’s heart carrying deep worries even in the midst of her prayers. Still, we can choose between one of two paths. ^^ We can either fret and worry, or give thanks and pray~~ As you drive along the Gyeongbu Expressway approaching Seoul, there is a large sign on the building of Elder Woon-hak Yeo's Drizzle Letters ministry on the right-hand side that reads: “Why worry when you can pray?” That is why, whenever I tease my wife—the self-appointed chairwoman of the Family Worry Committee—I often turn it around playfully: “Why pray when you can worry?” We cannot do both at the same time. We simply need to choose one. Which path will you take? As for me, I choose to give thanks and pray.
Vandag, Vrydag 14 Junie in die Genadejaar 2024, loop die eerste semester ten einde. Die personeel het om halfnege vanoggend bymekaargekom vir ons daaglikse oordenking en gemeenskap, en die studente sit tans in hul heel laaste lesings. Agttien studente wat hul Meestersgraad in Teologie (M.Div.) voltooi het, neem klasse vir hul Magister Theologiae (Th.M.), terwyl elf studente wat na hul sekulêre universiteitstudies aangesluit het, klasse in die Magister in Bybelkunde bywoon. (Natuurlik het die tien studente van die Maandag-MBS-program hul semester reeds verlede Maandag afgesluit.) Om te aanskou hoe dosente tot en met die laaste lesing van die vyftiende week onwrikbaar klasgee, en hoe studente getrou luister—ek glo dit is 'n kenmerkende trots van Ezra. Veral deur die oë van 'n ENFP-rektor kan 'n mens net verwondering koester vir die standvastige toewyding van ons professore. Ek het selfs 'n student teëgekom wat met 'n beker kitskoffie in die hand die klaskamer binnegestap het, vasberade om die sluimerende moegheid tydens daardie heel laaste lesing te fnuik.
Net terwyl ek hieraan skryf, lui die telefoon vanaf die kantoor. 'n Alumnus het kom inloer, en hulle wou weet of hulle hom na ons huis toe kan verwys. Hulle hoef dit eintlik glad nie eens te vra nie. Wanneer ek Bybelkonferensies toespreek, sê ek altyd met trots dat ek die genadegawe van gasvryheid het, en voeg met 'n glimlag by dat een nag se slaapplek en twee maaltye standaard by ons huis is. ^^ Maar toe het wyse vroue my tereggewys: “Dominee, u gawe is bloot om mense uit te nooi; die werklike gawe van gasvryheid lê by u eggenote!” Ja, soos u almal weet: die waarheid is nie altyd suikerbrood nie! Dit was effens pynlik om te hoor, maar by nadere insig moes ek erken hulle was heeltemal reg.
Toe ek die naam hoor van ons besoeker, pastoor Kim, onthou ek dat ons mekaar al voorheen ontmoet het. Hy het twee seuns, en beide die vader en sy twee seuns is alumni van Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit. Vir my as rektor is hy voorwaar 'n besonder kosbare gas. As sy eggenote nou maar net ook hier kom studeer, sal die hele gesin die mylpaal bereik om alumni te wees. Ek het 'n boek as geskenk ontvang wat deur sy oudste seun geskryf is, getiteld Kweek Mense, en hy het ook die blye nuus gedeel dat sy jongste seun pas sy doktorsgraad oor die Jakobusbrief aan McMaster in Kanada voltooi het en hierdie somer terugkeer huis toe. Tog, uit die oogpunt van ouers wat albei seuns die bediening ingestuur het—of meer presies, vanuit die hart van die moeder—het sy 'n stil gebedslas gedra wat haar verhinder het om bloot sorgeloos fees te vier.
Die oudste seun dien steeds as senior medeleraar by 'n gemeente in Singil-dong, en die jongste seun, vars gepromoveer, moet by sy tuiskoms 'n nuwe werkkring vind. Aangesien 'n akademiese doseerpos glad nie maklik te vinde is nie, kan ek my goed voorstel dat die moeder se hart selfs midde-in haar gebede met besorgdheid worstel. Tog het ons altyd een van twee keuses. ^^ Ons kan ons óf bekommer en kwel, óf met dankbaarheid bid~~ Wanneer 'n mens op die Gyeongbu-snelweg ry en Seoul nader, staan daar op die regterkant 'n groot boodskap op die kantoorgebou van ouderling Woon-hak Yeo se Motreën-briewe: “Waarom sou jy jou kwel as jy kan bid?” Dis waarom ek my vrou—die voorsitster van ons huishoudelike Komitee vir Bekommernisse—dikwels speels terg met die woorde: “Waarom sou jy bid as jy jou kan kwel?” 'n Mens kan immers nie albei gelyktydig doen nie. Ons moet bloot tussen die twee kies. Watter een gaan u kies? Wat my betref, kies ek om met dankbaarheid te bid.