In my previous career as a computer programmer, one of the worst things that I encountered was dealing with the spaghetti code left behind by previous programmers. Code without comments, code full of bugs. Sometimes, a programmer may have left the company a long time previously, but the code was left behind for others to deal with. Of course, I don’t want to be one of those programmers. Did I leave behind something that makes people’s lives better, or did I add to their burden?
Certainly, some things have a long-lasting effect.
There are many heartwarming stories from Japanese Christians about how they came to faith. Many of them had a positive experience with a foreign missionary who made a lasting impact on their lives. Though not all of the Japanese Christians were willing to believe in Jesus right away, the seeds sown by the missionaries eventually took root in their hearts. One day, the crops ripen and are ready for harvest. The missionaries may not always be there to see the harvest, but it is indeed because of the seeds they sowed (along with the Holy Spirit’s work) that a difference was made in these people’s lives.
It has been said that sharing the gospel in Japan is about relationship-building. Without a personal connection, Japanese people tend not to listen. Nowadays, almost everything can be done online, and so much information can be found on social media and through artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, love and caring are irreplaceable. These are the most important things that people yearn for.
As missionaries in Japan, we are called to share the good news of Jesus, and, at the same time, share the love of Christ. “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12 ESV).
Pray that we’ll be able to bring Jesus’ love to kids who are bullied at school, students stressed about school entrance exams, young adults overwhelmed by the busyness of work, families who struggle to communicate, and seniors who are lonely.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13 ESV). I pray that this is what we leave behind in Japan.
By Juliana
