Dear Fellow Seminarians,
The following verse I found posted on the President's page of my university. I am new to this school, at least as a full time faculty member, working in the biotechnology department of Hannam University.
"If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city,
the night watchmen might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work
your worried fingers to the bone. Won’t you know He enjoys giving rest to those He
loves?"(Psalm 127:1-2)
He also wrote:
"I give this poem to the students who have been loved by God, Douglas Malloch’s ‘Be the best of whatever you are’."
If you can’t be a pine on the Top of the Hill,
Be a scrub in the valley – but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be bush if you can’t be a tree
If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass
But the liveliest bass in the Lake!
We can’t all be captains; we’ve got to be crew,
There’s something for all of us here,
There a big work to do, and there’s lesser to do
And the task you must do is the near.
If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail
Be the best of whatever you are!
I thought this was beautiful, and noted it as unusual in this culture, to emphasize humility and acceptance of any position. Here in South Korea there is a pronounced emphasis on being a leader. Schools posit themselves as institutions for making "future leaders" in society. There is rarely any positive comment on the value of being a good follower. But here, Mr. Kim shows his understanding of that. Acquiring this understanding in this culture and having the courage to voice it bespeaks much wisdom on his part. I hope to meet him some day.
Love, Nathaniel
The following verse I found posted on the President's page of my university. I am new to this school, at least as a full time faculty member, working in the biotechnology department of Hannam University.
"If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city,
the night watchmen might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work
your worried fingers to the bone. Won’t you know He enjoys giving rest to those He
loves?"(Psalm 127:1-2)
He also wrote:
"I give this poem to the students who have been loved by God, Douglas Malloch’s ‘Be the best of whatever you are’."
If you can’t be a pine on the Top of the Hill,
Be a scrub in the valley – but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be bush if you can’t be a tree
If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass
But the liveliest bass in the Lake!
We can’t all be captains; we’ve got to be crew,
There’s something for all of us here,
There a big work to do, and there’s lesser to do
And the task you must do is the near.
If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail
Be the best of whatever you are!
I thought this was beautiful, and noted it as unusual in this culture, to emphasize humility and acceptance of any position. Here in South Korea there is a pronounced emphasis on being a leader. Schools posit themselves as institutions for making "future leaders" in society. There is rarely any positive comment on the value of being a good follower. But here, Mr. Kim shows his understanding of that. Acquiring this understanding in this culture and having the courage to voice it bespeaks much wisdom on his part. I hope to meet him some day.
Love, Nathaniel
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