The Way Of The Spiritual Leader - 030 Chapter 1. The Way Of Being A Minister Section 1. Those Who Were Called In The Dispensation 11. The Other Prophets
The prophets, whom God called, were people who had no choice but to hold onto God, raise their hands when God asked them to do so, and did not exist for their own selves. Any leader who is not like them will fall away because he cannot hold onto God. However, before you sympathize with them for their hardships, you have to know that God's hardships for sending them was much greater. (11-281) God urged, "Have the smile of Esther." Accept any kind of persecution. Keep the appearance of not being sad, even if you are sad. Have the appearance that can forget about the false accusations, even if you are falsely accused. When you are enraged, bear it with the determination to forget even the fact that you are born. In recollecting this fact, you should understand that God had to act in such a way until today. (17-92) Two thousand years ago, Jesus fed bread to numerous people on the field near Bethsaida. Then, why were all those who ate the bread destroyed? Why did the people who heard Jesus betray him? Why did the disciples who followed him through all those hardships for three years betray Jesus? They betrayed him because they thought those words were just for that day, and that bread was to just to fill the stomach in that hour. They did not know that those words which Jesus gave to them were the words which they had to convey to the whole world. They did not know that the bread which Jesus shared with them was the bread which they had to share with all the people of the world. (4-85) You know about the famous representative of the life of poverty in the Medieval Age called Francis (Giovanni Francesco Bernardone). He advocated the life of poverty. When he lived such a lifestyle, he did not feel resentful, complaining, and sorrowful even if he faced a harsh life and was persecuted by his external environment. If he felt resentful and complained then he would not have inherited God's Will. However, because he felt gratitude in the midst of suffering, had hope in the midst of pain, sought new standards under such hardships, God was able to help him. Therefore, we can see how a new age dawned there. (66-41) As we know through Saint Francis' holy work, how happy it is to be supported by the whole creation? Of course, I know that you have received much persecution during these times. I am sorry. However, there was no other way. Father was the same. Instead, please possess Father's heart. (11-322)
When Christianity first came into Korea, do you think that while Rev. Thomas was in the place where he had shed blood and was dying prayed, "Father, I came here and now I am dying. Because I came and witnessed here in order to receive my salvation, let me go to the Kingdom of Heaven and let these people go to hell?" No, he didn't. He prayed "Father, even if I die, please resurrect this people instead of the blood I shed." Because he did so, thirty million people are paying respect to him as a son of God.
A person who uses a nation to advance himself has nothing to do with that nation. When we shed tears, we should do it for the world. At this time, because a national repentance did not happen, we should shed tears for the nation. Because a worldwide repentance did not take place, our tears cannot stop. Those who go toward such future would be connected to the will of that history.
You must start, not centering on yourself, but centering on God. You should know that if you start centering on yourself, then it will remain as suffering to God. You must surely go together with God. It is all right even if you don't know how to pray. You just have to be such a person whose heart becomes sad, if God's heart is sorrowful, and whose heart becomes naturally happy when the day is so bright and there is joy in the environment. (32-111) |