people have experienced up to this point. Korea has suffered
a great deal because it is destined to become the foundation
from which world peace will emerge. Because it has endured suffering
and difficulty for such a long time, Korea can now become the central
nation from which God brings peace to the world. Even though Koreans
have experienced countless hardships, we have never made anyone our
enemy or hated anyone. Several of our neighbors have caused difficulty
for us, but we have never made them our irreconcilable enemies.
The Korean people have developed a culture of heart that enables us
to forgive our enemies. It takes mastery over oneself to love and accept
an enemy. The ability to love one’s enemy comes only after an individual
is victorious over his own internal conflicts.
People who are persecuted are the closest to God. To understand
God’s heart, one must experience His tearful heart. Even a person
who normally would not shed tears will do so if he loses his family
and his country. He would desperately plead with God in tears. Suffering
difficulties causes one to have a heart that sheds tears and cries,
but it is through this type of heart that one can receive God’s blessing.
God comes to a heart that is soaked with tears. Korea has become a land
of heavenly fortune because so many tears have been shed within the
hearts of its people.
Korean people honor their ancestors. No matter how hungry we may
be, we will never sell the land where our ancestors are buried in order
to buy food. Historically we have maintained a way of thinking that
respects Heaven. We are a modern, civilized nation that still honors the
world of the spirit. When we accepted Buddhism and Confucianism,
they gave rise to a beautiful religious culture. More recently Christian
and Muslim traditions have begun to thrive here as well. All these
religions live without conflict within Korea. They blend together and
coexist peacefully. What is it that has made us such a unique people?
From ancient times we have always had religious minds, and our
hearts have always been open to receive the word of God. In addition,
Koreans have always placed a high priority on education and
excellence. As a result the Korean language and the Hangeul alphabet
are considered treasures handed down by Heaven. Our language
is rich with adjectives and adverbs that can be used to express the
human heart.
I love the Hangeul alphabet that we use. I am very fond of the term
Hunminjeongeum, the original name of the Hangeul alphabet. It means
“correct sounds for the instruction of the people.” It has such a beautiful
meaning. The excellence of Hangeul has survived for centuries and
continues to contribute beauty to human communication, even in this
digital age. To me it is truly amazing that through a simple combination
of consonants and vowels humans can communicate and even imitate
For the past thirty years, I have been telling the members of our
church in other countries to prepare for the future by learning Korean.
Recently, the term hallyu, or “Korean wave,” was coined in China by
journalists to describe the rapid spread of Korean popular culture
throughout Asia. The popularity of Korean pop music, TV dramas, and
movies has generated a large increase in the number of people learning
the Korean language. There are now many people in Japan, Mongolia,
Vietnam, and even Africa who can speak Korean. This is certainly not a
coincidence. The soul dwells within language. The reason the Japanese
tried so hard to eliminate the Korean language during their forced occupation
was to destroy the soul of the Korean people. The fact that
many people around the world now speak Korean means that the heart
and soul of the Korean people are thriving in today’s world. It is because
of heavenly fortune that Korea’s cultural influence continues to grow.
The Korean people never want to burden others. When I was in America,
I saw the stubborn character of Korean people. The United States is a country
that has many types of social safety nets, but Koreans almost never want to take
advantage of these. Rather than relying on the support of the government, they
find ways to earn money in order to raise their children and take care of their older
parents. This is how Koreans show self-reliance. I also see this in the missionaries
that we have sent across the world. They don’t fear going to a country they know
little about. This is true not only for missionaries but also for businessmen. Once
they are given a mission, no matter where that mission may take them in the
world, they drop everything and go. They are not indecisive or reluctant.
Koreans have such an enterprising spirit that they can go anywhere in
the world and live a productive life. Our suffering history has taught us
that no obstacle is too great. We have learned to face the worst kinds of
situations and overcome them.
When there is a neighborhood celebration, people compete for the
best spot to view the celebration. This is a very self-centered kind of
behavior. The person who quietly sits down in the worst seat will be the
leader of the coming age. Anyone who worries first about putting food
in his own mouth will be a failure in the coming age. Even if we are
going to eat only one spoonful, we must think of others first. If we are
to receive the heavenly fortune that is coming to the Korean peninsula,
then we must be aware in the deepest part of our hearts that “others” are
more valuable than “myself.”
In the past, everything we loved was taken away from us. During
Japan’s forced occupation, our country was taken away. Our country
was split in two, and we were forcibly separated from our loving parents
and siblings. So Korea became a land of tears. Now, however, we must
cry for the world. From now on, rather than shedding tears for ourselves,
we must shed tears more sincerely and more desperately for the
sake of the world. This is what we must do on the Korean peninsula if
we want to continue to receive heavenly fortune. When we do this, the
heavenly fortune on the Korean peninsula will then spread out to the
world. Korean people have a great opportunity to be at the center of an
era of world peace.
