Faith & Life

The Heart Behind ‘Animo!’

While I was briefly standing still after sharing the message of the Passover with passersby, I sensed someone slowly approaching. When the presence stopped beside me, I turned in surprise to see a person cheerfully exclaim, “Animo!” while handing me a bottle of vitamin drink. It caught me completely off guard. For a moment I thought, “Animo? That sounds familiar . . .” Then it clicked—the person seemed to be a member from another Zion who worked at the convenience store near Zion. I immediately expressed my gratitude. That warm greeting and the thoughtful gesture of offering the drink moved me deeply. I couldn’t help but wonder, “How much she thought it through before coming over?” “What could I give…

Ahn Ji-yeong from Gwangju, Korea

An Old Lady on the Platform

"Mind the gap" is a warning to watch the space between the train and the platform. At one time in the London Underground, this announcement was delivered in the gentle voice of an unknown actor. However, as digital technology was introduced over time, this announcement gradually began to be replaced. In November 2012, even at Embankment Station—the last place where his voice remained—the announcement was finally switched to a new version. But not long after, his voice began to echo once again through the station. How did this happen? There was an old lady who visited Embankment Station every day. She didn’t board any trains; she would just quietly sit on the platform and then return home. The reason she…

Preparing for Father’s Birthday

The three siblings gathered together to plan a birthday celebration for their father. As their father was turning sixty, the children wanted to prepare something special and put their heads together to come up with ideas. After much discussion, they decided to take their father on a trip, treat him to delicious food, and enjoy sightseeing together. They also divided up the responsibilities. It happened while the eldest was searching for accommodations at the travel destination. Their father called and said, “I haven’t been able to sleep well lately, so I’m thinking of going to the hospital, but I don’t know which one I should go to.” The eldest replied, “I’m busy right now. I’ll check later.” It happened while…

Fresh Strawberries and Rotten Ones

On a table sat a basket of strawberries. Most were fresh, but about 15% were spoiled. Children were divided into two groups. One group was asked to pick out the fresh strawberries, and the other group to pick out the spoiled ones. Afterward, they were asked how many spoiled strawberries they thought were in the basket. The children who picked the fresh ones gave almost accurate answers. But the children who picked the spoiled ones said there were more spoiled strawberries than fresh ones. They even thought some of the fresh ones were spoiled. The same result appeared when the experiment was done with adults. This experiment, conducted by Austrian psychologist Elisabeth Lukas, demonstrates the Negativity Effect. The Negativity Effect…

The Reason for Differences in Skill Level

Psychologist Gary McPherson had a question about children who play musical instruments: “Why do children progress so differently even when they receive the same lessons?” To find the answer, he randomly selected 157 children who had just begun learning to play an instrument and began his research. About nine months later, he evaluated their progress and analyzed the data. What he discovered was surprising: intelligence, hearing development, sense of rhythm, and family income level did not significantly affect improvement. The decisive factor that made a difference in skill level was the children’s passion and interest. In fact, before their first lesson, McPherson asked each child one simple question: “How long do you plan to play your instrument?” The children who…

Good Harvest From Good Soil

I visited my younger sister’s weekend farm on Ganghwa Island to harvest garlic and onions. The garlic cloves we had planted individually last fall had grown into six-clove garlic by the time of harvest. My sister and her husband were very pleased, saying that this year’s garlic and onion harvest was much better compared with last year. They shared that they had put in a lot of effort to achieve a good harvest this year, learning from the lessons of last year’s poor results. The first thing they did was enrich the soil by making natural fertilizer. They mixed and fermented various ingredients such as coffee grounds, oilcake, EM (Effective Microorganisms), and rice husks, then spread the mixture over the…

Ahn Hee-yeon from Seoul, Korea

Although I Am Less Than the Least of All God’s People

I wanted to be like Apostle Paul, who preached the gospel of the new covenant with tireless passion, enduring countless hardships and persecutions. While reflecting on his life, I came across this verse: Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Eph 3:8–9 Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen and an elite of his time, having studied under the renowned teacher of the law, Gamaliel. Yet, while carrying out the work of the gospel, he humbled himself,…

Lee U-rim From Guayaquil, Ecuador

Between Mistakes and Self-Reproach

As the saying goes, sports are an unscripted drama. The outcome of a game depends not only on the athlete’s skill, but also on various factors such as condition, weather, and the environment of the playing field. One of the key variables is an error—a mistake. When an athlete makes a mistake during a game, it’s natural for them to feel rushed, thinking they must make up for it. But this mental pressure interferes with their performance and often leads to more mistakes. In sports psychology, there is a technique called ASDR self-suggestion that helps athletes stay composed after making a mistake so they can return to their own rhythm. The process works like this: First, the athlete becomes aware…

Action

In a barley field lived a family of larks, huddled together in a cozy spot. One day, the mother lark said to her baby larks, “When the barley is harvested, we’ll have to move.” A few days later, the owner of the barley field said, “The barley is ripe. I should ask my neighbors to help with the harvest.” The baby larks were startled. “Mom! Let’s move right away!” “Not yet. It’s okay,” the mother lark reassured them. The next day, the field owner said, “I really need to harvest soon. I’ll ask my friend for help.” The baby larks looked anxiously at their mother. But she gently shook her head. “Still not yet.” Several days later, the owner said,…

Joy Upon Joy

I actively participate in the church’s regular volunteer services. Recently, I joined a drainage maintenance activity. I had come across news reports stating that blocked drains could cause flooding during the monsoon season, so this was a perfectly timed effort before the heavy rains arrived. On the day of the service, about 40 volunteers gathered, wearing boots and equipped with shovels, hoes, rakes, and sacks. As we lifted the drain covers and began scraping the inside with rakes, I quickly realized it wouldn’t be a simple task. Sediment from the mountains had piled up to nearly 30 centimeters, mixed with various insects and all kinds of debris. It was clear that rakes wouldn’t be enough, so we used shovels to…

Kim Sun-jeong from Gumi, Korea

Affluenza

In the state of Texas, United States, a teenage boy from a wealthy family caused the deaths of four people while driving under the influence of alcohol. The boy’s parents stated, “We gave him everything he wanted, but he suffered from severe affluenza, so he was difficult to control.”
Although the law in Texas allows for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the court sentenced him to 10 years of probation and ordered him to receive treatment for affluenza. The victims’ families strongly protested, calling it a ruling that favored the rich. "Affluenza" is a compound word formed from affluent, meaning wealthy, and influenza, meaning a contagious flu. It is a neologism that expresses the greed of modern people…

Mother, Mother

Not long ago, an online news story titled “What Was in the Bundle of a Mother With Dementia” quietly stirred hearts across the internet. The story began when police received a report that an elderly woman with dementia had been wandering back and forth, carrying a bundle. Responding to the call, the officers learned from the woman that her daughter gave birth and was in the hospital. After some investigation, they brought her to the hospital where her daughter was staying. Upon seeing her daughter, the elderly woman began to carefully untie the bundle she had been holding tightly in her hands. Inside were cold seaweed soup, seasoned vegetables, and a portion of plain white rice. Those who witnessed the…

When I Think of My Mother

At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, a Chinese athlete named Zhou Jihong, small in stature, won the gold medal in the platform diving event, defeating tall and slender Western athletes. During an interview, a reporter asked how she was able to perform such beautiful dives despite her small build. She answered: “Ever since I was little, I loved running. But whenever I competed, I would often fall and stumble. My mother would always say to me, ‘My dear, I find it more beautiful when you fall and then stand back up than when you come in first place. You are my beautiful daughter.’ I made mistakes while diving, and there were even accidents, but every time, my mother said the…

The Judge in an Apron

In Osaka, Japan, a man nearing retirement enrolled in a culinary school after stepping down from his career. Surrounded by young students, he began by learning how to trim vegetables and handle a knife. He faithfully completed the one-year course and obtained a chef’s license. Then, he opened a small restaurant. This man, who began the second chapter of his life as a chef, was once a chief judge of the high court. For 36 years, he presided over major cases. So why did he choose to open a restaurant instead of following the more common path of establishing a law firm? “Every time I sentenced someone and passed judgment, it broke my heart,” he said. “That’s why I wanted…

Let Your Conversation Be Always Seasoned With Salt

I recently came across a brief reflection on salt. It explained how salt can enhance our perception of other flavors—even sweetness. This is why, at times, a pinch of salt is added instead of sugar to draw out a sweeter taste. Just a small amount of salt can determine the overall flavor of a dish. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Col 4:6 Reflecting on the role of salt made me realize how even the smallest words we speak can have a profound impact on our brothers and sisters. Perhaps, in telling us to season our words with salt, God is expressing His will for us…

Kim Seung-hyeok from Madrid, Spain

The Gorilla Who Saved a Child

In 1996, at Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, United States, a three-year-old boy was playing around when he fell into the gorilla enclosure and lost consciousness. Although gorillas are generally gentle, they can become aggressive if they feel their territory is being invaded, making the situation extremely dangerous. While the boy’s family and the onlookers were frozen in panic, not knowing what to do, one gorilla began walking boldly toward the child. What the gorilla did next astonished everyone. She sat the boy gently on her lap and softly patted his back. Then she used her body as a shield to protect the child, making sure no other gorilla could come close. When the rescue team arrived, she even carried the…

A Father’s Final Gift

“The Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library was built through the earnest love of a father who hoped that the name of his daughter, now a star, would remain as a precious light.” Inscription on the interior wall of the library “The building with the most beautiful name,” “the most beautiful library,” “a library with a heartbreaking story,” “the first donation-based library in Korea” . . . These are the nicknames of the Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library, located beside the Seodaemun Prison History Museum. Then, who was Lee Jin-ah, and what is the story behind the founding of this library? Jin-ah was a cheerful second daughter who dreamed of becoming a simultaneous interpreter and making her parents proud. But in June 2003,…

A French General Who Became King of Sweden

In November 1806, French General Bernadotte led his army to occupy Lübeck, a city in the Kingdom of Prussia.1 At that time, around 1,800 Swedish soldiers, who were allies of Prussia, were also in Lübeck. These soldiers had already fought in other battles and were simply waiting to return home. Feeling compassion for them, Bernadotte treated them with respect and safely sent them back to their homeland. 1. The Kingdom of Prussia: A nation that existed in Europe from the 16th to 20th centuries, considered the predecessor of modern Germany. Four years later, Bernadotte received an unexpected offer from the Swedish royal family. They asked him to become the crown prince and heir to the throne. At the time, the…

How to Identify the Mother Horse

An envoy once visited a neighboring country to promote friendly relations. He brought with him two horses. On the surface, they were presented as gifts, but he had another motive in mind. His true intention was to belittle and bring the host country to submission. Handing the horses over to the king of that nation, the envoy posed a challenge: “Please determine which of these two horses is the mother and which is the foal.” The two horses looked almost identical in size and appearance. The king and his officials were deeply troubled. If they failed to answer correctly, it would bring disgrace to their nation. One of the king’s closest aides returned home that day with a worried expression.…

The Stockdale Paradox

In 1965, U.S. military officer James Stockdale fought in the Vietnam War and was captured and imprisoned in a Prisoner of War (POW) camp. Enduring harsh torture and suffering with unshakable willpower, he returned alive to his homeland eight years later. Although he walked with a limp due to the aftereffects of torture, he appeared relatively healthy. Many people asked him the secret of his survival. Stockdale replied: “Those who were only optimistic, thinking they would be released soon, couldn’t endure the hardship in the face of disappointment and ended up dying. I was able to survive to the end because I firmly held onto the hope that I would be freed someday, while also accepting the reality as it…