By: Chef Tamago
Can you remember a time when you didn’t know Jesus Christ? What was your life like then? A Japanese friend of mine, we’ll call her Kanako*, had lived most of her life without knowing Jesus Christ. Not only did she not know him as her Lord and Savior–she did not even know of his existence. “Before I knew the existence of Jesus Christ,” she said, “I didn’t know it was possible to be protected by someone’s love.” But now by the grace of God, my friend–and all who are in Christ–are protected forever in his love.
I had the amazing privilege to see Kanako come to faith in Christ, be baptized, and grow in her faith over many years. When I first got to know her at my former ministry site, she knew nothing of Christ or the Christian faith. She even said when she first started to talk with us about Jesus and the gospel story that it seemed like fiction or a fairy tale. But little by little, as seeds were planted and watered, God worked in Kanako’s heart to bring her out of the darkness and into the marvelous light of Christ.
The first sown seeds were what I might be tempted to call small or insignificant, such as a teammate of mine helping Kanako to make a phone call in English. Though seemingly so small and simple, this act significantly impacted Kanako. She thought she should pay us for our trouble or give us something in return, but we explained that it was our joy to help.
Another seed was when Kanako started to practice a hymn in English in her English class. As she was practicing at home, tears started to come down her face, but she couldn’t understand why. When she asked us about this amazing grace she was singing about, God opened the door to share the gospel. And not too long after this, by the amazing grace of God, her eyes were opened to the everlasting joy and forgiveness of sins found in Christ alone.
God grants it to us to sow seeds and to water, but we know–and rejoice!–that He alone gives the growth. With the phone call help, in singing the hymn, in dialoguing about gospel questions, reading the Bible together, and many more things, through seed after planted seed, God was working to draw Kanako to Himself.
My encouragement to us all as we seek to show the love of Christ to the Japanese is never to assume a word or act of kindness is too small or insignificant to make a difference, to pave the way for Gospel conversations, and to have an eternal impact. I have witnessed the Lord work through things as seemingly small as providing a listening ear to someone, asking how they are doing and listening to them share their dreams or burdens, offering to pray for them, to name a few things, to deepen relationships with Japanese and provide more opportunities to share about the hope that is within us.
Our God works in ways we would never expect, in ways that seem impossible, and I pray that we will seek to reach our Japanese friends, co-workers, acquaintances, whoever the Lord puts in our path, with hearts fully reliant on the Lord, with hearts of care and compassion, praying for his eye-opening work in their hearts, and expecting God to do what is only possible with Him.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV).
*Name changed to protect the privacy of those mentioned.