어떻게 서로 함께? How To Be With Each Other

어떻게 서로 함께? How To Be With Each Other 오래 전 사람의 타고난 성품이 어떤가를 조사하고자 아직 세상에 물들지 않은 어린아이들을 외딴 섬에 옮겨 살게 하였더니 이들이 자라며 서로 주장하고 다투는 것이 일반 사회와 다를 것이 없었다. 연구하던 자들은 사람은 악하게 태어난다며 성선설이 아니라 성악설을 말하였다. 이런 사람들이 교회나 사회에서 어떻게 함께 조화를 이루며 살 수 있을까? 내가 잘 낫기에 인정 받으려고만 한다면 다른 사람도 그렇게 생각하고 있음을 알아야 할 것이나 사람 사이에 마찰을 피하고 화목하게 살기를 원하는 마음이 있어야 할 것이다. 이에 대하여 바울은 로마서 12장에서 마음을 같이 하여 높은데 처하지 말고 낮은데 처하라 한다. 내가 다른 사람보다 나이나 지위나 가진 것이 못하다고 인정하는 것이다. 이는 조화로운 삶을 위한 시작이다. 때로 나를 누르고 괴롭히는 사람이 있으면 직접 대하지 말고 인내하며 하나님께 그를 맡기면 의로우신 하나님이 책임질 것이기에 우리로서는 악을 악으로 갚지 말고 항상 선을 행하라는 말씀이다. 쉽지 않은 일이나 가능한 일이다. 내가 나를 돌아보면 처음 올바니 한인교회 목사로 초청 받은 때 목회 준비가 되지 않은 상태에서 어떻게 목회하는지 몰랐기에 나는 교인들을 섬기는 자로 갈 것이다 작정하였다. 나는 심부름군으로 있다고 하니 어느 경우에나 마음이 편하고 자기를 주장할 일이 없었다. 지역 유일한 한인교회로 카톨릭을 포함하여 모든 교파의 사람이 함께하고 학생 의사 다문화 가정이 함께 하고 모든 한인을 찾아가며 절기에는 모든 한인이 함께 모이는 교회가 되었다. 내가 시카고의 부름을 받은 때 교회는 지역 최초 한인교회에서 분리되어 그후 몇 차례 나누어지며 30년이 되고 당회에서 장로들이 서로 욕을 하며 싸우고 목사를 마음대로 하려다가 되지 않으면 그를 괴롭히고 반대하며 어려움을 준다. 목회하기가 결코 쉽지 않다. 강단 앞에서 기도하며 성찬상에 나를 눕히고 내 몸과 피 전체를 주께 드리며 나는 죽었으니 주께서 주의 몸인 교회를 맡아 달라 하였다. 주께서 일하시는 것을 볼 수 있다. 나를 어렵게 하던 자들을 부드럽게 하고 또는 잘못을 깨닫게 하는 징조를 부여주거나 또는 이동을 시켜 교회가 평화를 유지하게 되고 지금까지 그 교회 62년 역사에서 유일한 은퇴자가 되었으니 주의 은혜라 주께 감사한다. 목사가 자기를 주장하거나 학위를 내세우거나 잘난 체 하지 않고 오직 섬기는 자로 자신을 낮추며 죄인을 위하여 희생하신 주님의 뒤를 따라 스스로 죽었다고 자신에게 선언하고 섬긴다면 어느 교회에 불화와 분리가 일어날까? 교회만 아니라 지금 사는 콘도에서도 모두가 한때 자랑스런 위치와 일을 가진 사람들이지만 겸손한 자세로 먼저 남을 존중하고 친절하게 하는 것이 화목하고 평화로운 삶의 길이기에 실천하려고 노력하는 것이 감사하다. How To Be With Each Other Long ago, in an attempt to investigate the innate nature of human beings, researchers took young children who had not yet been influenced by the world and brought them to live on a remote island. As the children grew, they began to assert their own interests and quarrel with one another, behaving no differently from people in ordinary society. The researchers concluded that human beings are born evil rather than good, supporting the doctrine of original human depravity rather than the belief that human nature is inherently good. How, then, can people live together in harmony, whether in the church or in society? If I seek recognition simply because I think I am better than others, I must realize that others may think the same way about themselves. Instead, we need a sincere desire to avoid friction and live peacefully with one another. In Romans 12, Paul teaches us to be of the same mind, not to be proud or associate only with those of high standing, but to be willing to associate with people of low position. This means acknowledging that others may surpass us in age, position, or possessions. Such humility is the starting point of a harmonious life. Sometimes, people may oppress or mistreat us. Rather than confronting them directly, we can exercise patience and entrust them to God. The righteous God will take responsibility for what is right. Our responsibility is not to repay evil with evil, but always to do what is good. This is certainly not easy, but it is possible. When I look back on my own life, I remember that when I was first invited to become the pastor of the Albany Korean Church, I was not adequately prepared for pastoral ministry and did not know how to lead a congregation. So I made a simple decision: I would go there to serve the members of the church. I regarded myself as their servant, someone ready to run errands and help wherever needed. With this attitude, I felt at ease in every situation because I had no need to assert myself or insist on my own way. As the only Korean church in the area, it became a congregation where people from all denominations, including Catholics, could worship together. Students, physicians, and multicultural families also came together. We reached out to Koreans throughout the region, and during special seasons and holidays, the Korean community gathered as one. The church became a place where people from many different backgrounds could come together in unity. When I was later called to serve a church in Chicago, I encountered a very different situation. The congregation had separated from the first Korean church in the area and had subsequently divided several times. By then, the church had a history of thirty years. At church council meetings, elders sometimes insulted one another and fought. They tried to control the pastor, and when they could not get their way, they harassed, opposed, and created difficulties for him. Pastoral ministry was certainly not easy. I prayed before the pulpit and lay myself down before the communion table, offering my entire body and blood to the Lord. I declared that I had died to myself and asked the Lord to take charge of His church, for the church is His body. Then I began to see the Lord at work. The Lord softened the hearts of those who had made my ministry difficult. At times, He gave them signs that helped them recognize their own wrongdoing; at other times, He led them to move elsewhere. In these ways, the church was able to maintain its peace. In the sixty-two-year history of that congregation, I became the only pastor to retire from it. I regard this as an expression of the Lord's grace, and I give Him my heartfelt thanks. If a pastor does not insist on his own way, boast of his academic degrees, or act as though he is superior to others, but instead humbles himself as a servant, follows the Lord who sacrificed Himself for sinners, and declares himself dead to self in order to serve others, how could discord and division continue to arise in the church? This principle applies not only to the church but also to the condominium community where I now live. Many of my neighbors once held distinguished positions and performed important work in their lives. Yet the path to a harmonious and peaceful community is to remain humble, respect others first, and treat them with kindness. I am grateful that I can continue trying to put this principle into practice in my daily life.