Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth...and again he said, You are the light of the world". The world has changed a lot since those words were spoken. Around here we live in little neighborhoods. My neighborhood just got a little less salty. Two doors down from our house is where Harry and Caroline Gong lived until last week. We have a pretty large church so while I see a lot of people on Sunday, I don't know how they live their lives out the rest of the week. I have lived close enough to Harry and Caroline to know about them. Harry worked the parking lot crew here at church. I don't know all that Caroline did here at church but she was the hub of our neighborhood. She seemed to know everyone and everyone knew her. She seemed to love everyone and everyone loved her. If I wanted to know how someone was doing all I had to do was ask Caroline. She knew. She cared. People hung out down at the Gong house. It was a place where everyone felt at home and cared for. I think that is what Jesus had in mind when he called us salt and light. So, today I am reminded of just how bright one family can make a neighborhood and how much I already miss the taste of the Gongs.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
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2 comments:
You are right Joe, the Gongs are wonderful people and their presence will be sorely missed. They had a way of making you feel welcome and important the minute you walked in the room; both always smiling and as interested in you as in themselves. You could tell they really cared. Caroline’s upbeat attitude and strength while Harry was in China for a year, which is not easy with three busy kids, was incredible and unfaltering. She was always faithful and grounded. And I am sure it wasn’t easy for Harry either, with his family still in America and all of the uncertainty. I know my kids will also miss their kids, who are wonderful as well, not to mention the huge holes left on our swim team! But on the bright side, I know the Gongs will spread their love of Christ and others around the world and make China a better place as well!
Wow our family was blessed to know the Gong's too. My husband is from Japan and someone thought that Harry was from there I ran to meet them with anxious heart as I hoped that his Christianity could wear off on my husband (not a believer). God had other intentions though of course. I guess some think Chinese and Japanese are the same, ha ha.
They are not but Caroline and Harry made my husband feel the love of Christ. I am proud to know these guys and how their lives meshed with ours. Especially as mixed racial families got to know eachother and the highs and woes of such things. Caroline and I talked long and hard about our strange connectiveness. Eventhough geographically China and Japan are different they were accepting of us and reflected the true spirtit of God! Which reminds me of our own country and the racial tension here. In Galatians we are learning what the Gongs easily reflected that God says that we are all the same in His eyes and are made in His image. We should be reminded when we see eachother of God's word we are learning about...
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
In reality when we are joined with our Father, we will all be "a great multitude, which no one could count" in heaven, and that these people will be "from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues." (Revelation 7:9-10)
Shouldn’t we as Christians rejoice in our uniqueness, as it is a reflection of God? I think that Caroline and Harry demonstrated the true hospitality of God, always accepting and welcoming. I am honored to know them and have them as friends.
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