(Written on July 27, 2013 and updated on April 27, 2025)
"Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days."
This verse from Ecclesiastes 11:1 has always intrigued me with its enigmatic meaning. While there are various interpretations, I believe it conveys this: when we show kindness to strangers—those we may never meet again—those good deeds have a way of returning to us in times of our own need. Every time I read this verse, I am reminded of a pivotal incident that shaped my life.
It was 1995, during my final semester at Alliance Theological Seminary. One day, a Korean student who had been my junior by ten years at Kimchun High School approached me with a request. He shared that most Korean students found studying Hebrew and Greek texts in their original languages, combined with their struggles in English, to be a seemingly insurmountable challenge. While I didn’t typically volunteer assistance, I found it difficult to refuse when someone asked for help. After discussing with the students, I began teaching Hebrew and Greek texts to Korean students twice a week in an unused classroom—unofficially, of course. There was no personal benefit for me; it was purely an act of service. After dedicating one semester to volunteering, I graduated from the seminary and returned home to Long Island.
At the time, I had applied to five doctoral programs in biblical studies, but, oddly enough, none accepted me. Forced into an unplanned pause, I decided to make the best of my situation by continuing to help Korean students. Even after graduation, I made the long trip to Nyack twice a week, paying toll fees, to continue teaching Hebrew and Greek texts.
One day, while I was teaching the Book of Ruth in Hebrew in a classroom at Mosley Hall, writing on the blackboard and delivering an explanation, the door unexpectedly opened. Two individuals stepped in and began observing my lecture—they were Paul Bubna, the seminary president at the time, and Harold Shelley, the Greek professor. Bubna later served two terms as the denomination president before his sudden passing. I can only assume that they had heard rumors about my unofficial lectures and decided to see for themselves.
About seven months later, I was invited to teach two Greek courses at Nyack College’s Korean Extension. Unexpectedly, during that semester, the extension, which was located at the New York San Jeong Hyun Church, was closed. To save the twelve enrolled students, the school decided to open a new Extension campus in another location, designating me as the director for its one-year interim period. Remarkably, the following year, I began serving as the director and full-time professor at the newly opened extension campus. My teaching career, which started then, has now lasted over thirty years. Later, I discovered that my volunteer work teaching Greek and Hebrew texts to seminary students had caught the attention of those who recommended me for the role at Nyack College. Additionally, my appointment as a professor at Nyack College was likely influenced by the support of Bubna, who was then the denomination president.
The world today feels increasingly harsh and indifferent. People often hesitate to act unless there’s an immediate benefit for them. Even in the face of extreme situations, such as seeing someone dying before their eyes, individualism reigns supreme. However, in such a world, God continues to offer us the key to blessings:
"Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days."