There is a jujube tree in front of my house. It blooms in the spring and bears green and sweet fruit in autumn, providing nourishment for my thirsty heart. There is also a small river flowing in front of my house. This flow of living water seems to tell a never-ending story.
Since I am now an adult, I need to earn my own living and take care of myself. No one will be there to take care of me and spoil me. The reality of this life will challenge me in many ways. Therefore, I need a strong will to resist the challenges and trials of society.
But even a strong person will experience weariness and weakness. Broad shoulders are needed at times to provide comfort. So what provides this comfort for me? The answer is in my hometown and the jujube trees. I am eager to see the blossoming of the jujube flowers and taste the sweet and delicious fruit. In this changing world, I look toward my home, the warm feelings of a home, and the warmth of families among the jujube trees.
But what gives my soul strength and support? The answer is my faith. This faith was passed on to me by my mother’s aunt, who is my great aunt.
Her faith is very simple, sincere, and pure, similar to that of a child depending on her mother. I also have a deeper understanding of faith based in prayer and study. I began with doubts and confusion as I attempted to find clarity and familiarity, now I simply believe and rely on Jesus, without complaint or regret, without any external conditions. The understanding of Jesus and His love are sufficient for me.
When I left my hometown, I walked a road that was difficult. But whenever I feel stressed and unable to overcome problems, I always remember an old saying: "Heavy pressure is not a disaster, but a driving force to help us take off." The pharmacist knows the best medicine is in the deep forests and above the cliffs because the comfort of the plains has exhausted the potency of medicine. Even the jujube tree in my hometown has been made stronger by wind and frost, rain and snow, and purified by the severe cold and scorching heat.
My career is just beginning. I don't want to become famous overnight, and I just hope to achieve a little success step by step and through my own efforts. If I am better today than I was yesterday, I am calmer and humbler now than last week, then I am making progress towards my goals. What's more, as a Christian, we should not indulge in material desires, but devote ourselves to spiritual things and gospel ministry.
In my work, I have also experienced some struggles with correct ideology and thinking. The city is filled with tall buildings, but I only rent a small room with a few square meters, and even with all my savings I can only buy a few square meters of an apartment. So I am constantly shouting: "When can I make it to the top in this city?" But after reading books, experiencing life, and growing in my spiritual life, my thought has changed from being so impetuous to being quiet. I have moved from being childish to someone who is more mature. Now I no longer feel resentful and bitter but have learned to think deeply and more introspectively.
I also have reflected on why I have been shouting. I have been fighting for power and to become someone, but those with true power don’t just keep asking but they also give. Now I often say to myself: "I don't need to stand at the top of the city, I just need to be the master of my own house. I am willing to serve God and serve people, like Jesus. He is God, but He washed the feet of his disciples. What an example of humility. He not only showed His love but also gave a good example for all the disciples, so that everyone can imitate Him by serving others and being humble. The person who knows himself and can exercise self-control can walk on the ladder of dreams; the people who are humble can gain spiritual blessings; and the people who are thinking of and devote themselves to others can be blessed by God.
When facing a complex society, the young me will encounter various setbacks and problems. But whenever I am restless, I think of Jesus, the soul shepherd. He came from heaven. He was divine, full of tenderness and love; and He is the son of the Father, majestic, full of care and sympathy for all humans. Let us treat sin like a field that welcomes the farmers to plough the weeds, and then harvest fruit in autumn.
The spring seeds sown by the farmer represent hope for a new life, the same as in our lives. "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here." Let our lives sow the new seeds, be watered by the Holy Spirit, nurtured in the Word and the truth, bearing plenty of spiritual fruit that will ensure that we will be victorious soldiers of Christ.
- Translated by Elaina Wu
