Vol. 1 7 No. 2 // Fall 2021
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR My 11th grade English literature professor terrified me. She held pop quizzes with glee, made us memorize twenty SAT words each week, and returned our essays with bloody red marks all over them, saying things such as, “This makes no sense,” or, “I think you missed the point.” That said, my junior year of English produced some of my best writing, and my aversion to Shakespeare metamorphosed (SAT word!) into a lifelong love of the Bard. This was the first time I experienced the relationship between fear and wisdom. The book of Proverbs begins with a not-so-subtle admonishment: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 NIV) Fearing God with awesome respect as Lord and teacher is the first step to godly wisdom. In this semester’s issue, we explore how to gain this wisdom, from resting in His presence to acknowledging God’s sovereignty in the midst of chaos. We also share our struggles to learn discipline and to listen to others with whom we disagree. May our journeys toward wisdom bless and inspire yours.
This publication is published by New York University students and NYU is not responsible for its contents. 22
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Sabbath Joseph Shin
It’s easy to bask in the noise and chaos Of everyday living, and conversations over drinks To have fun and revel In all of life’s rote joys But enjoying a peace that comes with grace Is underrated, difficult And more powerful than anything To sit and experience God in the moment Find truth in feeling An explosion of gratitude That is so precise and focused Let it seep into your soul like a fragrance Take a pause now Know God For He knows you And love will grow from knowledge
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Lovers of the Truth Trevor Agatsuma
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I was recently hanging out with a friend who said something that made me unexpectedly emotional. While discussing a political issue he said, “I’ll have to do more research before forming my opinion.” I am used to people who form opinions before doing any research or who look only at evidence that supports their views. Unfortunately, interacting with people who are willing to seek out the truth about an issue is rare for me. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 issues an indictment on people who refuse to love the truth. As believers, we should be lovers of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This takes humility, time and effort, and willingness to have conversations with people whose views are different from our own. To someone who loves being right, talking to a person who makes a good counterpoint to their current position would be a threat. But to a lover of the truth, this same person is a gift!
“As believers, we should be lovers of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” This applies to our theology and politics, as well. In these divided times, we need to seek the whole truth together. If you come from a point of view that sees the American Church as pure and without blemish, then read books like The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby and learn from people like Bryan Stevenson. If you see the American Church as fundamentally racist and rotten to the core, then consider the story of Ray Mayeda, a Japanese American man coming out of internment who was taken care of by the church and came to faith. continued
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This story particularly stands out to me because while my father faced harassment and discrimination as a Japanese American, he was accepted in a majority culture church where he met my mother. This is why I exist today! We must recognize and admit how we as the church have deviated from God’s path and repent. But we should also recognize and celebrate how the Spirit of the living God has brought life and redemption through the church across history. If we choose to defend a certain position and someone presents a good counterpoint to it, they are a threat. But if we choose to be a lover of the truth, this same person can be a partner in seeking truth together. If we as believers loved the truth more than being right or defending our position, we would be more in step with God and be used as instruments of His peace. And the world would be better for it.
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They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 NIV
A Woman of Valor Who Can Find? Why the Proverbs 31 Woman is Unlike Any Other Yvette Shin
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Proverbs 31 ends with an acrostic poem (the first word of each line begins with the consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) about a noble woman which some Bible translations identify as “an excellent wife” (ESV) or “a virtuous woman” (KJV). But some scholars believe that the most fitting translation for the Hebrew “Eshet Chayil” is “A Woman of Valor.” My whole life, I have been confronted by ideals: The Asian Ideal - perfect GPA, high-paying job The Female Ideal - part career woman, part domestic goddess The Christian Ideal - always joyful, always sharing the gospel Sadly, I have never been able to measure up. So when the Proverbs 31 woman is touted as the ideal Christian woman—the one Christian men want to marry and, ergo, the one Christian women want to be—I want to throw my Bible across the room. Like an ode boasting of a warrior’s military triumphs, the poem praises her glorious exploits in heroic fashion. She ... IS TREASURE (Proverbs 31:10). Like hidden treasure, she needs to be sought out. She is worth far more than rubies.
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CLOTHES (Proverbs 31:19-25). The Woman of Valor clothes everyone: the poor with generosity, her household with warmth, her husband with respect, and even herself with strength and dignity. SPEAKS WISDOM (Proverbs 31:26). Not only does the Woman of Valor embody wisdom, she also shares it with others. DESERVES PRAISE (Proverbs 31:28-31). She speaks out wisdom and in return receives praise, from her family and beyond. The Woman of Valor is perfect. Too perfect, actually. Borderline unreal. The first line of the poem asks, “A wife of noble character who can find?” The answer is nowhere, because the poem is not about a woman but about wisdom. It isn’t about a perfect ideal to which Christian women should ascribe. It’s about what happens when we seek, find, love, and then finally “marry” Lady Wisdom, introduced in Proverbs 8. When we seek God’s wisdom in His Word, we all grow to become Women (and Men) of Valor.
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Leadership in Uncertain Times Ye Jin Park
October 11, 2021 Cleaning my inbox is the bane of my existence. My Outlook has 1546 unread emails that have piled up during my short career (and I’m just a first year!). I especially struggle with emails from NYU that scream urgent but are unimportant. One such email was from NYUiLearn asking me to participate in an online training course. Of course I was procrastinating on this until suddenly I wasn’t able to log into my NYU Home and then found out that the email had a coercive clause: “If you do not complete this course, you may be required to change your NYU Home password daily or encounter additional blocks until you complete this course.”
How sneaky! I sheepishly clicked through the training module on a course called, “Leading Yourself & Others in Times of Uncertainty.” One quote that was prominently featured in the course was the following:
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“Leadership exists when people are no longer victims of circumstances but participate in creating new circumstances.” Sounds cool, but what does it mean to “participate in creating new circumstances”? This course was reminiscent of fluffy, motivational YouTube videos that have several thousand views but little substance. Demotivated and jaded, I turned to the Living Word. Don’t judge the Bible by its cover. After stripping away the veneer of the laws, the regulations, the sin, and the guilt-tripping language, there’s real substance. It tastes better than the first bite of bread after a week-long fast, richer than Godiva truffles, and warmer than the embrace of your mom after getting lost at the store and thinking that you lost her forever. I turned to Proverbs 3, titled, “Wisdom Bestows Well-Being.” Great, the title says it all. The key to well-being is wisdom. What is wisdom? Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)
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Thank you for being clear, Solomon. When life is uncertain, I find solace in truth statements from a God who shows me the right way and promises to straighten my path. Tears welled up as I read verses 19-20: By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. In the midst of chaos and confusion, I place my assurance in knowing that God laid the earth’s foundations by wisdom, set the heavens in place by understanding, and divided the waters by knowledge.
“When life is uncertain, I find solace in truth statements from God ...” As I saw a burnt apricot-tinged autumn leaf falling from my window, I felt at peace knowing that randomness is a part of His design, a tool in His hands. I dare not say that everything happens for a good purpose, but nothing escapes God’s sovereignty. And I do know that God is good. This is the effect the Word has on me. My circumstances haven’t changed. My inbox still has 1546 unread emails—oh wait, now 1548! But I refuse to be a victim of my overrun inbox. Rather, I choose to participate with God in creating a new, beautiful circumstance, to be a leader in times of uncertainty.
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Practicing His Presence Abigail Lee
Brother Lawrence was a 17th century French monk who served for thirty years as a cook in the monastery kitchens, spending years tediously chopping, stirring, and cleaning under the watchful eyes of his superiors. Later in his life, he repaired sandals for others, despite the fact that he walked around barefoot. Yet this seemingly mundane period was Brother Lawrence’s happiest. The secret? God’s presence. God’s presence, Brother Lawrence realized, does not rely on the magnitude of the action or task, but rather on the motivation behind them. He wrote, “We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of Him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before Him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.”
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“It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.” Brother Lawrence
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Despite his joy, he was not without his challenges. His mind was prone to wandering, and it took great effort to complete his devotions. In this day and age, focusing on God is just as difficult, with smartphones at our fingertips and life’s worries and responsibilities in the back of our minds. But after years of discipline, Brother Lawrence advised us to lay down other cares and to build our spiritual foundation with the high image and high esteem of God. Only then can we reject every other thought and return to God with a simple trust in Him. Brother Lawrence declared, “I sense His presence continually. But if I should lose that sense, my faith that He is with me would be as strong as the sense had been. … Let us live in His presence. Let us die in His presence.”
The Power of Words Yvette Shin
The 3000-year old Proverbs warned against today's social media dilemma. What can we as Christians do about it?
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The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NIV
Hailed as the new marketplace of ideas, the internet has successfully connected our world in unprecedented ways. But in some areas, especially social media, it has devolved into a trash dump for the loudest and angriest voices—with devastating results. Facebook’s recent problems are forcing us to scrutinize how social media interacts with their users. Citing examples such as the 2018 military coup in Myanmar and the January 6 attack on the U. S. Capitol, critics allege that Facebook knowingly promoted volatile content on their platform via engagement-based algorithms that increase their bottom line. Sadly, the mass misinformation, political polarization, and angry rhetoric that compounds online doesn’t stay online. They creep into our real life conversations, strain relationships, and even find their way to the pulpit. In the wrong hands, powerful words can become powerful weapons. With prophetic insight, the Proverbs warned against the misuse of words and the dangers that may ensue. For instance, Proverbs 26:4 warns,
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. 20 20
Though tempting, engaging in emotionally charged conversations can add fuel to the fire. Instead, Proverbs 10:19 advises,
Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Words must be preceded with careful thought and foresight. Careless words blurted out of emotion only exacerbate tense discourse. But prudence isn’t the only lesson to be learned. Proverbs 25:15 adds,
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Patient, gentle words may not have flash but they have power. Truthful words wielded with wisdom can persuade effectively and even stand the test of time, as Proverbs 12:19 confirms,
Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Christians are tasked with sharing the most powerful words of all—the gospel of Jesus Christ. We should resist the urge to make the good news viral or trendy and, instead, follow the wisdom of the Proverbs by speaking with prudence, gentleness, and humility. Because in the right hands, the power of words can become the power of God.
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God-Mother Anonymous
God is our Helper. She is our shield in times of trouble. And our deliverer in times of need. Yahweh-Ezer, we call upon your aid. God is our Mother. She formed us from the earth, And we are born of her Spirit. Creator, gather us under your wings. God is our Comforter. She seeks us when we are lost, And holds us in her bosom when we are found. El Shaddai, we crave your nourishment.
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CONTRIBUTORS Trevor Agatsuma Abigail Lee Ye Jin Park Joseph Shin Yvette Shin
EDITING & LAYOUT Alyson Ferro Rebekah Shin Yvette Shin
If you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:4-6 NIV