A culture of extremes, if I’ve ever seen one.
If Seoul, S. Korea has unwritten mottos, they seem to be, “Work hard, play harder” and “Go big or go home”.
Something I’ve learned quickly about this motherland of mine is that the enemy absolutely hates this place and these people. He has been unabashedly, unreservedly perverted the potential Kingdom energy lining the sidewalks. Because he knows that those brothels and tarot reading booths would otherwise be holy ground. Because if these people with a capacity to follow things so devoutly actually loved Jesus, they’d be all in and he’d be trampled in an instant.
I’ve spent much of my first few weeks meeting people and walking around Gangnam, in the heart of Seoul. (Yes, the same Gangnam referred to in the overplayed song, “Gangnam Style.”) And you know what I’ve observed true Gangnam style to be? A lot of sex, alcohol, designer items, plastic surgery, hard-earned money, and secretly (but not so secretly) desperate and hurting people.
Interestingly, there’s also a plethora of churches and missions-loving church communities. (And ridiculously adorable children, might I add.)
A culture of extremes. ‘If you choose to do it, do it fully and well and be the best. And if it’s popular and you don’t have it, then obviously you’re missing out on the best and newest thing… So get on it!’
This week, I learned some disturbing, disheartening things about this nation:
- most lust-filled country
- [average married man cheats on his wife 4x/week (e.g. on ‘business golf trip’ really involving sex); most pornography consumption / most customers of child sex industry; loads of sex tourism]
- steadily among the highest suicide rates (this generation’s rate 5x higher than parents’ generation)
- most alcohol consumption (twice as much as #2, Russia)
There’s so much smog here, which not only depresses me but also feels symbolic of a thick shroud of deception and numbness that has come over this city.
I feel like I’m going out to battle every time I get ready to step out of the comfort and spiritual safe haven of my aunt’s home.
God reminds that though I’m not of this world, I’m living in it. And my heavenly tasks lie within it as well. I’m being stripped bare again; there’s nothing quite like the humbling realization that you haven’t been loving well the very people with whom you’re about to make a dwelling place. My desire was to build a dwelling place for the Lord (Psalm 132) wherever I go in the world, starting within my own heart and echoing out to people and cities around me.
Yet I walk around, mirroring the walls that are around me. Holy Spirit in me knows no walls! I better stop confining Him, huh…
So as I lean on His grace, I plead for prayer now:
Please pray that out of these determined, gifted people of Korea would rise bold servant leaders for the Kingdom. For faith in this nation to be unmovable and contagious at once. For piercing light and freedom.
Please pray for no bitterness, judgment, despair, or hopelessness to come over me. Instead for confidence and joy in that He has overcome darkness already! And for increased capacity to receive His love, that I may give more.
In all things, HE IS GOOD. He WILL finish what HE has started.
