”and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 1:14)
Many of you know that my wife and I just returned from a trip to South Korea. The trip was organized by the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church and was done in conjunction with Bupyeong Methodist Church in Incheon City, South Korea. Bupyeong hosts 12-15 groups a year and it’s difficult to describe just how remarkable this trip was, especially considering the commitment Bupyeong has made to this ministry.
I’d heard from others who have taken this trip that I would be astounded by the church’s hospitality and that was indeed the case. From the moment we were each given roses as we walked out of the airport onto Bupyeong’s charter bus to the ovation we received from staff when we arrived at the church, it was one act of kindness after another.
Those acts of kindness got to be overwhelming. On Sunday, we received a tour of the church, went to one of the services, were treated to a very nice lunch (made by volunteers pictured above) and then were told that there would be a “mini-concert” just for us (here’s a video of a similar mini-concert that was given to another group in 2014). I was floored by how good the concert was and then there was another worship that night with a phenomenal choir from Seoul (”Brought here just for you,” said the Bupyeong pastor) and then after the service we were kindly ushered into another room for cake. That’s when I started feeling uncomfortable. As we walked out of the sanctuary and down the hallway, there was a group of about five people all smiling and showing us into the room for the post-worship refreshments. As I walked by the group, I said to myself, “It’s all too much!”
But the warmth and hospitality weren’t acts. None of this was done for show or just to make a good impression. It truly felt authentic.
There have been too few times in my life where I have felt overwhelmed by God’s love. I’ve rarely doubted God’s love for me, but it’s always felt like it was just enough. But that’s more my issue than God’s. The kindness after kindness shown by us by the members of Bupyeong reminded me that God’s love is never just enough. As First Timothy reminds me, God’s grace overflows. It spills over. It, frankly, can make a mess, which can make me feel uncomfortable. I confess to wanting that love meted out just so. But the hospitality of Bupyeong reminded me that it’s OK to receive the overflow and grab a cup to receive even more so that, as Paul notes in Philippians 1:9, my love for God and neighbor might overflow more and more.