In a Korean proverb, there is a saying, “A big pot cannot fit into a small pot.” Surprisingly, this simple Korean proverb has given me a lot of comfort. It has provided me with wisdom to overcome the pain, sorrow, and turmoil that I, as a minority, experienced in the majority society. Furthermore, this experience has been instrumental in helping me understand the principles of the Bible that are necessary for overcoming difficulties.

한국어 속담에 “큰 그릇 작은 그릇에 못 포갠다”는 말이 있습니다. 놀랍게도 단순한 이 한국 속담이 내게 많은 위안을 주었습니다. 내가 소수에 해당하는 사람으로 다수의 사회에서 겪는 아픔 슬픔 환란을 이기는 데 좋은 지혜를 주었기 때문입니다. 나아가서 이 체험은 내가 그 어려움을 이겨내는 데 필요한 성경의 원칙을 이해하는 데 많은 도움을 주었습니다. 

Among the hardships that humans face, there are hardships caused by their BEING. Children born in countries at war, people living in societies dominated by famine and poverty, and those born as slaves are examples. But there is more than that. The difficulties experienced due to factors such as skin color, race, and language barriers are also part of that kind of suffering. Such hardship often comes from most people who belong to the same group or community. In other words, most of the hardship caused by BEING stems from the system made and ruled by the majority of society.

인간이 받는 고난 중에는 자신의 존재로 인한 고난이 있습니다. 전쟁 중인 나라에 태어난 아이들, 기아과 빈곤이 지배하는 사회에서 사는 사람들, 그리고 노예로 태어난 사람들이 그 예입니다. 그런데 이것 말고도 있습니다. 피부색, 인종, 언어장벽 등으로 인해 겪는 어려움들이 바로 그것입니다. 이런 핍박은 같은 그룹 혹은 커뮤니티에 속한 다수를 차지하는 사람들로부터 옵니다. 즉, 이 존재로 인한 핍박의 대부분은 소수가 그 그룹 혹은 사회의 다수로부터 혹은 그 다수가 컨트롤하는 시스템으로부터 야기됩니다. 

For example, Asians who speak a language other than English attending schools where English-speaking Caucasians are the majority inevitably face difficulties that the majority do not experience or even think about. The aliens often struggle to feel a sense of belonging and live mostly as outsiders. Even when interacting with open-minded individuals from the majority, they must accept the majority’s culture and not assert their own. It requires a great deal of patience and energy. Especially when conflicts arise with the majority, individuals belonging to the minority must comply with the standards set by the majority. Otherwise, they may no longer be welcomed as normal individuals in that society. There seems to be another choice, which is to leave that society. However, this choice is not always feasible because the situation may not be substantially different, even if they leave that community and go elsewhere.

예를들어, 영어를 쓰는 백인들이 대다수인 학교를 다니는 영어가 모국어가 아닌 아시안은 여러모로 다수인 백인들은 겪지 않는, 심지어 생각지도 못하는 어려움을 겪을 수밖에 없습니다. 일단 소속감을 느끼기 힘들고 대부분 외톨이처럼 지내야 합니다. 다수에 속한 사람들 중 마음이 열린 사람들과 함께 어울리는 경우에도 그들의 문화를 수동적으로 받아들이고, 자신의 문화를 주장하지 말아야 합니다. 이는 많은 인내심과 에너지를 요구합니다. 특히 다수에 속한 사람과 갈등이 발생했을 때는 소수에 속한 사람은 다수가 만들어놓은 기준에 복종해야만 합니다. 그러지 않으면 더 이상 그 사회에서는 다수에 의해 정상적인 사람으로 받아들여지지 않을 수 있기 때문입니다. 다른 한 가지 선택이 있는데, 그것은 그 사회를 떠나는 것입니다. 하지만 이 선택은 실제로는 가능한 선택이 아닙니다. 왜냐하면 그 커뮤니티를 떠나 다른 곳에 가도 상황은 크게 다르지 않기 때문입니다. 

Is God discriminating against those who suffer due to their BEING? No, He is not. Instead, it means His even greater blessings. To recognize our BEING as a blessing, one must understand the principles about the suffering that the word of God teaches and live according to God’s will. In other words, one needs to change according to God’s word, perspective, and attitude to BEING part of the minority.

하나님은 이 존재로 인해 고난받는 사람들을 차별하는 것일까요? 그렇지 않습니다. 오히려 더 큰 축복을 주시는 것입니다. 이것이 축복임을 알려면, 하나님이 주시는 고난에 관한 원리를 이해하고, 하나님의 뜻에 맞게 살아야 합니다. 즉, 첫째 상황에 대한 ‘나’의 관점을 하나님의 말씀이 가르치는 대로 바꾸고, 둘째 그 상황 속에서 가져온 ‘나’의 태도를 하나님 말씀에 따라 바꾸어야 합니다. 

Now, consider the perspective taught by God’s word while thinking about the Korean proverb. First, Romans 5:3-5 says, “… we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame ….” What message does this passage convey to those who suffer due to their BEING as a minority? Suppose the minority individuals overcome the suffering through endurance. In that case, they can develop a more excellent Christian character than the majority, who do not even know or experience such suffering. Moreover, a more mature character than the majority can give them hope, and God will never put their hope to shame. Applying the Korean proverb here, it means that a Christian born into suffering due to their BEING as a minority can become a larger pot in terms of character than their peers who belong to the majority.

그럼 이제 그 한국 속담을 생각하면서 하나님의 말씀이 가르치는 관점을 보시기 바랍니다. 첫째로, 로마서 5장 2-3절은 “환난은 인내를, 인내는 연단을, 연단은 소망을 이룬다”고 합니다. 이 말이 소수에 속한 사람들에게 전하는 메세지는 뭘까요? 존재로 인해 고난을 받는 소수의 사람들이 그 고난을 인내로써 이겨나가면, 그 고난을 알지도 겪지도 않는 다수의 사람들보다 더 훌륭한 크리스챤의 인격을 갖게 될 수 있다는 것입니다. 그리고 그 다수에 비해 더욱 성숙한 인격은 그 사람에게 소망을 주고 하나님은 결코 그 소망을 부끄럽게 하지 않으신다는 것입니다. 여기에 한국 속담을 적용해 보면, 태어나면서 부터 존재로 인한 고난 속에 사는 크리스챤은 다수에 속한 동년배들, 동료들, 심지어 형제 자매들보다 인격적으로 더 큰 그릇이 될 수 있다는 것입니다. 

Next, we should pay attention to God’s plan for us to be part of the minority. In the context of a Korean proverb, there are always large and small vessels coexisting in God’s kingdom. It is God’s will for the large vessels to embrace and hold the small vessels (cf. Romans 14:1). 2 Corinthians 1:5-6 says, “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort ….” In other words, God uses suffering to develop endurance, character, and hope in His children. It is to comfort and encourage others, even those who may not know or understand the suffering. In the context of the Korean proverb, this means that God makes us into larger vessels to embrace and help the smaller vessels. In short, God, by making us part of the minority, has assigned us a glorious responsibility, having been born into the majority society.

다음으로, 우리가 주목할 것은 우리를 소수에 속하게 하신 하나님의 계획입니다. 다시 한국 속담의 예를 들자면, 하나님의 나라에는 항상 큰 그릇과 작은 그릇이 같이 존재하는데 큰 그릇이 작은 그릇을 품어 안아 주게 하려는 것이 하나님의 뜻입니다. 고린도전서 1장 5-6절은 “그리스도의 고난이 우리에게 넘친것 같이 우리의 위로도 그리스도로 말미암아 넘치는도다 6우리가 환난 받는 것도 너희의 위로와 구원을 위함이요 혹 위로 받는 것도 너희의 위로를 위함이니 이 위로가 너희 속에 역사하여 우리가 받는것 같은 고난을 너희도 견디게 하느니라”고 말합니다. 즉, 하나님께서 고난을 통해서 그의 자녀들을 인내와 연단과 소망에 이르게 하는 것은 다른 사람들 즉 그 고난을 겪기는 커녕 알지도 못하는 사람들이 고난 받을 때에 그들을 위로해 주기 위함입니다. 한국 속담을 여기에 적용하자면, 작은 그릇을 품어 안아 보호해 주기 위해 우리를 큰 그릇으로 만드시는 것입니다. 한마디로, 하나님은 소수에 속함으로써 존재 그자체로 태어나면서부터 핍박과 억압과 환련을 겪을 수 밖에 없는 사람들에게 거룩한 목적을 두셨습니다. 이 얼마나 영광스러운 직분입니까?

Among the great figures in the Bible, some were trained as God’s servants through suffering caused by their BEING. For example, Abraham left his homeland and his relatives and lived in a foreign land (Genesis 12:1). In the foreign land, he almost lost his wife, Sarah, to the Pharaoh of Egypt (Genesis 12:10ff). Joseph, who was sold into Egypt at a young age, had to stay there until his death and went through countless trials, truly belonging to the minority within the majority (Genesis 37ff). Moses was raised as an Egyptian prince and then fled to the land of the Midianites, where he worked in the wilderness for his father-in-law until he was eighty years old, even to the point of having a speech impediment (Exodus 4:10). Before becoming king, David had to flee from Saul’s chase to kill him for over a decade and traveled among various foreign lands (1 Samuel 21ff). And what about Jesus? He, who belonged to the heavenly realm, came into the human world and suffered persecution and death on the cross. It was because there was no other way for Him to become the Savior who would save all humanity than suffering (Hebrews 2:10).

성경의 위대한 인물들 중에는 존재로 인한 핍박을 통해 하나님의 큰 종으로 훈련된 사람들이 있습니다. 예를 들면, “아브라함은 본토 친척 아비집을 떠나” 이방인의 땅에서 기거하다가 생을 마쳤으니 말할 것도 없습니다 (창세기 12:1). 오죽했으면, 기근을 피해 갔던 이집트의 바로에게 아내 사라를 빼앗길 뻔하기도 했겠습니까(창세기 12:10 이하)? 이스라엘 민족을 이집트에서 번성케 하는 일에 쓰임받은 요셉도 말할 나위 없습니다 (창세기 37장 이하). 어린 나이에 이집트라는 이방 나라에 팔려가 죽기까지 거기에 있었으니 소수 중에 소수에 속했지요. 모세는 태어나면서 사십이 되기 까지는 히브리인으로서 이집트 왕국의 공주의 양자로 자랐고, 그후 팔십세가 될 때까지는 미디안 족속의 땅으로 도망가서 미디안 여인을 아내로 맞아 미디안 사람인 장인을 위해 광야에서 일했습니다. 오죽하면 말을 더듬거릴 정도가 되었겠습니까(출애굽기 4:10)? 다윗은 왕이 되기 전에 십수년 간에 사울 왕의 죽이려는 시도를 피해 이방 나라들을 전전해야 했습니다 (사무엘상 21장 이하). 지금까지 예들은 그렇다 치고, 예수님은 어땠습니까? 하늘나라에 속하신 분이 인간의 세상에 오셔서 결국은 그 차이를 인식하지 못한 사람들에게 고초를 당하시고 십자가 위에서 죽임을 당하지 않았습니까? 왜냐하면 그런 고난이 아니고서는 모든 인간을 구원할 구세주로 세워지실 다른 방법이 없었기 때문입니다 (히브리서 2:10).

All these biblical figures, however, went through suffering to be trained according to God’s purpose. In other words, from God’s perspective, BEING born and destined to endure suffering from BEING is a special blessing and a calling for God’s purpose. So, Romans 5:3 says, “We rejoice in our sufferings.”

이와같이 이 모든 성경의 인물들은 그 고난을 통해 하나님께서 사용하실 그 목적에 맞게 훈련을 받았습니다. 다시 말하면, 존재로 인해서 태어나면서부터 고난을 받도록 태어난 것은 하나님의 관점에서 보면, 하나님의 목적을 위해 특별한 축복과 부르심을 받은 것이라는 것입니다. 그래서 로마서 5장 2절은 “이로써 우리가 환난 중에도 즐거워”한다고 말한 것입니다. 

Then, what attitude should we have toward the suffering we inevitably experience as part of the minority? First and foremost, we should not complain or negatively view our BEING as a minority but rather see it as a blessing from God and give thanks to Him. We cannot emphasize it enough because it is why we consider our BEING an opportunity to glorify God. Why? Because our BEING as part of the minority was created through Jesus (Colossians 1:16), it is a good gift from God (James 1:17), and therefore, we should use it for the purpose of glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31). With such an attitude, it goes without saying that God will bless us even more abundantly in the face of the suffering from BEING (Romans 2:6, 4:20).

그렇다면, 이렇듯 소수에 속했다는 이유로 어쩔 수 없이 받는 고난에 대해 어떤 태도를 가져야 할까요? 무엇보다 먼저, 우리는 우리의 소수에 속한 존재를 한탄하거나 비관적으로 보지 말고 하나님의 축복으로 보고 하나님께 감사하고 하나님을 찬양해야 합니다. 이는 아무리 강조해도 지나치지 않은 것인데, 우리의 특별한 존재를 하나님께 대해 드리는 영광의 이유로 여기는 것입니다. 왜냐하면, 소수에 속한 우리의 존재는 예수님을 통해서 지어주어진 것이고 (골로새서 1:16), 하나님의 선한 선물이며 (야고보서 1:17), 따라서 우리는 그것도 하나님께 영광을 목적으로 사용해야 합니다 (고린도전서 10:31). 이러한 태도로 그 고난을 대할 때 하나님이 우리를 더욱 더 축복해 주실 것은 말할 것도 없습니다 (로마서 2:6, 4:20 참조).  

Next, another attitude we should have is to love and serve. That is, we should have a heart that embraces and helps the smaller vessels in accordance with the blessings God has given us through our BEING and his calling upon us. We have been created as BEINGs belonging to the minority for this purpose, and it involves loving and serving those who are like smaller vessels. It is the servant-leadership that Jesus taught and exemplified (Matthew 20:25-28). Therefore, when we love and help those who belong to the majority, who have never thought about, known, or experienced the hardships of the minority, we fulfill God’s purpose and His calling upon us.

다음으로 우리가 가져야 할 태도는 사랑과 섬김입니다. 즉, 하나님께서 우리의 존재를 통해 우리에게 주신 축복과 우리를 부르신 부르심의 목적에 합당하게 작은 그릇들을 품어 안아 보호해 주는 마음을 갖는 것입니다. 우리는 이 목적을 위해 소수에 속한 특별한 존재로 지으심을 받았기에, 존재로 인해 받는 환란을 통해 인내와 연단을 이룸으로써, 하나님의 선하신 목적, 즉 작은 그릇에 해당하는 사람들을 하나님의 선하심과 자비하심과 은혜로우심으로 사랑하고 섬길 수 있습니다. 이것이 바로 예수님께서 가르쳐 주시고 친히 행하신 "종의 리더쉽"입니다 (마태복음 20:25-25). 다수에 속함으로써 태생적으로 겪는 고난을 생각지도 알지도 겪어보지도 못한 다수에 속한 사람들을 우리가 주님의 사랑으로 사랑하고 하나님의 진리로 섬길 때 우리에게 두신 하나님의 목적 그리고 하나님의 부르심에 충성을 다하는 것이 될 것입니다.

In conclusion, a person belonging to a minority is a testament to God’s blessing and a special purpose for their BEING. Understanding the sufferings of this BEING from God’s perspective and living for the purpose of God, we will enjoy the incredible blessings of God that the majority cannot have. Thus, everything that comes from God is for His special purpose, to bless the recipient first and then to extend His blessings to those who have not received them. Therefore, blessed are those enduring the suffering from BEING as part of the minority for God’s glory!

결론적으로 말해서, 소수에 속한 사람은 존재부터가 하나님의 축복이고 하나님의 특별한 목적을 위해 부르심을 받은 특별한 사람들입니다. 이 존재로 인해 오는 환란에 대해 하나님의 관점으로 이해를 바로 하고 하나님의 부르심을 받은 자로서의 자세를 가지고 하나님의 목적을 위해 살 때 우리의 존재지체가 다수에 속한 사람들에게 엄청난 하나님의 축복을 니누는 통로가 됩니다. 이렇듯, 하나님께로부터 온 우리의 특별한 존재는 하나님의 특별한 목적을 위한 것이고 그것을 받은 우리를 축복하고, 다수에 속한 사람들에게까지 우리를 통해 하나님의 축복을 주시기 위한 것입니다. 하나님의 이 경이로운 계획에 쓰임받는 자들은 복이 있을 것입니다.