July 1, 2026
— John Leighton Stuart · Source: Fifty Years in China: The Memoirs of John Leighton Stuart, Missionary and Ambassador (1954), "Yenching University: a Dream that Came True"
John 8:32 “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Matthew 20:28 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Yenching University's motto is not a worldly slogan, but rather founded on the truth and self-sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting on the present, we often pursue knowledge in our academic or professional pursuits, yet easily develop rational arrogance; we yearn for freedom from bondage, but if separated from the love of Christ, we degenerate into indulgence and selfishness. True freedom is not about doing whatever one pleases, but about willingly bowing down to serve others after being released by the truth. Only by rooting knowledge in spirituality and pouring freedom into dedication can life be preserved in truth and live out the likeness of the Son of Man.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for knocking on the door of my heart again through your wise words. The Lord Jesus said, "Knowing the truth will set us free." Forgive me for often falling into the pride of knowledge and the freedom of selfishness. Holy Spirit, open my eyes, awaken me in the truth, and emulate the Lord Jesus' self-sacrificing life—not seeking to be served, but serving. May you imprint the life of "Freedom through Truth for Service" in my heart, so that I may willingly be a grain of wheat buried in the earth, bearing witness to your glory with my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.