August 2, 2026
— John Dudgeon · Source: Farewell letter to colleagues at the London Missionary Society (circa 1898)
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 What then is our hope and our joy, and our crown of pride? It is that you will stand before our Lord Jesus when he comes, for you yourselves are our glory and our joy.
Dezhen's famous quote echoes Kant's philosophy that "man is the end in himself": buildings will crumble, books will yellow, and achievements and fame will eventually fade with time; all these are merely vehicles and means. Only "man" himself and the eternal soul are the true purpose of our service. Paul's view of his disciples as an eternal crown reminds us that the ultimate value of life lies not in how much merit we accumulate by using people, but in how many souls we save with love.
Dear Lord, thank you for first regarding us as precious lives and for saving us with love. Grant me a heart as clear as the morning sun, so that I may not treat those around me as mere tools to achieve my own ends, nor be lost in fleeting worldly gains. May my labor and service become a bridge, allowing those suffering in pain and despair to feel Christ's love and see the hope of eternal life. May these lives illuminated by love be the crown of your joy in eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!