伝統的＝国際的?!

Post language: ＜日本語＞ 

2009/1/28

「最も伝統的なものは、最も国際的である。」

肩書き　OR　証し？

Post language:＜日本語＞

2009/2/25

「肩書き OR　証し？」

　23日の日曜礼拝に、ゲストが来ました。アメリカからの牧師先生でした。

　彼のメッセージに励まされ、考えさせられる事が多かった・・・。

　クリスチャンだけでなくて、みんなにも当てはまると思うんです。

　みんなの人生で大切なのはどちらですか？

　肩書き？それとも証し？

　先生の言った「肩書き」は、この場合、社会的地位、成功、成し遂げた事を指すんだと思います。大学の学士とか、履歴書に書くこととか。

　これらのものは確かに大切です。

　自分もこういうもの無しではここまで来てないと思うし。

　でも、これらはいつしか価値を無くしてしまうものなのではないかとふと思います。

　じゃ、質問をちょっと変えてみましょうか。

　どのように、人から覚えていてもらいたいですか？

　肩書き？それとも、その人の人生に影響を与え、一緒に過ごした時間で？

　キリスト教で、「証し」というのは、神様との関係の中で自分が経験した事、感じた事を話したり、文にした事を指します。そんな深い内容じゃなくても、日々感じている事だけでもいいんです。

じゃ「証し」の何がそんなに大切なのか？

　「証し」が持つもう一つの力は、誰かと時間を共有になるという事だと思います。

他の人に「証し」をするとき、神様はその人たちと自分を「橋」でつないでくれるようなイメージ。

　「証し」の良いところは、自分がした事、成し遂げた事を自慢する事にはならないところかなぁと思います。自分ではどうしようもない時に、神様に助けられたことを話す。それは周りの自分だけではなく、周りの人にも共通することなんです。

　そして、人の心に「証し」が残るのは、それが変化を生み出すきっかけになるときもあるからです。

　「肩書き」と「証し」の違いを説明するのを助けるのは、次の聖書箇所なのかもしれない。

1コリント13：1~3

「たとい私が人の異言や、御使いの異言で話しても、愛がないなら、やかましいどらや、うるさいシンバルと同じです。

また、たとい私が預言の賜物を持っており、またあらゆる奥義とあらゆる知識とに通じ、また、山を動かすほどの完全な信仰を持っていても、愛がないなら、何の値うちもありません。

また、たとい私が持っている物を全部貧しい人たちに分け与え、また私のからだを焼かれるために渡しても、愛がなければ、何の役にも立ちません。」

　先生が、「肩書きよりも、証しを大切にしなさい」と言ったのは・・・

　何もするな。　

　人生の中でスキルアップやレベルアップするな。と言っているのではないのです。

　ただ、肩書きや、履歴書に書かれていることに「心」がなければ、それほどまでの価値がないという事だと思うのです。

　それが人と人との間の「橋」を完成させるものなのかもしれない。

　今日も神様に心を和らげてもらう私です。

　皆さん、良い一日を！

Title or Testimony?

Post language:　＜English＞

2009/2/25

“Title or Testimony?”

A pastor from another church in America came to our church on Sunday and gave us a very encouraging message. I think this not only applies to Christians, but other friends as well.

What is more important in your life?

　Your title, or your testimony ?

Titles in this context mean, the positions that you have, the things that you have succeeded in doing. Things like college degrees and positions on your regime.

Those things I must say are also important in this world.

But those things only last for a certain amount of time.

Let me change the question then.

HOW do you want to be remembered?

By your title, or by affecting other people’s lives and being a part of their lives?

Having a testimony in the Christian context means, to have an experience that you can talk about that shows your relationship with God and how great He is. 

But what is so important about a testimony?

　The great thing is, having a testimony does not boast about what I have done or what you have accomplished.
Rather, it shows the unexplainable things that God has done in our lives and how He can do the same in others’ lives.

People remember a testimony because it may have changed their lives. 

The other power behind testimonies I think is becoming a part of another person’s life.

When you tell your testimony to another person, God kind of makes a bridge between you and that person.

I guess the essence of titles and testimonies lies in the next few bible verses:

1 Corinthians 13:1~3

“What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angel? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moves mountains?

I would be nothing unless I loved others.

What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing unless I loved others. “

So when the pastor said, testimonies, more than titles…

It does not mean that you should not do anything to change the way things are or you should not try your best to get to a higher stage in life.

It is just that, what shows outside and on your regime does not have the same value unless your heart is there.

That is what completes the bridge that God starts to create between people I guess.

And I cannot do that without the help of God that softens my heart everyday.

Have a great day everyone.

Most traditional = most international?!　

Post language: ＜English＞　

2009/1/28

“What is most traditional is what is most international”

Jan. 23 @ICU –

One of the P.E. faculties at ICU, Mrs. Yoko Kondo, who teaches Japanese folk dance gave a talk today.

It was about her experience at the Pan African Dance Festival held at Rwanda during the summer of 2008.

At the festival, there were dance groups from Africa, Japan, and China who each performed their folk dance. From this experience, Mrs. Kondo said, “the traditional arts of the people played a role in international exchange”!

Folk dances in the Japanese context are dances from rural villages or from the indigenous community of the Ainu. Some people may know these dances from matsuri (Japanese festivals).

It started as something that gave strength to the people and something to look forward to during their hard times.

But why was it good for international exchange?

Well, the words “ｗhat is most traditional is what is most international” by Mrs. Kondo tells us a lot.

The Japanese folk dance is the origin of famous arts such as nou and kabuki. Since it is the origin of other dances, and since it is a people’s dance, there were many similarities between dances from other countries. By teaching and learning each others’ traditional dance, the participants were able to conduct international exchange through dance.

On the contrary, Japanese folk dance has been hidden from view since nou and kabuki are more formal arts. But the informal characteristic of it where anyone can join and anyone can dance is also the good part of Japanese folk dance.

Besides these fact, I was happy that a “tradition” can be “international”.

Nature, indigenous people’s cultures, farming, arts…..

The reason why I am attracted to these things may be because they are also the “origin” of things: although they may look small in this time of vast technology, they are the starting point of many things and they are “warm hearted”.

＊     The Japanese folk is planned to become a intangible cultural asset this September

Why "One World, One Love"? 　

Hi : ) and thank YOU so much for visiting my site.

My name is Ayano Kazama. I’m currently a student of International Christian University, but will be graduating (hopefully) soon in March 2009 : )

I us this space for interaction and exchange of opinions, but most of all to keep in touch with friends around the globe  and update them on what I have been thinking about these days.

The title of this site  “One World, One Love” comes from my belief (maybe idealist idea) that 1. everyone in the world is connected in some way or another 2. love is the most important thing in life.  These beliefs I think comes from my background of being a Christian : )

1. Everyone in the world is connected in some way or another : Although there are many countries = different cultures, language, social system, etc. The world is so diverse that I am surprised at how the “normal” in my life, is not “normal” to another friend in another country or even inside the country. But I also feel that each person, affects another both in a negative and positive way.  In the end, we are all human beings. This may all sound so BIG…..but, it just feels right when people get together despite their differences.  After all, we all live on earth, this world, One world. 

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galathians 3:28 New International Version Bible)

2. Love is the most important thing in life :  I used to want so many things in my life. When I was a kid, I wanted the toys that other friends had…But I started to realizet that the thing that fills up my heart and makes me forget about any lust/want/desire is love. Because I have changed from receiving love from others and most of all from God, I want to say that “love is the most important thins in life”. What do you think??

“So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love” (1 Corinthians 13:3 from The Message: Contemporary version of the Bible)

One World, One Love —

Please feel free to comment, criticize, or say anything that you feel about what is written and discussed here : D