A scan of my study could tell you a lot about me. It is decorated with some of the treasures of my life. It’s not the items themselves that hold great value, but the memories and emotions attached to them. Each piece is a reminder of the people, places, and events that have shaped me.
On one bookshelf, you would find a small collection of Bibles, each one marking a milestone in my spiritual journey. Other shelves hold photo albums filled with the treasures of my past. But among these mementos, one of the most meaningful displays is a small shadowbox encasing four simple hand towels—one green, one orange, and two yellow. The memories associated with those towels remind me of what ministry is truly about.
A Life-Changing Rescue
In 1978, while serving in the U.S. Air Force at Kwang Ju, South Korea, I took a weekend trip with friends to the west coast. We visited a place near Mokpo, now part of Dadohae Haesang National Park, where hundreds of rocky islets rise from the Yellow Sea. It was a stunning sight. One of our group managed to arrange a close-up tour on a patrol boat, allowing us to weave through the rocky passages. Local visitors paddled through the waters in small boats or floated on inner tubes, enjoying the day.
On our way out, I noticed a young couple on inner tubes, nestled in a private cove. It was a peaceful scene. But on our return trip, that tranquility was shattered—the young woman was frantic, and the young man was thrashing in the water.
The captain slowed the boat, and a crew member attempted to rescue the boy using a life hook. The hook caught him under the arms, but as the boat drifted past, he slipped back into the sea. On the second pass, we thought we had him, only to see him fade beneath the water again. By the third attempt, he was no longer visible.
Knowing he wouldn’t survive much longer, I acted without thinking—I dove off the boat into the sea. It wasn’t courage, but urgency. If I didn’t reach him, he would surely perish. The boy struggled against me, making it difficult to keep our heads above water. It felt like an eternity before the boat returned, and unseen hands finally lifted him from my grasp. Once onboard, the crew took over, caring for both him and his distraught girlfriend.
A Lesson on Ministry
Years later, God brought this episode back to my mind as a lesson on ministry. The boat represents the local church, and the drowning boy symbolizes the lost. The crew did what they knew to do—they tried to pull him in. But sometimes, you have to get out of the boat to do the work of God. Just like that young man, people are struggling, destined to succumb unless someone is willing to take a risk and jump in after them.
That’s what God impressed upon me: the heart of ministry is delivering the Word of salvation—the grace of Jesus Christ—to the unsaved, wherever they are, in a way they can understand and respond to.
The Gift of Four Towels
As I walked back to our van that day, two Korean women hurried toward me. They stood out—dressed too formally for a beach outing. In their hands, they carried four small boxes. A passerby helped translate: they were the boy’s mother and aunt. They had very little, but they wanted to say thank you. Inside each box was a hand towel—one green, one orange, and two yellow.
Those towels now sit in my study as a reminder. They remind me that, by God’s grace, on that one day, I did what was needed to bring one person into the boat. And they challenge me to always be ready for the next opportunity to jump into the water.