Barrabas.  Who is Barrabas?

A few years ago during one of my Quiet Times, I read through the story of Barrabas.  The story of an incarcerated man, a political insurgent against Rome.  A man who was sentenced to death.  During those times, it was the Roman Governor’s (Pilate) custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 

Reading this story I tried to visualize what this scene must have looked like.  I envisioned a large multitude of people standing in front of a raised platform.  Many voices could be heard and different conversations taking place. 

I envisioned myself at the perimeter of the crowd, opposite the front of the platform.  First, the guard comes out escorting this tall, burly unshaven man.  The conversations become louder and the crowd becomes unsettled.  Next, the guard escorts out a man who appears to be Jesus to stand opposite Barrabas.  

The crowd jeered remarks as the Governor started to speak.  I was too far from the platform to clearly make out the faces or hear what was being said, so I tried to make my way through the crowd.  Person by person, I maneuver my way to the middle of the crowd. 

The Governor continues to speak and asks, “Which one do you want me to release to you:  Barrabas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?”  I thought to myself, this man IS Jesus.  Again, the Governor asks, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”  The crowd answers, “Barrabas.” 

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” the Governor asks.  “Crucify him!”  No, I think to myself.  This can’t be.  Pushing and shoving, I try to make my way to the front of the crowd. 

“Why?  What crime has he committed?” asks the Governor.  But the crowd shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”  I wonder to myself, who is this man Barrabas that the crowd has chosen to release an insurgent over an innocent man? 

I finally make my way to the front of the crowd.  Standing before the two men, I struggle to catch a glimpse of this man Barrabas.  Barrabas is a tall and burly man, draped in a cloak.  As I look to see his face, my heart begins to pound in my chest and I swallow the lump in my throat….that man is me.  I am the guilty one.  I should have been crucified, but instead I was set free.

Through this visualization, I came to realize the fullness of His sacrifice, a new dimension of His grace and depth of His love.  You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

Merry Christmas to all....

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.....may your memories be sweet, and your days merry and bright.

Heppy Birssday to me!

Many thanks Dai and Renee for coordinating such a wonderful supplies birssday party.  The food was amazing and the chingoo who attended made it an event long to be remembered.  This was totally unexpected and very much appreciated.  You guys are the BEST!  Thanks to you all!  Goh muh wai yo....

Professionalism Uncensored

So, yesterday our firm had an all day Business Line Practice review meeting to discuss items such as client acceptance and retention, leadership, goals and vision for the next fiscal year and an overall evaluation of ways to improve our business line processes and methodology in running the practice.

To round out the rather long and arduous day of meetings, the partners and manager group trekked over to Il Moro for dinner.  While imbibing vintage wine and stuffing our mouths with the fine culinary entrees the establishment had prepared, the Regional partner shares with the group a bit of trivia about himself:  in his youth, he competed in Native American Indian dance for 8 years. 

As you can imagine, this opened a barrage of comments laced with teasing innuendos.  The Regional partner was a great sport and took the comments in stride.  Keeping with the theme of the topic of conversation, another partner shares that growing up in Minnesota (state largely populated with Native American Indians), everyone was given an Indian name and his Indian name was “Two Dogs”.  Lastly, the partner sitting to my left voices his comment stating, “There was a partner I used to work with at another firm who also had an Indian name.  It was ‘One Big @sshole.’” 

I guess when you are considered a rainmaker, no punn intended, censorship does not apply.

Chemistry and Attraction vs. Good on Paper?!? 

So, I recently (okay, maybe not recently) watched a Korean drama entitled, “Full House”.  For those of you who don’t know the plot behind the drama, allow me to lay the backdrop….

After returning home from a trip to China paid for by her friends, Han Ji Eun discovers that she has been swindled out of everything she owns.  Not by strangers, but by her best friends. 

While away on vacation, her “friends” sell her family home without her consent.  Ji Eun returns to Korea and finds that the new owner of the house is none other than the famous actor Lee Young Jae, whom she happened to meet on her trip.  Young Jae has been trying to clear his name of rumors involving sex scandals and conjours up the perfect plan.

In an effort to redeem his reputation and reclaim her home, Young Jae and Ji Eun enter into a marriage contract, making them appear as a couple to the public. Under the terms of the contract, they will be married for 6 months while Ji Eun does all the housework.  To the extent that no one finds out that the marriage was simply a ploy to redeem Young Jae’s reputation, Ji Eun is conveyed title to the house.  If the marriage is discovered to be a sham, Ji Eun is left homeless and obligated to pay Young Jae alimony.  Sounds simple, right?

Cohabitation and their differences surface constant bickering and arguing as Young Jae and Ji Eun’s personalities clash like two rams locking horns.  As the drama unfolds, “jjung” is created between the couple and they ultimately find themselves inseparable.

The drama attempts to answer the question of whether two people can learn to love each other in a marriage agreed upon only on paper.

After watching this drama, I began to reflect on a comment made by a friend.  His comment was actually a statement of regret as he dug into the memories of his collegiate years, recanting a time when he was involved in a love triangle.  Female (a) was interested in my friend.  And my friend was interested in female (b).  However, female (b) was not interested in my friend. 

Both women were fine young individuals:  educated at one of the top 20 universities, women with outstanding character, unshakable faith, involved in the community, active, personable, witty, charming, classy, attractive and domesticated. 

Well, over time female (a) gave up on my friend and met another man, got married and moved to another country.  After my friend spent a couple of years pursuing female (b), she, too, met someone she was interested in and moved to another state.  His efforts were in vain, and ultimately he was left with no one.  Why didn’t my friend simply pursue female (a) in the first place?  Well, he wasn’t attracted to her, and there was no chemistry. 

Was chemistry and attraction the impetus that brought our parents to the altar, or did our grandparents embark on a little fact finding mission to determine whether our parents were suitable for each other (e.g., education, family background, upbringing, reputation in society, etc.), followed by soh ghae ting? 

I can hardly imagine that our mothers and fathers returned to our grandparents, after being set up, and said, “Appah/Umah, there is no chemistry between us.”  That would have been grounds for…..well, I just can’t imagine that’s how the scenario played out. 

Rather, I think our parents trusted in the due diligence performed by our grandparents, plunged head first into taking their vows and somehow made things work.  It looked good on paper, the person appeared to be upright in character and a good standing citizen, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Why not?  By the way….what was the divorce rate in their generation?  Surely, something less than 50%.  I would be shocked if it were even half of what today’s statistics reveal. 

This has stirred a lot of interpersonal conflict within me because if asked the question, “Is chemistry and attraction important in choosing your lifelong partner?” the overwhelming majority of readers would inexplicably answer “yes” without hesitation. 

Now don’t get me wrong, you won’t find me in line at the coat check counter waiting to hand the clerk my brain so that I can place my trust in someone else’s decision as to who I will spend the rest of my life with as I, too, have answered “yes” to that question.  

However, in answering that question, memories of my friend’s statement of regret, stories of how our parents met, and the sillie little Korean drama involving Young Jae and Ji Eun prod my conscience and cause me to contemplate how many quality people we allow to go through the revolving doors of our life unnoticed at the expense of chemistry and attraction. 

How important is chemistry and attraction, really?