I love Korean food SO VERY MUCH. Many times I even pray and thank God that He makes it so abundant in my life.
But when I was younger, I did not care for it. I would plead to eat anything else (insert gasp here). I declined to go to Korean restaurants whenever I had the chance and it was a source of many arguments with my Dad.
Still, he would often take me to these establishments. Not for a discount or special treatment, but to support the slowly but surely growing Korean community in Tacoma. A community he wanted to show love towards. I personally did not care for this at the time, and it made me not like Korean food even more out of spite.
What he was silently teaching me was that we are not meant to be alone and live without love and support. A sense of community is essential for our spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Acts of authentic regard for others go far in building this kind of community. They fulfill a longing that God put in our hearts to love and be loved.
Nowadays, my Dad and I share the same love of Korean food and funny enough, I find we have very similar (if not the exactly the same) taste buds. It took a while, but I now see his point about community … and definitely Korean food.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.