Diverting Our Eyes from the Past to the Future

By: Darren Kwee, former YG Doulos (Class of 2008)

Read: 1 Samuel 16

My time during Youth Group could be described with a single word: Sports. Upon my arrival to WCAC, I would always encounter youth playing basketball or badminton. When it was time to hang out or play in the field, we would set our teams and play football. During the Summer or Winter BDG Olympics, we would have a sense of pride in our Bible Discussion Groups as we competed against others. Like any team-selection protocol, it would involve assigning two captains for each team followed by taking turns choosing players for their respective teams.

Now, how do these captains choose the players for their team? Did they choose the players who were the looked as good as Stephen Norregaard? Did they choose the ones who dressed stylishly like Dustin Kwée? Did they choose the ones who were most popular with other kids in their class at school? No. They chose players with skill. Do they stack skilled players like Jonathan Mann? Sometimes. They chose players who could think quickly and make good decisions. They chose players that could get the job done when the game was on the line. None of the others mattered.

Yet, as assuring as the player-selection criteria may sound to you, they could potentially exclude participants like myself. I’ll admit – I wasn’t the best at football or basketball. I didn’t really fit in with the “popular” clique who would always stand in a circle during conversations, enjoying each other and laughing with one another. During sports competitions, I still vividly remember standing there and being afraid that I would be the last to be chosen – or that I would not be chosen at all. You see, I wasn’t the strongest. I wasn’t the fastest. I wasn’t the best. But I had a lot of heart, and I knew I would always try my hardest if someone had chosen me.

Now God had decided to choose a new king for Israel. He told Samuel to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse, because He had chosen one of Jesse's sons to be the next king of Israel. When Samuel arrived in Jerusalem, he went to Jesse's house and told him to bring his sons so that God could tell him which one He had chosen. As each of Jesse's sons passed by, God told Samuel that he was not the one. Samuel could not understand it. They were all such handsome men and very strong. Surely one of them must be the one. But God said to Samuel, "Don't consider his looks. I have rejected him. Man looks at outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7).

Has the Youth Group upheld that command of God? Not always. Yet amongst our failures, we are not alone. A flock is not without its leader. The WCAC Youth group is not without Benjamin Tzeng. During team selections, Ben would be one of the first to notice when the timid are tossed around from team to team. He was often among the people to call out uneven teams. In football games, when one team is lacking in skill, he would aid them with his presence. On Sunday services, he would aid the congregation in setting our true goals and remind us to stick to them even during the fog of distractions.

Yet, despite his capability to serve as a people’s advocate, he does not sit contently – he listens daily to God’s calling for his future. Should we, as friends and family of Ben Tzeng, dwell on his seemingly fitting role as the WCAC Youth Pastor? Just as God clearly sees David’s heart to serve as the King, He sees Ben Tzeng’s heart to serve as the English Pastor of the St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church. Let us not become like Samuel and set our eyes on what position our flesh deems to be fitting for our brother in Christ. Let us learn from Samuel’s mistake and clear our vision to see His ultimate plans. Let us “take the horn of oil and anoint him in the presence of his brothers” so that the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon Ben Tzeng (1 Samuel 16:13). Pray that God will divert our tendency to look back at Ben’s seemingly fitting past as our Youth Pastor and set our eyes solely on encouraging Ben for his new chapter as God’s humble servant. Pray for Ben’s ministry, that it will be fruitful and a pleasant offering to Him. I encourage you to keep Ben in your prayers, just as you have been in his for many years.