Sleeping on Trains

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8

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As I made my way across Tokyo to my destination, I quietly congratulated myself for securing a seat on a very crowded commuter train. However, I soon had misgivings about my good fortune when a stranger’s head awkwardly started to nestle on my right shoulder and the passenger slumped on my left began to snore. Momentarily trapped by my weary traveling companions, I studied the other passengers on the train. Approximately half of them were in a semi-comatose state and the others, while awake, were equally detached from life around them as they silently focused on their mobile devices. For a moment, it felt like I had mistakenly boarded a zombie train in an apocalyptic world and I would soon become one of them!

This scenario is actually quite common in Japan, which explains why it is often described as a nation of sleep deprived people. Multiple surveys confirm this assessment, revealing that Japanese workers average only six hours and 22 minutes of sleep on work nights—the lowest in any industrial nation. Therefore, it is not unusual to see people taking catnaps in cars, restaurants, public transportation, classrooms and park benches as they try to catch a few moments of rest so they can press on with the unrelenting demands of life. The Japanese word for “nap” is 居眠り(inemuri) which means literally “sleeping while present,” a description that underscores one’s ongoing attempt to engage with life while at the same time momentarily checking out. Such napping is often considered a sign of diligence in Japan and is quietly accepted by employers and fellow citizens as an unavoidable fact of life. This propensity to sleeping in opportune moments on trains can create comical scenes often posted on social media. Many have even mastered the art of sleeping while in a standing position and almost everyone seems to intuitively know when to stir from their slumber as their stop approaches.

Obviously, continued sleep deprivation is not a healthy habit for anyone, but sometimes it is unavoidable due to the demands of family, health issues or work responsibilities. Some of these elements are beyond our control and can lead to chronic sleeplessness. However, there is often a spiritual aspect to this problem that we should keep in mind. That’s why we must frequently remind ourselves that God reigns supreme in the affairs of our lives so we should learn to rest in Him. Framed in these terms, sleep becomes almost a spiritual exercise as once again we place our burdens of the day and worries for tomorrow in the hands of a loving, all powerful God. That can lead to true rest.

Safety First!

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” safety first Psalm 18:2

安全第一, meaning “Safety First,” is a sign commonly posted near construction sites and other locations where accidents could possibly occur. To make safety a priority in these areas, a small army of traffic directors are regularly employed throughout Japan to help drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians safely navigate around potential hazards. Since Japan is also a land frequented by natural disasters, emergency drills are routinely conducted to guide people in their response in the event of an earthquake, tsunami, typhoon, landslide or volcanic eruption. Evacuation routes and emergency shelters are clearly identified in every city and roles are assigned to minimize the loss of life when there is an emergency. To increase public awareness of such matters, September 1 is designated as Japan’s Disaster Prevention Day (防災の日). On that day, emergency drills are practiced across the country in memory of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, when over 100,000 residents in the Greater Tokyo area perished.

Despite this propensity towards natural disasters, Japan is surprisingly acknowledged to be one of the safest countries in the world, largely due to its diligent efforts to promote safety. Currently, only New Zealand and Iceland rank higher as “safe” destinations for tourists. This focus on safety is to be commended, particularly for those living in Japan, but the pursuit of safety to the exclusion of other worthy goals can possibly invite dangers of a different sort. For example, Japan also has a reputation as being a risk averse society, where any danger or possible unwanted results are avoided at all costs. While such an approach to life is certainly understandable, it can foster an unhealthy imbalance and lead to consequences that are equally unsatisfactory.

As Christians, we are called to live somewhere in the middle as we flesh out life on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are no guaranteed outcomes when it comes to such matters as raising children, standing against the tide of a self-centered culture or sharing one’s faith in an ungodly world. Our natural inclination is to seek safety and security, but God has not promised such things to us in this life. Instead, we are called to walk by faith in a world fraught with dangers and uncontrollable results. While we must take reasonable measures to protect ourselves from undue harm, our safety, reputations, families and jobs are ultimately in God’s hands. He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Refuge and our Shield. We would be unwise to place our trust in anything else.

A Dangerous Morsel

“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” Proverbs 18:8

Diners at the sushi restaurant admired the paper-thin slices of raw pufferfish sashimi artfully arranged before them on the platter in the shape of a chrysanthemum, while naively ignoring its potential danger. One tiny mistake by the highly trained sushi chef could result in the death of those enjoying this popular Japanese delicacy. A poisonous neurotoxin, located primarily in the liver and ovaries of the pufferfish, is 1,200 times more lethal than cyanide, with no known antidote. More than one hundred people die annually from eating improperly prepared pufferfish, known as “fugu” in Japanese.

Some fugu aficionados actually choose to dine at specialty sushi restaurants where microscopic portions of the poison are purposefully not removed by the chef so that the consumer can experience a bit of a buzz or tingling sensation. As a precaution in such cases, the chef is required to sample the sushi to verify that it is safe. Due to its deadly toxicity, the government has banned the sale of whole pufferfish to the general public and it is the only food the emperor of Japan is forbidden by law to eat in order to ensure his safety.

The Scriptures point to the existence of other dangerous morsels parallel the peculiar culinary habits of eating fugu. The Book of Proverbs compares gossip or slander to a delicious morsel that can be appealing to our sense of taste or sight, but produces deadly effects when consumed. It begins when our sinful nature tempts us to listen to the reports of others’ misfortunes or misdeeds in the form of gossip, which may or may not be grounded in truth. The ingestion of such morsels can produce deep wounds in both the listener and the person who is the center of such malicious gossip. Like a deadly toxin, it has the potential to penetrate one’s inmost being and as a consequence, destroy relationships and reputations. This is why we are instructed to put a guard on our hearts, restricting our diet to things that are true, right, holy and honoring to God. Just as there are healthy and unhealthy food choices we must make every day, gossip has harmful effects on the lives of those who choose to consume it.

Vending Machines

“Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.” Psalm 25:12

vending machine

Shortly after completing my laborious climb to the peak of Mt. Fuji, Japan’s tallest mountain, I spotted a small and very steep service road to the top. On this perilous route that was more of a path than a road, I noticed a large object slowly and laboriously being transported to the top of the mountain. Out of curiosity, I lingered to learn what could be so important. Emergency equipment of some sort? Water and food for weary travelers? Building materials for shelter from the extreme elements? The heavily perspiring workmen eventually reached the top of the mountain and removed the tarp covering the mysterious object, revealing … a Coca Cola vending machine! Only in Japan, I thought to myself.

Somehow it seemed appropriate to have a vending machine occupying one of the most iconic and yet most inaccessible locations in Japan. There are roughly 5.5 million vending machines scattered across the country, making it the highest number of vending machines per capita in the world. Vandalism is generally not a problem in Japan, so these machines can be located in very isolated situations, ready to quench someone’s thirst or satiate various other needs. Like peddlers marketing their wares to a passerby, it is not unusual to see as many as a dozen or more lined up together in some locations. Japanese vending machines offer a variety of choices and products ranging from drinks (both hot and cold), candy, rice, fruit, soup, hamburgers, ice cream, gum, noodles, beer, books, flowers, cigarettes, toys, toiletries, masks, underwear and even good luck charms. Choice and convenience are obviously the underlying values associated with the placement and plethora of these machines throughout Japan.

As we live in an age of consumerism, we are bombarded daily with possible alternatives of what to eat, wear and do. Unfortunately, this may lead us to falsely conclude that life centers exclusively on our personal preferences. Indeed, such a multiplicity of choices is generally a morally neutral transaction and benign in its consequences. However, a propensity to make decisions based solely upon our personal preferences may encourage us to leave God totally out of the equation when it comes to other, more significant choices. Like items in a vending machine, the scale of importance of these decisions can vary greatly, but they should all be based upon our reverence for God and what He deems to be important. After all, our goal in this life is to please Him, not ourselves, so our choices should reflect that value. It is therefore comforting to remember that as we take time to consult God in the myriad of options before us, He has graciously promised to instruct and guide us in such matters. Ultimately, these choices count for eternity and shape us to serve God’s perfect purposes.

Masks

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13

As I boarded a crowded train one morning in Tokyo I felt like I had stumbled into the middle of a hospital operating theater. Almost everyone was wearing a surgical mask. Obviously, the flu season was at its height in Japan so people were taking precautionary measures to protect both themselves and others from the spread of unwanted germs. In allergy season, the usage of such masks is even more widespread as newer versions claim to block out pollens that cause many victims to suffer. Due to increasing demand, masks are now sold in various shapes, sizes, colors, materials and even aromas, with sales tripling in the past decade. Witnessing such a phenomenon, outsiders might wrongly jump to the conclusion that Japanese are germaphobes, but that is largely not the case. The usage of such masks primarily reflects their consideration of others as they press on with the daily demands of life, despite not feeling well.

However, sociologists have recently identified an additional reason for the Japanese propensity to wear surgical masks in public, referring to it as “mask dependency”. Many people, particularly those in their 30s and 40s, will only venture into the public square if they can hide behind a mask and headphones. Wearing a mask enables them to shut out others while mingling among the unavoidable masses of humanity in crowded cities. Young women may also use masks when they don’t have time to apply makeup, but others may don a mask to cover self-perceived flaws or imperfections that might invite hurtful stares and comments. In such cases, masks become like a security blanket and can easily be used to keep other people at arms’ length, reflecting similar trends in social media. Wearing a mask allows a person to function with a large degree of anonymity while still participating in the required routines of life.

While those who refuse to veil their faces in public may find this tendency a bit odd, they overlook their own hypocrisies as they practice this on a daily basis in their relationship with God. Like Adam and Eve covering themselves with makeshift clothing after their disobedience, we are all naturally inclined to hide our faults and failures, foolishly believing that the masks we put on to deceive others will be equally effective with God. However, Scripture reminds us that “everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” This is both a terrifying and reassuring truth. But it also serves as a warning about the masks we might be tempted to wear, not just before people, but before our Creator, who sees and knows everything.

Walking with God in Japan

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7

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Ippo Ippo is the Japanese equivalent for the phrase “step by step.” It is also the name we chose for a disaster relief ministry among the displaced population of northeastern Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 11, 2011. In the days following that national disaster, our team of relief workers moved and served among people who had lost everything. Each day required new steps of faith for both us and the hundreds of volunteers who scrambled to respond to ever- changing conditions. The name Ippo Ippo, which was on our ID badges, served to reassure the disaster victims that we were there to move forward with them, one step at a time. It also reminded us to lean daily into God for His enablement and guidance in the midst of adverse circumstances.

Since then, ippo ippo has lingered in our hearts as a catch phrase as it seems to characterize our 34 years of ministry and life in Japan. From the moment we took our first faltering steps as new and inexperienced missionaries in the spring of 1984, we were keenly aware that we were sojourners in a culture and country that was not our own. But by the grace of God, we learned much about ourselves, the amazing people of Japan and more importantly, the faithfulness of God. Since then, our journey has been comprised of many steps that eventually expanded into a marathon as we inched forward, ippo, ippo, trying to keep our eyes on God through the many twists and turns on a road through uncharted territory.

Over the years, people have frequently asked us “What’s Japan like?”, which is a very difficult question to answer when limited to a brief verbal exchange. While our conversation can easily turn to topics such as sushi, anime, hot springs, bullet trains, earthquakes and all the things commonly associated with Japan, such an approach fails to capture the uniqueness, simplicity and yet complexity of this unique country. Our protracted journey in Japan has taken us to many destinations, so I have tried to capture these steps through short devotions centered on cultural examples, short vignettes and personal experiences. Hopefully, this collection will provide further enlightenment on the Land of the Rising Sun and encourage each of us as God’s children to walk deeper and purposefully with the Risen Son.

Ippo, Ippo.