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[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2012_03_05|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
[[topics_collection_iv|| Topics Collection iv ]]
======A strange world I ...======
Monday, Mar 5, 2012. I have been in Japan over the past ten days. It was
a visit to work and to meet people, a quite intense time for collaboration,
for meeting a large variety of different people, of Japanese food
and little experiences with this eastern culture.
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**Similarities and Differences ...**
How many times have I been here? I have not counted the many scientific
visits over the past 15 years. But every time I am here I see more of
the similarities of the Japanese society with the European way to do things.
Of course, there are many differences ... from the way restaurants are
run to the friendliness of people everywhere.
But my impression is that I know the culture now much better. Things which
seemed strange initially, are now very familiar. People who appeared to
me as difficult to access I know now, and seen from within the Japanese
culture suddenly appears as very friendly, quite playful. Perhaps we can learn
something from it: what is strange, can become familiar. What seems unclear,
can become open and clear. What has been different, somehow becomes a part
of us. I really like to be here in Japan!
I have made similar experiences in science, even now during this week
where I did a mixture of conference and intensive work with a colleague.
Things which seemed unclear to me for many years suddenly are very easy
and clear. I realize that I made progress in understanding - and that is
a fantastic feeling ever and ever again.
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**It is God's world**
The world is God's world. Europe is his world, Japan is his world, Australia is
his world. Just everything. He made it. He maintains it. He saves it. That is
another point which we might not really see usually. Here and there we will
meet many people who do not know God, yet they try to live in truth and
friendliness. There are others, who have difficulties with that - and there
are many good and many less convincing reasons. But the world does not seem
so different to me in Europe or in Japan, with all its differences!
Somehow, it is good if we see the world as a strange world sometimes. When you
see how things can be done differently, it catalyses ideas how to change
things. It can give you new courage and new motivation!
Somehow, God is the one who is completely different, since he is fully true and
fully love. He is completely reliable, and wise beyond our imagination. But yet
he is the one reaching out to us, the one who created everything what is
pleasant, as well as things which can damage us. Shall we trust him? Can we trust
him? Do we want to trust him, the old stranger, the creative origin,
the loving companion? What is strange now, can be well-known tomorrow,
it can be very familiar and an open book to us!
(Roland Potthast)
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