Helen Keller, who was both deaf and blind, met her lifelong teacher, Anne Sullivan.
Through her teacher's patient guidance, she overcame her disabilities
and dedicated her life to the education and welfare of deafblind people around the world.
Jang Yeong-sil, who was born into the lowest social class, met King Sejong the Great.
With the unwavering support of the king who truly recognized his extraordinary talent,
he was able to fully develop his abilities. He went on to invent numerous scientific instruments
and eventually rose to a high-rank government position.
The people we meet—and the people we walk with—can change the direction of our lives.
“Where You Go, I Will Go”_Ruth
“We will go back with you to your people,” they said.
Naomi continued to urge them to return home. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and left. Ruth, however, remained determined.
“Look,” Naomi said, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people. Go back with her.”
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you,” Ruth replied. “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Seeing that Ruth was determined to go with her, Naomi stopped urging her.
In Judah, Ruth devoted herself wholeheartedly to caring for Naomi. There, she met Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband, and gave birth to a son named Obed, the grandfather of King David. Though she was a Gentile woman, Ruth received the great honor of being included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
_Ruth 1–4
"I Will Not Leave You"_Elisha
When the time came for God to take Elijah up to heaven, Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”
When the two of them arrived at Bethel, Elijah said to him again, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”
Again, Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”
After they reached Jericho, Elijah went toward the Jordan according to God’s command, and once again, Elisha stayed by his side. At the Jordan River, Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water. Then, the water divided to the right and to the left. The two of them crossed over on dry ground.
Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Because Elisha stayed with Elijah to the very end, he received a double portion of Elijah's spirit.
_2 Kings 2:1–15
“Lord, to Whom Shall We Go?”_Peter
Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. After witnessing this great miracle, a large crowd began following Him.
Jesus said to them, “You are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils. I am the bread of life. Whoever eats my flesh will have eternal life.”
Upon hearing this, the crowd began to grumble among themselves. They muttered, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” and many of them turned back and no longer followed Him. Then Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”
Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Peter had steadfast and unwavering faith. On another occasion, when Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter confidently replied, “You are the Messiah.”
Jesus blessed Peter for his faith and entrusted him with the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
_John 6; Matthew 16:13–19
God loved us, and He loved us to the end (Jn 13:1).
He also promised to be with us always, to the very end of the age (Mt 28:20).
We have met God.
When we remain with Him to the very end,
we will receive blessings far beyond our imagination.
“We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
Hebrews 3:14