Harvest Time TV Weblog

   Katsuaki Tōgo is a professor at Waseda University and a former instructor on NHK's "English Conversation" TV program. He's probably remembered by a lot of people as "the guy with such beautiful pronunciation" on that program. Ms. Nakamura first heard him speak at an International V.I.P. Club meeting in Machida, Tōkyō and was greatly impressed by his presentation. I was personally quite pleased to hear that Prof. Tōgo had become a Christian not too long ago.

   Ms. Nakamura gave me a synopsis of his presentation and I'd like to share with you all of one part of it that greatly impressed me. The title of his address was: "Are You Truly Happy?"

1. Prof. Tōgo said that he had obtained wealth, social status and fame, but that he wasn't satisfied with life. At the age of 55, he professed faith in Jesus Christ and everything changed. If his life before Christ could've been described as "black-and-white," he said, his world was now in full color. He refers to this as his "second birth." He was never satisfied with things of this world, but when he accepted Christ, the emptiness inside him was filled (I can personally relate to this experience quite well).


2. This "second birth," he said, had nothing to do with something he did in his own power. It came as a result of power "from Above." That is, an annointing of the Holy Spirit made this possible. The key to receiving blessing from God, he said, is a matter of preparing one's heart. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, change is simple. As he experienced the new life that God was giving him, he was able to have peace in his heart. Salvation in Christianity is always through Grace and by faith. As you surrender yourself to Christ -- just as you are -- the Holy Spirit begins to work.


3. Most Japanese people, from the time they are small, are taught one set of values,
   

   Prof. Katsuaki Tōgo

   which they ride on like a rail into life. However, he said, this rail leads to nowhere. We are a people that look only on the outside of things. If we have all our status, reputation or wealth taken away from us, what's left of us? What is left, of course, is the person we really are. What remains after everything is removed is the crux of the problem.


4. Typically, he said, we try to figure out what we ought to do. But who we are -- "being" -- is far more important thatn merely "doing." A results-oriented life, or a performance-oriented life merely makes you tired. Someone like that may even feel like he's living another person's life. Most Japanese present a facade to the outside world and never reveal their true selves. "For once in your life," he challenged, "try taking off the mask!" This world's "things" will never gain you peace of mind. However, he said, if you reach out and take hold of that which truly pertains to life, peace and rest will be yours. Life can only be created by God. A person who can accept and love himself or herself is blessed, indeed.


5. There's nothing wrong with being who you really are. Each of us is uniquely gifted. Prof. Tōgo related that he'd had many students come to him for counseling. When he told them, "There's nothing wrong with that" after they shared about some perceived failure, some would burst into tears and tell him, "That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me!" All of us are looking for acceptance or a place to be ourselves.


6. The most important thing in life, he concluded, is peace of mind. Those who have a confidence that there is life after death, and are grateful for the fact that they are not merely existing but are alive for a specific purpose, are the truly happy people in this world.

   What did you think? In the very near future, I hope to be having Prof. Tōgo on the program as a guest. Pray with us that his testimony would be a blessing to many more people. Have a great week.


Kenichi Nakagawa