I grew up as a young person in the church in Fremont. While brother Liu Suey was not my biological grandfather, I can testify on behalf of many of us who grew up as young people in Fremont that we really felt he was our spiritual grandfather. We endearingly called him, Liu yěyé (Liu爺爺).
While I did not have long, direct interactions with brother Liu Suey, I remember some very specific times growing up that left quite an impression on me. On a number of occasions, my father had to take care of some errands at the meeting hall early in the morning and I had to go with him. I remember walking in on brother Liu Suey, who was alone, praying and having his morning time with the Lord. I don’t know why, but that left a deep impression on me. I never forgot it. I always wondered why this elderly man always came all the way to the meeting hall just to be alone to pray. Now I realize he was always living before the Lord as a real God-man. He was also always kind, caring, and giving every time he saw me or my father even in the smallest interactions. I actually had no idea that our brother had served in so many ways with the ministry or that he had so many responsibilities, because he never acted in that kind of a way. He just acted as a grandfather among us, full of wisdom and full of life.
One time, he came to speak to us at our Summer School of Truth (SST). He told us that we should all be like paper, allowing the Lord to write on us. But then he took out a newspaper, and he told us that he was very concerned that many of us looked like that newspaper. Instead of the having space for the Lord to write on, we were like newspapers, too busy with the worldly things to have any space for the Lord. I have not forgotten that word and I am always reminded that I need to be emptied in order to be filled, and to be careful with what is being written upon me. I don’t want to finish my course looking like a newspaper!
Another time, I overheard brother Liu Suey asking the older brothers what is more important in restoring a person’s health: the cardiovascular system or the nervous system? The brothers each gave differing opinions, and then brother Liu Suey finally told them that actually, both are critically important and that we must take care of both at the same time (I guess it was a trick question). As a young person, I had no idea what this speaking meant. Years later, that word has saved me so much in the service and the work. We must have both the flowing life supply but also the proper order in the Body. If we have order but no life, then we are dead organization; if we have life but no order, our growth will be very much limited and can even become cancerous. That word of wisdom has been a huge salvation to me over the past couple of years.
I am eternally grateful for all that the Lord was able to supply us with and minister to us through our brother, our grandfather, Liu 爺爺.
“For though you have ten thousand guides in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15)
– Edward Chang
Edward Chang
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