A man treated a group of cup noodles and drinks during a church retreat when the evening worship was over. Reverend Deacon Lee, the 50-year-old businessman, handed out the various late-night snacks after the night of celebrating and praising on June 21st, with a compassionate nature and giving. “I was surprised that Reverend Deacon Lee came to the church retreat,” said Mr. Kim, one of the brothers who went to the church retreat. The man’s unexpected giving led to a wonderful night, full of happiness and joy.
In May 2024, Lee joined a preparation team in Tokyo Global Mission Church (東京ジグチョン教会) that prepared games and timelines for the church retreat, a period of time that the church members spent for their spiritual growth and renewal, at Yokohama. While brainstorming and choosing various activities to make the church retreat exciting and memorable, he thought that he wanted to give an unexpected gift for his teammates and the people who would come to the church retreat. “The reason I gave out snacks was because I thought about what I could do to help the preparation teams, ” Reverend Deacon Lee recalled. “There were many believers serving behind the scenes, and I thought it would be a good idea to provide snacks.” After a time of grabbing his hair, thinking about the food to share, he snapped his fingers and selected Korean ramen noodles and drinks.
On June 21st, after a gracious evening worship, Deacon Lee’s service started with a quick announcement by a religious worker. “Our brother Lee had brought out some cup noodles and drinks, thank him before you get them,” the worker said. Many Saints thanked Reverend Deacon Lee for handing out the delicious foods and drinks to end the day. “In the future, if there is anything I can do, I hope to be able to serve not only with snacks, but also with my time,” Deacon Lee announced, smiling.
Similar to what Deacon Lee felt, many givers feel a similar emotion when they give presents to others. According to a survey that was conducted in Tokyo Global Mission Church, among seventeen teenagers, fifteen of them said that they were happy while giving to others. “I gave snacks to the congregation at the retreat with a happy heart,” Lee claimed. Another survey conducted in St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, about ninety four percent of the respondents in grade 8 said that they feel positive feelings, including happiness, when giving someone a present.
Some studies demonstrate that giving can lead to happiness. According to a study by the National Institute of Health, when people give things to others, it creates a warm glow effect, which is a self-satisfaction, happiness, caused by generous or kind deeds. “If you’ve just finished enacting a helping behavior, that action tends to be associated with greater benefits.” Dr. Ashley V. Whillans, a Harvard Business School Assistant Professor, said. “We tend to see the greatest mood benefits when people are more actively engaged.” She added.
“It is hard to see someone providing food or drinks for just kindness,” Mr. Hwang, a best friend of Lee, said with a slight smile. “These days, people are getting more and more selfish, more egotistical. Luckily, we got Lee to break that statement.” Many church members still recall Lee’s unexpected gesture, not just for the snacks themselves, but the genuine joy that his snacks have created. This simple act of sharing reinforces what the research says: that giving to others creates happiness, benefiting both the giver and the receivers.
