Watching the coin of the blockchain startup I worked for at the time skyrocket filled me with mixed feelings. The shares I voluntarily gave up when I quit would be worth an enormous amount at today’s prices. If that project had succeeded, I might have become a prominent figure in the blockchain field myself. Had that happened, I wouldn’t be living the hectic life of a delivery driver now, nor would I be bouncing between companies for sales work, nor would I be driving a used car worth millions of won. Perhaps I would have been living a life of luxury surpassing even what I enjoyed in Silicon Valley, becoming the owner of the POSCO Tower in Songdo within a blockchain-based real estate game and leading an arrogant existence.

However, the label ‘opportunist’ would have forever followed that name, and I wouldn’t have the freedom and contentment I enjoy now. He wouldn’t have felt a deep sense of alienation from acquaintances or friends, let alone the church, making meaningful fellowship impossible. Recently, I went camping at Yeongjongdo with a close friend’s family. Instead of experiencing such simple joys of daily life, he might have been enjoying a staycation at a luxury resort abroad, hiding from people’s eyes.

Whenever I walk with my youngest child on the Yonsei University campus near our home, I notice a particular stone monument. It bears the biblical verse, “The truth shall set you free.” Curious about the full context, I looked it up in the Bible: “…if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). I came to understand that it means we can live a life free from sin through the truth gained from Jesus’ teachings. The way to escape the overwhelming guilt was to follow the ‘path of truth,’ however difficult it might be.

Admitting that what you believe is wrong is truly difficult. My own behavior—continuing to rationalize and persist in something I knew wasn’t the truth—was, in a word, the very definition of ‘unfreedom’. Trust is built when you speak and act according to beliefs you hold to be right. Yet, the duality of feeling ‘this isn’t right’ in the back of my mind while still having to do it tormented me daily. This pain was on a different level from the disconnect I felt as a parent during my time at a game company, promoting games to users while forbidding my own children from playing them at home.

I also understood that following Jesus’ teachings means ‘constantly learning.’ The world changes at the speed of light, and new technologies emerge daily. I believe those who stop learning can never become disciples. The ‘lazy dad who does nothing’ from Rich Dad Poor Dad is a prime example. A ‘proud slacker’ who rationalizes avoiding new challenges out of fear and wastes time without studying what needs to be learned is far removed from the life of a disciple. When I actually dove into startup operations, the managerial skills and connections I possessed proved of little help. I acutely felt my own incompetence and learned the hard way that without constantly learning and executing new things, survival in the ‘jungle’ of the startup world is impossible.

My life shifted from dreaming of global success in blockchain games to working as a delivery driver in Jwa-dong. Yet, seeing residents express gratitude when receiving packages, I’m gradually finding answers about truth and happiness. Especially through Invitation to an Abundant Life, I’ve redefined happiness. Now, simply watching the sunrise each dawn and the sunset in the afternoon fills me with deep gratitude and awe.