Only his graying hair and smile lines around his mouth and eyes betrayed his true age. His twinkling eyes and cherubic smile were the facade of a man half his age. He was Professor Mitsuru Kubota, affectionately known as Mits by his peers and colleagues. When I met him, he was 54 years old and a full professor of chemistry, world-renowned for his work in inorganic chemistry. He had already won numerous teaching awards and held several prestigious grants. His classes were some of the most popular on the college campus. I was privileged to be able to take one of his classes at our sister college when I was a junior in college.
I had not thought about Professor Kubota in over forty years but a tragic event reminded me of his life. My wife and I were driving home on a day when Southern California was being pummeled by a tropical storm, the first to strike the region in over eighty years. As we carefully navigated the worsening weather, she asked me if I ever experienced a hurricane in Hawaii, where I grew up. Although several hurricanes and tropical storms have struck the Hawaiian islands, I have never experienced it. I was either away for schooling or had moved away and relocated. Of course, I know many people who did suffer through hurricanes, and at that moment, I remembered Dr. Kubota. He grew up on the island of Kauai and still had many family members there. In 1982, a few months after I took his chemistry class, his hometown of Poipu Beach was ravaged by Hurricane Iwa. He immediately helped to organize fundraisers for his fellow islanders. He also made a concerted effort to connect with all students from Hawaii and once a year, he hosted a dinner at his home for Hawaiian expatriates. He revealed a compassionate and generous side of his nature, one that I saw a glimpse of in his classroom, but was now on full display as he sacrificed to care for those whom he loved.
There are many people of whom we have fond memories but as we move on in life we may lose track of them. Professor Kubota was one of these men. I had not thought of him in over forty years and asked my wife to do an online search since I wondered what happened to him. It was with sadness and regret that my wife read me an online memorial to him. He passed away in 2018.
Although my career led me to another path, I still remember some of the chemistry lessons he taught me and cherish the kindness he showed me and other students from Hawaii. As I reminisced about him, I realized how I incorporated many of his thoughtful manners in the way I teach my students. However, it was not until the tragedy of the hurricane in Kauai, did I see his true nature.
A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)
Mark 15:21 (NLT)
Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
Romans 16:13 (NLT)
Mark revealed that Simon is the father of Rufus. A little over twenty years later, after Simon had that fateful encounter with Jesus, the Apostle Paul recognized Rufus in his letter to the Romans. What went through Simon’s mind as he helped to carry Jesus’ Cross? Did Simon understand the events of the Crucifixion? Did Simon see the resurrected Christ? The Bible does not tell us this but clearly, Simon’s heart was forever changed and he shared it with his son, Rufus, and his wife who both became close followers of Jesus Christ and colleagues to the Apostle Paul.
Sometimes it takes a tragic event to see the true nature of a person. For me, it was the caring spirit of Professor Kubota, helping his fellow islanders during a hurricane. For Simon, it was the encounter with Jesus Christ, on the darkest day in His life, to see that He was the promised Messiah and the true light of this world.
Thank you, Professor Mits Kubota. Your generous spirit and excellent teaching will always remind me of the grace and mercy of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
Complete Blogs Indexed by Bible Verses
Discover more from The Bereans Blog
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.