Eddie Lum always sat in the back of the sanctuary with his wife Margaret in worship. He was present but Margaret was first to speak like many of the members of the large Chen family. When I heard that Eddie Lum has gone home to God, I first checked the three volumes of the Chinatown books, hoping to find his life’s story. His story was not there. I was not surprised.
Eddie Lum was like every man. He was like many Chinese persons who was born in the old country, came to Gold Mountain with his family to start a new life. Like many, Eddie went to public schools, got a degree, worked in a field that didn’t require a strong mastery of English, and raised a loving family. Eddie Lum provided for his family so that his American born children will have a better life and go farther ahead than he could ever go. Fulfilling the honorable duty of a faithful husband, dedicated father, a hard worker, and an uncle to many of the nieces and nephews making up the Chen family were expected of him. Over these many years, he did what was expected and he did it successfully. We can see the fruits of his labor all around us today.
We know that there were 12 disciples that Jesus called to follow him. We know the names of some of them but not all of them. The Gospel writers we know: Matthew Mark, Luke and John. We heard about Peter and James and of course, Judas. There were others whose names don’t roll off our tongues. But all 12 were important members of the team. When the church was nominating names to serve on boards and committees, we often would nominate Margaret, Helen, and Nancy to the Social Committee because the “three sisters” always knew how to throw a good party. When Margaret agrees to serve, we knew that Eddie will be serving too. When we had a lunch reception in the Fellowship Hall, Eddie was in the kitchen plating out dishes. When we had our outdoor picnics, Eddie in his apron would be barbecuing. Eddie never had the need to be upfront or make a big name for himself. Rather, he was like one of the disciples whose name we don’t know but nevertheless served sacrificially and happily. Eddie was a team player.
Just like Jesus called fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, even a thief—all everyday people, Jesus called Eddie Lum to be his disciple too.
When I read that Eddie was trained as a surveying and mapping draftsman who worked in transportation with Caltran, I thought about the magnificent roads the Romans built in the Holy Lands and throughout Europe. When you go to visit these places, the Roman roads are still traveled on today. You can still see and walk on the heavily rutted marble stones that were constructed thousands of years ago.
I like to believe that Eddie Lum had a part in designing and constructing the California roads, streets, and freeways we have today. Roads are vital for us to go to work, go shopping, attend school, ride our bikes, travel on Route 5 to visit family and friends in LA. Roads unite people who were once strangers but are now friends. Roads connect neighborhoods and cities for commerce and for the sake and welfare of the commonwealth. When we are knitted together when we travel the roads, streets, and freeways, we become a stronger people.
Many amazing things happen on roads. The wise Magi traveled from the East on roads established by the silk trade to visit the Christ Child. Jesus walked around in the towns and villages healing and teaching about God’s love. The Good Samaritan didn’t walk on by on the other side of the road but he rescued the beaten and robbed man. The two disciples while traveling toward Jerusalem met the Risen Lord. Paul on the road to Damascus was blinded and believed in the Lord and became one of Christ’s greatest theologians.
When I see how so many miraculous things happen on the road, I am confident that Eddie Lum as a Caltran transportation engineer must have been a part of many spectacular things that happened on the roads, streets and freeways he surveyed, mapped out, and constructed for our enjoyment today.
The next time you drive on the freeway to visit Disneyland and take a picture with Mickey Mouse, tell Mickey that Eddie Lum thanks him for making his life one of the happiest lives on earth!
Today, I recall Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The life that Eddie Lum lived was often the road less traveled. Life is not always easy but when we take the less traveled, we get also the opportunity to experience new opportunities, and see new vistas, and provide new roads, streets and freeways so that all of us today can become united as one family in Christ.
In Matthew 7:13-14, when Jesus was teaching the crowds, he talked about the Narrow Gate. He said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Today, we believe that Eddie Lum in his faithfulness to Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior walked on the challenging road of discipleship and walked through the narrow gate and discovered eternal life in heaven. He took the road less traveled and for that it made all the difference.
Let us pray.
Gracious God, we give thanks for the life of Eddie Lum who blessed us with his faithfulness in you. Lord, we witnessed your love and care in our family when Eddie Lum reflected your love for him. Remind us that as long as we remember Eddie Lum in our lives and share stories and memories of him, he continues to live on in our hearts while we are confident that he is now with you embraced in your loving arms. Bless us today with your presence and when we travel on the roads, streets and freeways of life, we like Eddie Lum may take the road less traveled so that we may abide in your call to discipleship. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.