Chinese New Year

Gong Xi Fa Cai - these words we hear every time Chinese New Year is near. As Chinese New Year draws around the corner, as Chinese, it is a period of times in our lives the kids will rejoice, the adults will “mourn” as Ang paus were to be given, the time in which families and relatives gather together. Chinese New Year has always been Chinese New year, but as Christians, does Chinese New Year mean anything to us?

To start off, Chinese New Year is a time in which people gather, it is a time in which they come together, make merry, feast and even talk about the lives that has passed, catching up with relatives, and showing off each others' children. These are the events that a typical Chinese family will do, but now, besides gathering, we have an even more important mission, that is to be the salt and light to the relatives we rarely meet.

I take my sharing today from Matthew 5 v 13 – 16

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

First stop at every Chinese New Year in my hometown, at least there will always be food. Like Duh, who celebrates Chinese New Year without food? But because everybody wants to eat but nobody wants to clean, dishes will always be lying around the place. When I was young, my mum and my grandmother will do it. After all, if we want to look at it, washing and cooking is the work of the women. But as I grew in age, I began to realize, the most effective way of evangelizing to our grandparents or even our relatives begins if they see a change in our conduct. To start the ball rolling, I started washing dishes after meals, to ease the burdens of the womenfolk of the KHOR Family.

Secondly, Chinese New Year is also a good time in which salt and light can happen when we practise proper table manners. One thing that stands out in Chinese New Year is that when we eat, we will always eat at a round table. When we eat, we should always remember to wish our grandparents, to eat as well, for instance, Gong gong lets eat(爷爷吃饭). The bad thing to do would be to eat without waiting. To go a further mile would be, taking food for the elderly. I strongly encourage you all to do so, especially to your grandparents, that they know, there is something different in their grandchildren, and that is the 4th Commandment (Exodus 20 v 12), that we honor our parent’s parents, putting their interest above ours. When eating, may we not forget to give thanks for the food as well, that is to indirectly tell them, all food is provided by the LORD, and as partakers, we should always remember to give thanks.

Thirdly, when we receive Ang paus, we ought to receive with a thankful heart. An Attitude of Gratitude, certainly we should not always complain or even lament among each other, oh I only got RM2 from that uncle. Simply because, when adults give Ang pau, they give with a good intention, that children or even kids will mature and grow up to be a healthy and even happy adult, in Chinese Words - 快高张大. In any way, we should appreciate their good intentions. When we wish, we should not only say, 恭喜发财, Gong Xi Fa Cai, because this term is for businessmen, that their business blooms, but also Shen Ti Jian Kang (身体健康) to tell them, we wish them good health.

Fourth and Finally, Chinese New Year also presents us an opportunity to give people the most important 'Ang paus' in their lives, that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Chinese New Year, when we spend time talking with our relatives, it is actually the Golden Opportunity in which we can come and tell them about Jesus Christ. To tell them, God is the reason that families exist today and Jesus Christ is the reason why we can and we will always be a family and to let them know God wants them in His Kingdom as well. This howsoever, can be only be achieve, if we live our lives in becoming Salt and Light to the LOVE and the knowledge of God and alongside living a righteous life to actually begin talking to them about them Gospel.

Last of all guys, as we draw closer to this festive season, may we always be reminded that God is always good and we should thank God that above all, this is a cultural event and that as Christian Chinese we can celebrate and also be salt and light to our relatives - simply because everyday in life, People need the LORD.

May this festive season be a different one this year, with the knowledge that God wants our families to be close together and all God wanted since the beginning of creation is to have a family with us, simply because everything is temporary, but family in Christ, is forever.

- John Khor

Images taken from:

http://yeinjee.com/asianpop/chinese-new-year-worldwide-celebration-2008/
http://rasamalaysia.com/happy-chinese-new-year/
http://inxomnia.wordpress.com/page/5/
http://blog.beliefnet.com/stuffchristianculturelikes/2009/09/98-people-need-the-lord.html