It is time for our family reunion dinner and gathering again! Every family member is to look forward to it and not plan something else. Since birth, we have been keeping this Chinese New Year tradition, year after year without fail.
It is believed that Chinese New Year (CNY) came about many centuries ago in China. There is a legend about a fierce beast called “年”. It is supposed to have a big mouth and can eat many human beings with one bite. Its attack comes in the beginning of spring. In order to scare the beast away, it is said that one must hang up red banners everywhere and light firecrackers. The beast will keep away because it is afraid of red and the loud noise of the lit firecrackers. The legend goes that this worked and the people were very happy. So, they observed this practice every year at the beginning of Spring. This legend sounds more fiction than truth.
I guess most of us who are Christians are not really interested in the origin of CNY. While celebrating Christmas without Christ is absolutely meaningless, celebrating CNY can still be meaningful without the knowledge of its origin. We just have to be careful how we celebrate CNY. There are some Chinese traditions that are associated with pagan religious practices which may be idolatrous. For example, it is a common practice among the Chinese to worship their ancestors on the first day of CNY. This is what we must avoid. To offer burnt joss sticks, to communicate with the dead or to bow down before them is tantamount to idol worship.
Be careful also to keep your house free from anything that is worldly or that symbolizes any form of superstition, eg: “恭喜发财” or the upside down “福”. By wishing “恭喜发财”, we are encouraging the sin of covetousness. The Bible says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim 6:6). What about “福”? It is actually a good word meaning blessedness in the Lord. While we agree there is a biblical meaning in the word “福”, many people take it to mean physical blessings obtained through idol worship. This is why they display the word upside down to signify that more “福”will pour down upon them. This is an act that reflects a covetous heart.
It is believed that Chinese New Year (CNY) came about many centuries ago in China. There is a legend about a fierce beast called “年”. It is supposed to have a big mouth and can eat many human beings with one bite. Its attack comes in the beginning of spring. In order to scare the beast away, it is said that one must hang up red banners everywhere and light firecrackers. The beast will keep away because it is afraid of red and the loud noise of the lit firecrackers. The legend goes that this worked and the people were very happy. So, they observed this practice every year at the beginning of Spring. This legend sounds more fiction than truth.
I guess most of us who are Christians are not really interested in the origin of CNY. While celebrating Christmas without Christ is absolutely meaningless, celebrating CNY can still be meaningful without the knowledge of its origin. We just have to be careful how we celebrate CNY. There are some Chinese traditions that are associated with pagan religious practices which may be idolatrous. For example, it is a common practice among the Chinese to worship their ancestors on the first day of CNY. This is what we must avoid. To offer burnt joss sticks, to communicate with the dead or to bow down before them is tantamount to idol worship.
Be careful also to keep your house free from anything that is worldly or that symbolizes any form of superstition, eg: “恭喜发财” or the upside down “福”. By wishing “恭喜发财”, we are encouraging the sin of covetousness. The Bible says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim 6:6). What about “福”? It is actually a good word meaning blessedness in the Lord. While we agree there is a biblical meaning in the word “福”, many people take it to mean physical blessings obtained through idol worship. This is why they display the word upside down to signify that more “福”will pour down upon them. This is an act that reflects a covetous heart.
CNY can be God-honouring if it is celebrated with the aim of glorifying God. We can make it a Christian’s CNY. 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” While many goodies are on the tables for us to grab, let us eat and drink moderately. Don’t overeat! Remember also to share the gospel whenever opportunity arises. Make use of the Ang Pow gospel tracts available. The gospel red packet is worth much more than any amount of money that one can ever receive. May God help us to celebrate CNY meaningfully. Amen.
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