It is often said that we live in a global village. Things happening on the other side of the world become news competing with our own backyard bulletins. This week the influx of Chinese material to the WhatsApp Eire CCF site on my smartphone spelled out in strange letters “A Happy New Year”! This piece of technology has been developed by former members of the Chinese Christian Fellowship in a laudable attempt to retain the good things of the past and give them an airing in the present.
The greetings were accompanied by a group photograph showing that the faces are still very recognisable despite the passage of time! Virtually all of them received their tertiary education here and some completed their schooling in our system. A number settled in Dublin and we have the joy of having in Lake in our own family circle.
The Fellowship grew into a church and divided into two Dublin churches one preaching in Mandarin and the other in Cantonese. There are a number of others in rural Ireland, the gospel flowing more easily along linguistic and cultural lines to where Chinese are resident.
The Chinese use the lunar calendar. Chinese astrology has a 12-year zodiac cycle with a different animal for each year, each with their individual characteristics. There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. They are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
This New Year, 2018, is the Year of Dog and people born in 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018 are dogs! When you discover a persons’ Animal you can easily work out their age – do the maths!
Then there is the practice of ‘Red Packet’. It is mainly given to children. The red colour of the envelope symbolizes good luck and is a symbol to ward off evil spirits. The content is usually money; importance being given to whither the figure being an odd or even amount. The total number of notes in the packet carry meanings associated with good or bad luck. The distribution of red envelopes via mobile payments over the Internet is extending the practice at the expense of some of the fun!
As with Western Zodiacs all the characters are given attributes. From these can be deduced meanings or behaviours which transmit to the individual. In the case of childbirth, the mother’s birth date and the date of conception are used to make up the child’s chart.
For the believer the Bible provides guidance through life, superstition and fear being replaced by promises such as God gave to Moses for his people Israel “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy chapter 31 v6).
In common with the Chinese we live in a society where luck features in the reckoning of almost everyone. The concept of an all-powerful God who is in complete control – even down to the turn of the dice, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs chapter 16 verse 33) does not come naturally.
The idea that God is sovereign over all our plans is not something we are born with, “The heart of a man plans his course, but the Lord plans his steps.” Proverbs Chapter 16 verse 10).
The fact is it is in our nature to want independence not to be dependant and when that stubborn nature is conquered by God’s grace the enormity of His goodness would make us cry with the Psalmist “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (73 verses 23/6).