Karma
“The total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person’s existence, regarded as determining the person’s destiny.”
95% of the population in Thailand are Buddhist. Walking along the streets, you see everyone’s smiling faces and kind gestures, yet people do not truly seem happy.
People here believe that with the right beliefs, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness they will have a better life when they are reincarnated.
These are all good things to strive for. However, what happens when you are born with a dad who abuses you? What happens when you have been sold into sex trafficking? What happens when you are a homeless man begging on the streets?
People believe that they have done something morally wrong in their previous life and are stuck in that until they die and are born again. Other people view them as outcasts because of their sin in their previous life.
Walking around in Bangkok, Thailand, our team had the opportunity to pray for a man begging on the streets.
As my teammates where praying, people stopped and stared. Those walking by kept looking back over and over again.
After the prayer ended and we walked away, tears filled my eyes.
My heart broke.
This man is looked at as cursed because of something he did in his previous life.
This man sits there on the streets with his feet and arms deformed thinking that he is the scum of the Earth.
No one loves him because he is seen as dirty, sinful, and unlovable.
How often do we walk by people we judge as dirty, sinful, and unlovable when God sees all of us as his beautiful children. I pray during this season, everyone knows they are loved by Christ. I pray we all seek out to love those who feel dirty, sinful, and unlovable.
As my team goes to Ubon, Thailand, please pray we can share the love of Christ to them through our actions and words. I pray you all have a Merry Christmas!
