Our Helper?

Recently, one of the Buddhist temples in our area erected this interesting idol with multiple arms.  It is an interesting looking idol, but I wasn’t quite sure what the significance is of this latest idol was.

Guan Yin เจ้าแม่กวนอิม

But last week, while I was out bicycling, I noticed that there were several young monks out working in the yard by the statue.  So I detoured and chatted with them a few minutes.

The first inquiry I made was concerning the name of the god depicted by the statue.  I found out that this was the goddess Guan Yin (เจ้าแม่กวนอิม).

Next I asked why this goddess had so many arms.

I found out that Guan Yin has so many arms because she is a helper goddess.  The term they used was Phu Chuai (ผู้ช่วย), the same term the Bible uses to refer to the Holy Spirit.

Interesting that since this idol was erected, it has yet to move from where it was made in order to go help anyone. And even though it has 12 pairs of hands, it has yet to lift a finger to provide assistance to those who come.  And even if it could move and wiggle its fingers, 12 pairs of hands is not going to make much of a dent in assisting however many billion people live in the world.

I think, if I wanted a god that could help me and the rest of mankind, this god would first have to be a living entity, not a bunch of stones and mortar formed by another person.  Secondly, this god should not be bound by human limitations, such as a finite number of arms.

And this is what Jesus promised us.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,  to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16, 17 ESV)

So I won’t be posting any pictures of the True Helper.  Because if the Holy Spirit were small enough to be photographed, He would not be much help. And if the Holy Spirit were a visible physical entity, He would not be able to dwell in the people of God in order to change their lives.

It is interesting that the Buddhists recognize the need for a helper.  In a religion that tells them that according to the laws of karma, you get what you deserve, there is a recognition that perhaps they need more or better than what they deserve.  Unfortunately, this hand-crafted idol won’t be able to help them much
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I thank God for the Holy Spirit, Who was able to make changes in my life that I was powerless to do.  I thank God for grace that says it is possible to get more or better than I deserve.

Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. (Acts 14:15 ESV)