For Rent?

As I was driving into Kamalasai from the north, I was taken aback when out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a sign รับเช่าพระ which translates Phra for Rent.

Phra for Rent Sign

"Phra" is a word that carries a lot of different meanings, but one of the more common ones is to refer to monks. So my brain quickly interpreted this as "monks for rent," and I was a bit stupefied. Is this some sort of temple prostitution being advertised? Which would be really weird because it it not really a thing in Thailand. It would even be against the teachings of Buddha. So there had to be some other meaning.

The Thai language has a very rich vocabulary and there are often many ways to say the same thing. So to me it is odd that they have words like Phra that have so many different connotations. So, on another day, I went by on my bicycle and looked more closely at the sign. There were images of amulets on the poster. Then I understood the meaning—someone was renting out religious charms. There are other words they could have chosen to be more clear about this meaning, but I guess thay chose Phra because it is the shortest.

The use of amulets is quite common in Thailand, particularly among men. Most people have at least one amulet hanging around their neck. Some people have so many amulets, I wonder how they keep their head up straight against the weight of them.

People believe that amulets have special power to protect one from dangers and hazards of various types. There are magazines dedicated to the subject where one can research which amulets can be used for particular types of protection. These pendants can be quite expensive, especially for a charm that was worn by a particular person that protected that person from harm. Or maybe the charm has special powers that were given to it by a monk who prayed an incantation over it.

Amulet vendors are everywhere and it is not unusual to see someone studying a pendant under a magnifier trying to determine if it is genuine.

Amulets for Sale

Since powerful amulets can be quite expensive, it makes sense that someone would make a business renting them out. Someone might want some special protection for a certain event. Or maybe they just need to impress someone in particular with their choice in amulets.

It can be easy to ridicule people for such superstitions, especially for someone like me who grew up in a religion that didn't use much in the way of symbols. I even struggle sometimes with the way that Christians use crosses.

The Bible is full of prohibitions regarding the use of idols—images resembling people, animals, birds, or mythical creatures. So it is interesting to hear people in Thailand say that one of the reasons they don't like Christianity is precisely because it doesn't have the idols. The are many people who want something that they can look at or touch. It is part of what makes their religion real for them.

The writer of Hebrews tells us: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1-NIV)

There is a saying that goes, seeing is believing. What makes Christianity difficult for some is that it reverses this to something like, believing is not seeing.

Since I grew up without the use of idols or amulets, it is easy for me not to depend on them. But it must be really hard for those people whose culture is full of statures and images and charms worn on the body. I really can't imagine what it must be like for them to believe in a God they cannot see. But one thing I do know is that when I put my trust in the One I cannot see, Jesus Christ, His presence became very real to me, as real as any statue that I can touch with my fingers.

Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples, had difficulty believing that Jesus rose from the dead. Then, when he finally saw Jesus, he believed the resurrection had actually happened. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29-ESV)

There is no need for us to buy or even rent a charm or statue. We need only put our faith in the One who died on the cross and rose again. We may not see Jesus, but He is real, and He is alive.

Symbols

We live in the province of Kalasin, Thailand. One of the symbols of the province is the dinosaur. The reason for this is that in the northern part of the province they have found lots of dinosaur fossils.

Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum in Kalasin

So you can find statues or symbols of dinosaurs all over the place.

Not waiting to find out if they really are herbivores

Dinosaurs are surprisingly mobile. At this rate they should be taking over Thailand soon.

Dinosaurs invading the city of Kalasin

Some dinosaurs like to hang around coffee shops.

Dinosaur coming to steal my coffee

Dinosaur giving rides while we wait for out coffee

Earlier this week we found a dinosaur that had been trained to ring a gong.

Kalasin's trained dinosaurs

We humans like to use symbols. They can be an easy way to express the essence of something or even our emotions (emojis).

Emojis as symbols of feelings

Symbols can be powerful tools for making something easy to recognize—like the golden arches at McDonalds or the donkeys and elephants used to represent political parties in the USA. Back when we lived in Haiti, we happened to be there for their first democratic elections, ever. The ballots had the names of the candidates, their photograph and a symbol for their party. Even the illiterate people could recognize the symbols.

Haitian Election Ballot from 1992

For centuries now, the symbol for Christianity has been a cross. It is almost trivialized now, but in its day, the cross would be recognized as a brutal form of execution. Using a cross as a symbol is akin to using a gallows or guillotine, which makes it a really odd symbol. But it makes sense when you think that Jesus taught that the way to life is through death. Jesus died for our sins on the cross to secure our salvation. But He didn't stay dead. First came death, then the resurrection.

The Cross as a symbol of Christianity

Jesus, looking ahead to His crucifixion, wrote,

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. John 12:23-26 (ESV)

But Jesus wasn't just saying this about Himself. Whoever, He says, loves his life will lose it. Dying is the way to a life of fruitfulness.

Paul also writes about this. In Romans 8:13 (ESV) we read: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." And again in Colossians 3:5 (ESV) "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

The challenge with symbols is that after a while the symbol becomes more important than what it is supposed to represent. The cross becomes merely a fashion statement or a religious symbol rather than showing one's desire to die to self or even even die for one's faith. Some, ironically, complain when governments try to remove our cross symbols from public places. When someone wants to remove a sign that should say we are willing to suffer for our faith, we complain and can become belligerent even to the point of being obnoxious, even though we aren't actually suffering. We are very unlike the first century Christians who rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. (Acts 5:41)

When Jesus said we should be willing to take up our cross, I don't think he had in mind a piece of jewelry strung around our neck or a symbol erected on top of a building.

The cross is a reminder that we are strangers and exiles on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13) We are willing to die to the things of this world because we are looking forward to a better one. We read in Hebrews 11:35 (ESV): Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

I've found that this cross thing is not always easy. Sometimes I get to a place where I have to choose gratifying my human desires or pleasing God. At other times I have to choose between responding to situations according to the wisdom and ways of this world or according to the ways of the Kingdom of God. I don't always get it right.

We read James 3:15-17 (The Voice translation): The wisdom of this world should never be mistaken for heavenly wisdom; it originates below in the earthly realms, with the demons. Any place where you find jealousy and selfish ambition, you will discover chaos and evil thriving under its rule. Heavenly wisdom centers on purity, peace, gentleness, deference, mercy, and other good fruits untainted by hypocrisy.

God, when I see the symbol of a cross, help me to remember that not only did Jesus die on the cross for my sins, but also that He called us to be willing to die to the things of this world for the sake of His kingdom