MicahJohn

Today I replaced my stolen computer. I got a used (but still under warranty) macbook (white). It is noticeably slower for certain tasks, but certainly functional.

It’s good to be back on a computer that belongs to me. It’s good to be back on a mac.

This evening an image crossed my mind. I’m still trying to decide how well it fits. I was observing Thai people circle the neighborhood temple. They were commemorating and contemplating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. This commemoration corresponded with the full moon. This commemoration meant that you couldn’t buy alcohol in Thailand (one of my neighbors was bemoaning this).

In this context I thought the Buddha is like the moon. The Buddha taught many good things. Yet for many Thais his teachings are a distant thing. When the moon is full, when holy days arrive they attempt to live up to the Buddha’s teachings, but as the moon wanes many fall into immoral ways of life, immoral in their own eyes.

As these thoughts were forming I thought the Thai people need the Sun which does not wane, they need Jesus the Christ. They need someone who not only taught good things, but stands ready to make us good people, stands ready to enable us to live holy lives.

School has started back up. Yesterday I was in the cafeteria eating at one of the teacher tables and a teacher I met last year came and joined me. He confirmed his recollection that my father is a teacher in the church. He wanted to know whether Protestants have a Pope, what the meaning is of baptism, the significance of communion, and various details of the Trinity.

His questions were great questions. They would have been a challenge to answer in English. In Thai it was a little scary. I sometimes, in regular conversation, say things I don’t mean to. In answer to questions of such weight, I’d rather not make any big blunders.