Those among us who celebrate Chinese New Year are caught between two cultures – that of being Chinese, and that of being Christian. It is often difficult to distinguish between superstition and culture, and this is especially so during the lunar new year. How do we blend these two sets of beliefs? What happens when our faith seems to contradict our culture?
For example, many of the Chinese greetings we use during the New Year are tied closely to the ideas of luck, prosperity and fortune, which may clash with what we know about the sovereignty of God and His blessings. Similarly, before Acts 10, the Apostle Peter was caught between what his Jewish culture had taught him, and God’s will for everyone – Jew or Gentile