Celebration of Dragon Boat Festival had hardly passed, and it is “Hungry ghost month.” Other than the fact that shops are already selling mooncakes for the next festival, they had to make money from selling incenses and paper offerings. The lack of wisdom and spiritual blindness of the world without Christ became more apparent to me when I saw people kneeling there at the drains, and I know they are “highly educated professionals,” burning “money” and other offerings. We may think that only “silly uneducated old folks” will do such things and being superstitious. But these were young urban professionals holding a minimum of a basic degree from a reputable university.

Spiritual blindness has nothing to do with age or secular education. It has to do with knowing the truth or not. The truth is Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Wisdom can only begin when one has the right relationship with the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). Christians will have to make sure that they do not fall into superstitious beliefs (in Christian garbs) themselves. The only way to do that is to know the Lord and His Scripture well.

Parents play an important role in helping their children know the Lord. Knowing the Lord does not mean coming to church on Sunday and finishing your duty for the week. It encompasses the whole lifestyle. Where do you think those kneeling at the drains making those offerings learn it from? Their parents of course! If we do not take the spiritual life of our young seriously but place greater emphasis on “less important” learning of the world, then I can almost guarantee a rude awakening somewhere down the line.

We must not lie to ourselves, and how sad it would be if we do. The spiritually blind, making offerings out of fear, know deep within that they are lying to themselves. Our eyes are opened by the knowledge of God, and we should not live like them. It is important for us to know where to put our priorities and not to live a life lying to ourselves. Get right with God and help the young to do the same.

God bless,
In Christ’s service,

Barry Leong

对端午节的庆祝终于过去了，现在是鬼月。商店也已经开始为下一个来到的节日销售月饼外，他们还是得靠着销售香火和冥纸来赚钱。没有基督的世界，导致了智慧的缺乏以及灵性的瞎眼，当人们在沟渠前跪拜烧冥钱和祭物的时候，我更清楚意识到这一点，而且我知道他们都是受过高等教育的专业人士。我们可能想说这只是“没有上过学的傻老人”会做这样的事和如此的迷信。但是这些是城市中至少在名流大学中获取本科专业文凭的专业年轻人。

灵性的眼瞎跟岁数或教育没有任何关系。它是与对真理的认识与否有关系。真理就是耶稣基督（约14:6）。智慧的开端是当你与上帝有正确的关系（箴言1:7）。基督徒需要确定自己不会陷入到迷信的信仰（身穿基督徒教的外衣）中。唯一要做的是深知主和祂的话语。

父母拥有重要的职责来帮助自己的孩子们认识主。认识主意思不是每一个主日带他们来到教会来完成一个星期的责任。它涵盖了生活的方式。你觉得那些跪在沟渠前祭拜是从哪里学来的？当然是他们的父母！如果我们不认真看待年轻人的灵性，却是学世界将“次等”放在重要的位置上，我似乎可以保证接下来一定会有一个无礼的觉醒。

我们不要自我欺骗自己，如果是如此的话，那是何等的悲哀。灵性的眼瞎，因为出于惧怕而祭拜，他们内心深处晓得是在欺骗自己。上帝的知识使我们的眼睛得以打开，我们不应当像他们那样活着。我们要晓得什么是我们优先等次以及过一个不欺骗自己的生活是很重要的。我们要与上帝有一个正确的关系，也帮助年轻人做相同的事。

上帝赐福,
在基督里服事的,

Barry Leong