Chinese New Year greetings

Yesterday we conducted chapel services at Peacehaven Nursing Home. Seeing Chinese New Year will be here soon, we wished them God's blessings for the New Year. We used the greeting normally spoken by Christians. One elderly lady shouted out "Kong Hee Fatt Choy." She remonstrated with us for not using the traditionally "Kong Hee Fatt Choy." "How can you be happy if you don't have plenty of money?" she yelled out! She insisted on saying, "Kong Hee Fatt Choy" the Cantonese greeting meaning, "Wishing you a prosperous New Year."

The most common greeting to day is "Kong Hee Fatt Choy" in Cantonese - "Wishing you a prosperous New Year." Business people love that greeting. The Mandarin version is "Gong Xi Fa Cai."

There are many people, particularly Christians who prefer "Sin Ni Kuai Lok" in Hokkien and Teochew meaning "Wishing you a joyful New Year." The Mandarin version renders this "Xin Nian Kuai Le"

Popular among Christians is the greeting, "Sin Ni Peng An" in Hokkien and Teochew;
"Sun Neen Peng On" in Cantonese and "Xin Nian Ping An" in Mandarin. It is equivalent to "Shalom" - New Year Peace." It is a greeting I use for I like the idea of wishing each other God's gift of peace - Peace with God and peace with our families and fellowmen.

Among Christians there is another greeting "Sin Ni Bong Un" in Hokkien and Teochew, or "Sun Neen Mong Yan" in Cantonese or ""Xin Nian Meng En" in Mandarin. It is the expression meaning "May you be highly favoured with God's blessings."

Well take your pick. Personally I refrain from using "Kong Hee Fatt Choy" or "Keong Hi Huat Chai" in Hokkien and Teochew or "Gong Xi Fa Cai" in Mandarin. I don't wish anyone material prosperity. But I wish you God's richest blessings of Joy and Peace. If God prospers us materially, let us thank Him, pay our tithe and share our material blessings with others.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to think that more is better and that money and the things it can buy happiness.The desire for more is such a dangerous and destructive trap. When getting more money and things becomes our chief aim in life, then we are heading for trouble.

That kind of mindset will stop at nothing to get as much of it as we can. We then compromise our beliefs, and stop serving the Lord. There is danger and destruction in covetousness and greed.

Paul advises us to seek godliness and contentment.That means we must focus on the spiritual, and learn to be content with the material.“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (I Tim. 6:7-8)

May God grant you Joy and Peace for the New Year.