This is normally a word we think of in connection to America, but we are definitely not the only country that is patriotic. Patriotism is seen in pretty much every country, this is especially true in Thailand.
Thailand is patriotic in a way that is sometimes hard to understand, some people see it as worshipping the king, but in reality it's them being proud to be Thai. In Thailand they wear yellow shirts every Monday to show their patriotism, to show they love their country and king. When you go to the movies, it starts out with everyone in the audience standing up silently while the national anthem was played. Anytime the Thai national anthem plays, everyone stops what they're doing and stands in respectful silence.
Once I was was walking through a street market and the national anthem started playing, everyone stopped and waited in silence. As I stood there, I started thinking about the wonder of the whole thing. In the US, when the national anthem is being sang at a sporting game or something, we sing along, cheer, or if we're at the concession stand we continue ordering and getting our food or snacks. I couldn't imagine walking through the mall in the US and everyone stopping while the national anthem plays.
It has donned on me that the Thai people's patriotism is a rarely seen devotion to their country. From there God began to reveal to me that if the Thai's can show that type of devotion to a government, imagine how beautiful that devotion would be when turned towards God.
Pray that more and more Thai's turn their eyes toward the one true God.
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