People of no country

Driving through northern Thailand we arrived in the area where the Karen Ni people reside. They are also known as the “long neck” tribe because of the ornamental neckwear the women are adorned with. This jewelry looks like a stack of silver bangles and when worn it pushes the woman’s chin up and helps elongate her neck. It looks very uncomfortable but nobody wearing it seemed to be complaining.

The Karen Ni tribe are refugees from Myanmar (Burma) who fled their homeland because of the oppressive military government that has retaken control of the nation. They are known as the tribe with no country since they have lost their citizenship in Myanmar and are not recognized as citizens of Thailand where they’ve settled. Because of this they are a very impoverished people who must live like squatters in the semi-tropical and mountainous area they now inhabit.

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ we are similar to the Karen Ni people. Hebrews 11 speaks about God’s people of faith who “agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth”. Verses 14-16 continues by saying, “Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

The Karen Ni are a people who seem to have no hope because they have no country to call their own Fortunately, many of them are coming to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Unlike them, we have reason to hope no matter what nation we are earthly citizens of. This is because our citizenship is now in heaven, and we are members of the Kingdom of God. We are called sons and daughters of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.

If our country follows God whole-heartedly or if they don’t, the truth is, we are primarily citizens of another country. It is a country with no beginning or end and unlike our earthly country that has an expiration date, God’s Kingdom will never end. We should daily rejoice that we have lovingly become members of this country for it is a place of “joy unspeakable and full of glory”. We have something great to look forward to!