Brahmin in India
Originally posted at: https://www.global-teams.net/blog/general/2018/11/05/brahmin-in-india/
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15 Days of Prayer for the Hindu World: Day 9
A young Brahmin man politely asks a low-caste woman for a drink of water. Hesitantly, she pours the water, and he appreciatively takes the glass. For many Brahmins, this would be considered ritually impure. But this particular Brahmin man—his name is Manoj—has been transformed.
Some time before, Manoj had suffered a severe injury and was bleeding profusely. In desperation, he cried out a name he had once heard – “Jesus”. Miraculously, the bleeding stopped. Later, as he drifted in and out of sleep at the hospital, he felt darkness surrounding him, trying to consume him. Suddenly, he saw a man in white reaching down to rescue him. This experience led Manoj to become a Christian.
About six percent of India’s Hindus are Brahmin. They are considered high-caste, and traditionally they serve as priests, custodians, and transmitters of sacred traditions. Their status has made them very influential.
Brahmins maintain ritualistic purity through the observance of many religious rules, many of which relate to diet and avoiding contact with lower castes. Most are strictly vegetarian and do not handle materials such as leather, which are considered impure. Due to their strict observation of religious traditions, Brahmins are largely unreached by efforts to share the gospel.
Peter, when writing to the Church about the state of all believers said, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
Ways to Pray
- Pray that the light of the gospel would break through the veil of pride that blinds the Brahmin community, due to its high status and relative affluence in Hindu culture.
- Pray that the true God will reveal Himself to Brahmins, and that they will use their significant influence to declare the excellencies of Jesus.
- Pray for the few Brahmins who follow Jesus to share His love with their friends, neighbors, and relatives in practical and powerful ways. Less than 0.1 percent of Brahmins are Christians.
From 15 Days of Prayer for the Hindu World, pray15days.org