"Traditions"

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" (Matthew 15:1-9 NIV).

Tradition can be a very good thing. In fact, it often provides a sense of foundation in many families and individuals. We have several family traditions that have been very important through the years. One of them is our annual gathering for Christmas. Because of the geographic differences we now experience, it has proven best to gather at David and Becca’s home for the fellowship and exchanging of gifts. It is always a great time! It provides a foundation for the family. There are other traditions in our family that are equally important and beneficial.

I also have some personal traditions that have been good for me. One of those is the wearing of my wedding and college rings. You will rarely see me without them. I know that the wearing of the rings do not make me more of a husband or an Aggie, but they provide a foundation for who I desire to be.

There are others, but the real point of today’s Morning Devotional is found in our reading. Jesus indicates the danger of holding to some traditions. These are those practices that keep us from truly doing the will of God. The Pharisees and teachers of the law condemned the disciples because they didn’t ceremonially cleanse themselves before they ate their meal. Jesus answered them with a question concerning their own practices. You see, they had conveniently chosen some of the laws to strictly observe while ignoring or twisting others to their benefit. Thus Jesus says the nullify the word of God.

I find we often do the same thing in our relationships with others, both in the church and outside the church. We have chosen some “pet” sins to magnify while letting others go unmentioned. You can fill in the blanks of which those are in your church! My point is not to condemn, but to lift the importance of practicing grace among one another. Every sin hurts us, but our focus should not be on condemnation, shame, or guilt. Our focus ought to be on forgiveness, grace, and freedom. Don’t merely honor God with your lips. Honor Him with your heart!