tra·di·tion

[trəˈdiSH(ə)n]

the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way

If there’s one thing we Southerners love, its our traditions. We have our own pace, our own ways, and we don’t particularly appreciate change. Take, for instance, funerals. Before COVID, who would have thought you couldn’t bring food to the funeral home for the family of the deceased? When my son was small, he loved going to the funeral home because it meant there would be fried chicken in the kitchen. I still remember when family members sat up with the dead all night. And it may sound creepy, but there was a time, not that long ago it seems, where the ‘corpse lay’ in houses while someone stayed up all night with them.

But COVID changed everything.

Now, you can’t bring food into the funeral home and often there is hardly any visitation before the funeral. I must admit, that makes things much easier for the family, especially if the death was due to a prolonged illness.

The point is, we never think there’s a better way of doing things. If it goes against tradition, we ‘get our feathers ruffled’. For example, have you ever questioned why there are so many denominations and churches around? Why are we so divided?

The fact is, we’ve always been divided by traditions or beliefs. Even the Jews of Jesus’ day were divided. There were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Zealots, the Samaritans, and on and on. Jesus called some of them out on their ‘traditions’.

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites’ – Matthew 15:1-7

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the followers were of one accord. ‘And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul’ – Acts 4:32 (NASB) However, that didn’t last. Egos got in the way; the desire to regress to the old ways pulled at others; trying to fit into the world became more important than the teachings of Jesus. It began to divide and we are even more divided today. Yet, the basics are still the same. We love God. We love Jesus. We yearn for the Holy Spirit. Why is it that we cannot set aside all these man-made traditions and simply praise God the way it’s meant to be?

Because that is what the devil is most afraid of … a solid rock of belief; believers joined at the hip holding on to Jesus in one accord. It’s time to set aside old traditions and embrace what is good and what is true … the love and saving grace of Jesus.