Breaking the Addiction of Traditions

Truth has the potential to be replaced by a tradition that seems similar but is really far from the truth. We have just gone through a season of holidays that are filled with family traditions such as menu items and decorations. My focus is not on whether a family has turkey or ham for Thanksgiving or Christmas - that is a family preference (I am still very partial to my grandmother's recipe for dressing with the turkey on Thanksgiving). Rather, for the next several weeks I want to focus on man's traditions that are changes or departures from what God's Word has stated.

Two of my favorite stories illustrate in real life how we can take a truth and turn it into a tradition that no longer reflects the original truth.

First Story - Catherine the Great ruled Russia from 1762-1796. During her reign,

someone gave Catherine a rare and beautiful rosebush. When it was planted, she

ordered that a sentry be placed by it to protect the bush. Years later, after her death and the death of the rosebush, a later Czar of Russia noticed a sentry in a barren

spot of the garden. In researching why a sentry was in that spot, the search

revealed Catherine's order that had never been rescinded. A truth - a rare rosebush to be protected - had transformed into a tradition - a sentry guarding what no

longer existed.

Second Story - A young wife cut off the ends of the ham before cooking it. Her

husband asked why she did that. Her reply was that her mother had always

done that. He asked his mother-in-law about the practice and was told that

her mother had also always done that. He finally had the opportunity to ask

his wife's grandmother about the practice of cutting the ends of the ham off

before cooking. She replied that it was the only way she could fit the ham

into her pan for cooking. A truth - a ham too big for the pan - had become a

tradition - cutting off good ham for a reason that no longer existed.

There are several words God spoke and actions that He performed that man has altered over the years - taking a truth and changing it into a tradition. The next three weeks I will write on three of these. For now consider this thought:

We seek to get a change in our world or nation by our current best options. The result is that we believe electing the right leaders or exhibiting the greatest power or strength will result in a world or nation that is healed and all is made right. That has become our tradition that is morphed from God's Word when He gave us direction about the healing of our land.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble

themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from

their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I

will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14

Give some real thought to these words this week - are we content to stay with man's traditions or are we ready to return to the truth of God's Word? I look forward to sharing these thoughts with you over the next three weeks:

God's Plan vs Man's Expectations

God's Voice vs Man's Ears

God's View vs Man's View

Have a great week!

(And yes, I am feeling much better. 2026 has been filled with surprises so far - some very good and some it would have been nice to skip. That is life and ours is good)