Traditions

"But we have always done it this way". That is a common reply when someone suggests we do things a bit differently whether it is in church, at work or at home. Of course there are usually good reasons why people did things the way they did. The great reformer John Calvin wore a hat in church — because it was draughty and there were pigeons in the building! That didn't start a tradition, but many other things that well-known and loved church leaders have done have come to be the way everyone does them, and so trying to change this can cause trouble. Jesus found this to be true when he and his disciples did things differently from the way the religious leaders of his time did them. And these leaders made their traditions (however good they may have been when they were started) to be more important than the teaching of the Word of God itself.

This danger is still with us. Sometimes the way we do things was started long ago and for a good reason but it may no longer be necessary in our day. We must never allow tradition to get in the way of the Word of God but at the same time we must not trample tradition under our feet simply because it is old. We have to be sensitive to those who have' always done things this way' and we need to have a good reason for changing things.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Help me to see how best we can worship you in our situation now. Amen.