Every year about this time, I look forward to the many traditions my family keeps. There are some traditions that remain important and timely, and others that no longer bring me closer to my family or the teachings of Jesus.
In Luke 6:6-10, we see Jesus standing in defiance of the sabbath tradition that the Pharisees and religious scholars kept, choosing to heal on the holy day of rest. In this instance, Jesus sees it as an act of good or evil: Do we preserve life or destroy it? Jesus is choosing to break a well-regarded tradition to carry forth God’s gospel and his power to heal lives.
When I think of new traditions I want to start or those I want to distance myself from, I find myself drawn back to Jesus’ teachings and his example. Are there traditions I’m holding onto that aren’t in alignment with Jesus’ gospel of acceptance and grace? How can I create a new tradition that brings me closer to Jesus on my path of discipleship?
This message is excerpted from “Traditions to break and create” by SommerAnn McCollough in the November 2018 Café online magazine.
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