Every year my husband, daughter, and I faithfully purchase our trees and wreaths from NW TreeLot. We stumbled across the local lot on our first Christmas together and loved their products and picture booth station. Our yearly snapshot on their grounds marks the beginning of the season for our little family.
Our next annual festive photo is the three of us in crazy Christmas hats. This year may prove a bit challenging as our daughter is less than excited about the whimsical caps. My plea to our teen is, “But it's tradition!”
When I was growing up my mom liked to buy living trees with the roots still intact so that the sapling could be planted outside in the spring. As an adult, I appreciate mom's environmentally sound custom but as children my brother and I hated it. The living trees were usually tiny; and all we cared about then was size.
Other than the living evergreen, I do not remember a lot of family traditions from my upbringing. In part our family was, shall we say, constantly evolving with divorces, second marriages, and blending families. Some practices remained for a couple of years and then faded away.
In general there was an underlying negativity towards tradition. Seems my grandmother quoted scriptures like Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ (NIV).”
I understand the purpose of this warning and others like it. Nothing should distract us from Christ who is available to us now and on a personal level.
When I look at the life of Christ I see a life marked by tradition. The very first act of His life was to be presented at the temple. The wise men brought Jesus gifts fitting for a king. Jesus and His family went to Jerusalem for Passover annually. Jesus participated in baptism and the Feast of Tabernacle.
Perhaps what sets Jesus’ observation and participation of the traditions of His time apart from the warning of Colossians is that the rituals were not void of divinely orchestrated encounters that glorified the living God.
When Jesus was presented at the temple, Simeon and Anna praised God and blessed Jesus while confirming His identity. At twelve years old, when visiting Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, Jesus amazed all who heard Him speak. At Jesus' baptism the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. On the last and most important day of the Feasts of Tabernacle, Jesus invited anyone who was thirsty to come to Him.
Moreover Jesus’ life was the fulfillment of the high holy days and all of Jewish culture.
The word “tradition” comes from the Latin word “tradere” which means to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping.
God transmitted a foreshadowing of Himself, to His people, in the Jewish traditions. The generations of believers before Jesus were watching and waiting for the Messiah but most of their expectations were incorrect.
Beautifully nestled in the customs, were signs of the true nature of the Sacrificial Lamb of God. Let this serve as your invitation to research the Jewish Festivals, alphabet, and calendar.
Good traditions keep us connected to God, our history, and our loved ones in a manner that brings warmth and remembrance.
What traditions do you observe that keep your attachments in a state of good health? Are there any traditions that compare more to the warnings of Colossians, and should come to an end? Are there any traditions you would like to start in order to stay more focused on God?
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