A Family Tradition - Martin Wiles

Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you! Acts 7:51 NLT

My family had many traditions. One was at Christmas. Mom either cooked a meal or prepared finger foods. When we all finished eating, we circled chairs among the furniture in the living room, and everyone sat. The younger members of the family busied themselves, passing out gifts. After the last gift was distributed, we selected someone to begin. They retrieved a gift, told whom it was from, opened it, and showed everyone what it was. Then, this same action was repeated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Our family has grown and changed. Some members are no longer with us because of divorce or death. Though the gathering is smaller, we continue the tradition, although in a modified form. For me, this tradition builds up our family. Since it is a slow process, it gives us time to tell stories and reflect on memories—especially when Mom takes ten minutes to open a present.

But not all traditions are healthy. Steven was a servant leader in the early church. When arrested for preaching about a resurrected Jesus, whom he claimed was God’s Messiah, he addressed the high council and gave them a history lesson. What brought down their wrath and resulted in his death was his accusation that they were repeating the traditional unbelief of their ancestors. Both had and were resisting God’s Spirit, who was pressing them to believe.

We had other traditions in my immediate home, along with the above Christmas tradition. Dad thought reading the Bible was important. We had family devotions, and I saw him and Mom read their Bibles daily as well, even down to the boring genealogical tables. My parents also thought praying was a good tradition. We boys were taught to pray before meals and before we went to bed. Talking to God was imperative. And even if Dad had not been a pastor, he and Mom would have made us attend church regularly and often. Any time the doors were open, we had to be there.

We should pass traditions that draw us closer to God down to our families but discard the ones that hinder the process.

Consider what family traditions you are establishing and passing along.

Father, guide me to godly traditions I can pass down through the generations. 

Tweetable: What family traditions are you establishing? 

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