Mark 7:8
“For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
I once heard about a pastor that came to a new church with great expectation. Before long, however, it was clear that the people were not accepting him. A committee was even formed to deal with his incompetence.
Before the committee was scheduled to meet, the pastor asked the janitor of the church if he knew why the people were so upset with him. The janitor was reluctant to say anything, but finally told him it was because of the way he administered the Lord’s Supper — he neglected to touch the radiator before serving.
The young pastor called the former pastor, who roared with laughter and told him that it was all a silly misunderstanding. A few years earlier they had installed new carpeting and it created static electricity that snapped when people were served. In order to prevent this, he would touch the radiator first to get rid of the electricity.
What had been started as a simple act of convenience had taken on spiritual significance. Frequently the enemy of truth is tradition. This is why it is vital to spend time in the Bible to discover God’s Truth rather than man’s tradition.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil