What traditions of yours have changed since you came to know the Lord? They may have been family tradition, friendship tradition, national tradition, church tradition or personal tradition.

A several thousand year old Jewish tradition has broken after Jesus’ resurrection. Previously, the Jews thought that salvation was only for the Jews. But through Peter’s testimony of what the Holy Spirit did to the Gentiles, that tradition broke. With it, their prejudice, practices, and their association had to change. (Acts 11:18)

So, I’m asking you the question. After you came to know Christ, what tradition of yours have been broken? Do you associate with different people now than you used to? Has your prejudice changed? (Prejudice always stems from thinking that our group is better than the others) Have some of your family traditions changed? (Perhaps not doing what you used to and doing what you didn’t do?)

Coming to know Christ changes everything about us. This includes a thousand year old tradition. No matter how tightly any family or personal tradition has been kept, Jesus changes all of it. He is the foundation upon everything else has to be built. Nothing can come underneath Him as more foundational. Not our nationalism. Not our ancestral tradition. Not our personal familial tradition. [For example, if your family has a tradition of always going camping on the 4th of July weekend but if your church family desperately needs you to serve that weekend, would you consider breaking your family tradition?]

What is your absolute, bottom line commitment? Your family? Your personal happiness? or Jesus Christ?

The trick is to know that when we make Jesus Christ the absolute in our lives, we gain our family and personal happiness too…

PH