01May
There is an old expression called the seven last words of the church, and those words are “we’ve never done it that way before.” How we deal with change tells us a lot about what we believe and hold dear. One of my favorite musicals is “Fiddler on the Roof.” The story plays out in the little village of Anatevka in Russia. The central character is Tevye, a Jewish Russian peasant.
In the opening scene, the song “Tradition” dominates and sets the tone for the movie. The song and associated scenes highlight the little Jewish community’s traditions. At the apex of this opening song, Tevye addresses the camera and says, “You may wonder where we got our tradition of covering our heads. I’ll tell you. I don’t know! But it is our tradition!” He goes on to relate how their traditions let them know who they are and how those traditions help them keep their balance in life. In the end, they are forced out of their homes. Some went to Europe and some to America.
In the last couple of months, many of our traditions have been turned on their heads. We long for the day that we can go back to “normal.” I think I see those clouds on the horizon, but what if in an Orwellian twist, the old normal never ultimately returned? How would that affect who you are? Have we made the distinction between who we are as followers of Christ and what we do as followers of Christ?
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