Its 29th February. Apparently today is the day when the single laydeeeeeees can pop the question to the object of their affection. Has anyone out there ever done that?? I mean, Im sure loads of people have it's just that I have never met anyone who has actually done that on a leap day. I wonder where the tradition began. Who thought it up? Like so many ' traditions' it's really just a bit of fun. But then again, proposing to someone is probably the second most important thing you can do after asking Jesus into your life..... so maybe not ' just fun' after all.
We love traditions. Human beings love traditions. Every culture on the planet has them. We invest meaning into days and seasons. Objects. Even accidents ( is it the left shoulder you are supposed to throw the salt over if you spill it??) But how many of these things which we do as a matter of rote are actually Godly, good, helpful? And how many just tie us up in knots, cost us money and stress and divert us from the Way?
I got to thinking about all of this in the context of marriage vows. As far as I'm aware, nowhere in the Bible do we read of anyone promising to ' love honour and obey, in sickness and in health , for
richer for poorer, till death us do part'. The New Testament states that a church leader should be the husband of one wife. And throughout the Bible God laments infidelity, loose living and sexual sin. But in Jesus's day a wedding consisted of a three day party and the bride moving in with her husband. I dont think it involved a visit to the temple. I might be wrong but as far as I understand it it was the promise of betrothal which made a contract legally binding and the act of sexual union which made a couple man and wife. Not the words of a priest. And as far as I understand it , the latter is still true to this day.
I blame the Victorians :) They instituted all manner of traditions which we adhere to religiously today without ever stopping to question what lies behind. Christmas is a case in point. Trees and cards and decorations and presents were all largely Victoria and Albert's doing. As were brides being in white at weddings and summer holidays.
There's nothing wrong with traditions per se. As long as we dont become slaves to them and confuse what is instituted by man, with what is instituted by God. God, it seems to me, instituted a whole heap of traditions in the old testament. Sacrifice and laws and festivals to remind the people of who they were, who He was and what He had done for them. Jesus was brought up in these traditions and followed them Himself. But His coming did away with the necessity for many of them because He
was the fulfilment of what they represented. Jesus instituted only one tradition - the breaking of bread and the drinking of wine to remember His death. Do this in remembrance of me. He didnt tell us to celebrate His birth, but to remember His death. As we approach Easter during this time of Lent ( another tradition of the church but, dare I propose, not necessarily of God - eeeeek) we focus in on remembering His death. It's important. A tradition established by Jesus Himself and therefore one to which we need to pay attention.
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