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Today's Quote
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Today's Verse
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Daily Wisdom
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Humans, by nature enjoy the expected. That is, we find a measure of comfort in the ordinary. As difficult as it may be to understand, those raised in totalitarian societies have a difficult time adjusting to freedom.
When South Korea was freed from Japanese occupation, the citizens had a difficult time adjusting to their newfound freedoms. One method of coping was to move toward anarchy. Students told teachers that they did not have to take exams as scheduled because Korea was now a democracy and the majority ruled. The students, the majority, decided not to take the test!
At intersections pedestrians paid no attention to the traffic signals. Crossing the street was chaos. Finally the government placed soldiers at street corners with fixed bayonets. The people not only waited for the lights and obeyed all rules but obviously enjoyed the comfort of a regulated society.
It was apparent that the citizens of the nation liked law and order but did not know how to function under it without some show of force. With the soldiers on the street corners the people disciplined themselves. Later, when the soldiers were withdrawn from traffic enforcement the people continued to obey the laws.
Most of us can identify with this example -- once we have done something for a long period of time, we do not like to change and may not even know how to change. When change is inevitable we resist it until the new way becomes habitual.
Jesus faced tradition and had a difficult time overcoming it. In Matthew 15:2, Jesus' was criticized because his followers did not keep the traditions. Jesus' teachings were not contrary to the Law of Moses, but were sometimes contrary to the traditions of the Jewish elders.
In every generation the church struggles with those who would challenge tradition. Even though such challenges may make us uncomfortable, we need to weigh them against the truth of scripture and not simply dismiss them because they are different.
