As a kid, I thought Cinco de Mayo was a Mexican brand of mayonnaise. I was a fat kid and free associated lots of stuff with food. I had no clue that it celebrated liberty and independence from the French. I never knew the French ever went to Mexico. They're too pasty white for that type of direct sunlight! (Not surprised that they lost a war, though. That's kinda their thing.) I bet this whole French thing is a surprise to most of you. If we have a clue at all, Americans tend to think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, similar to our Fourth of July. (It's not. That's on September 16th) Most of us, however, think it's National Taco and Margarita Day, set aside to celebrate Mexican cuisine that was created in Texas. Basically, we got the whole thing wrong.
That's what happens when a tradition crosses cultures. We can lose the meaning without an understanding of the history. We struggle with that even when the history is our own! Time and distance can obscure the facts of the events and create a rather blurry picture of what really happened. If we don't intentionally study our history, we need to accept that we will be ignorant. That's unfortunate when it comes to our National and International History. It is potentially devastating when it comes to our Spiritual History.
After existing for two thousand years, the church has picked up its share of traditions. Some are benign. (does anyone really believe Jesus was born on December 25th?) Some are bizarre (I'm not really into touching someone else's feet, much less washing them!) Yet they exist as misinterpretations of history, never intended for literal response by the principles. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas! I celebrate it as a reminder of the birth of Christ. I just know it's full of false information. (did I mention there were not wise men at the manger?) And I know that many people have experienced profound humility and spirituality from foot washing services. But the original point was to perform a legitimate act of service. (We typically don't wash each other's feet in America. How about washing your neighbor's car? He'd appreciate it more and would be less creeped out.) If you don't spend time reading and understanding the original documents, a.k.a the Bible, you run the risk of having your understanding blurred and suffering the affects of ignorance. The above examples are harmless and, often, very good. Unfortuately, there are some people deceived through ignorance and have lost their way. Jesus warned of this possiblility...
For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Matthew 24:24
There are a lot of bad guys, with horrible agendas, who will lead you astray by twisting a basic understanding of Christianity to confuse and deceive. There are even good guys who, accidentally and with good intentions, who are doing the same. If you don't take the time to learn the Bible and the history and culture that surround it, you run the risk of being a spiritual victim. And that could be tragic.
Don't get me twisted in the end. Traditions can be wonderful. I'm having tacos for dinner! It's all good! But I would suggest some effort on our part to understand the facts surrounding them, especially when it comes to Scripture. It's harmless to think that effectively celebrating Mexican freedoms means indulging in nachos. It's less so when some fool convinces us that Jesus has already come back and is running a deli in Manhattan. Just saying.
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