It is not hard to be narrow-minded and judgmental. In fact it can be difficult to resist that tendency for some of us. It is even more difficult when surrounded by others who take pleasure in discovering the faults of others.

My mother and a few others who were important in my growing up actively worked to find the good in others and in our circumstances. For that I am grateful to God to this day. However, at times I have felt at times a gnawing sense of responsibility to my fellow human beings that I cannot ignore.

Around the world and for the past 2,000 years people have received Christ within their own cultural contexts. I have learned to accept this as well as the fact that I do not have to understand why everyone worships in their particular form. At the same time I have learned that there can be inherent problems in some forms.

Whenever Christians develop customs or traditions that contradict the teachings of Christ we should all be concerned. That should be obvious. Yet it is possible that in our desire to fulfill His purposes, we can develop traditions that actually hinder us from fulfilling them. I know this because I have been caught up in these situations myself.

Recently I wrote a post encouraging older believers to pass their wisdom and experience down to succeeding generations. During this new year I will be attempting to take my own advice. While trying to not be offensive or controversial, I am expecting that controversy will become unavoidable. To some my concerns might seem petty or reactionary. All I ask is that you consider what I offer, and that you develop your own critical thinking skills.

My faith in Christ is built upon His work in my life through personal experience, His Word in the bible, and the power of the Holy Spirit Who works within me. If that is also true for you, I believe we have some common ground already! If you are interested in where I am going with this topic, I invite you to subscribe to my blog, https://livingtruth.com or my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/livingtruthcom and join the discussion!

By speaking the truth in love, we can grow up into Christ in all things, and fulfill our destiny in Him! (Ephesians 4:15, Romans 8:29).