Whose Traditions are You Serving?

By Guest Columnist Barb Vanderveen, Former State Representative of the 89th District

I want to talk to you about the next election – Please, no groaning! I was as tired of the mailings and phone calls as you were, but I feel compelled to tug at your traditional thinking as we head into the 2008 Presidential election.

I love Citizens for Traditional Values! What an awesome organization! Fighting for a conservative social agenda, for protection of life, for religious freedoms and traditional values. Webster defines traditions as "handing down of information, beliefs and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another." Traditions are important. They shape our families and our country. Recently, however, I’ve been challenged by viewing a movie about William Wilberforce to examine more closely traditions in my life.

In Mark 7, Jesus teaches us that if we’re not careful we will "lay aside the commandments of God... making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition, which you have handed down, and many such things you do." (Not me, Lord!)

Our family tradition of the Christmas pickle is lots of fun, but what about other traditions?

In watching Wilberforce go head to head against the tradition of slavery, I have been challenged to ask myself, "Are there traditions of man that I follow which are causing me to disobey the commandments of my God?"

Let’s look at how we vote. Does God "command" us to vote? No – but he does say Jeremiah 29:7 "Seek the peace of the city where I’ve caused you to be... for in its peace you will love peace." Many of us are conservative "values voters", we’re unhappy with the last election’s results where we lost many strong voices that stood up for our values. Why? How did that occur? Were God’s people following the tradition of a political party, a tradition of not voting (because what does one vote matter), a tradition of voting how my family, friends or pastor vote, rather than how God instructs?

We have a very important election coming up in 2008 and I’m praying new traditions will break out among God’s kingdom children. That between now and the election, believers of all faiths will take I Timothy 2:1-2 to heart and make it their tradition to thank and pray diligently for the leaders of our state and nation.

Will you join me in praying that God’s children will apply I Corinthians 10:31 – "whatever you do, do it as unto the glory of the Lord" and consider their voting habits, or lack thereof, as being done for HIS Glory?

Will you pray that Believers will cast their future votes after prayerful and careful thought, chosen against the backdrop of God’s truths not traditions of the past?

It’s fairly easy for us conservatives to "hear" the Word, but God calls us to be doers (James 1:22). What traditions, voting or otherwise, do we need to repent of? Areas we need to change what we’ve been passing onto the next generation?

Before your phone starts ringing and the TV starts playing campaign ads, let’s all do some soul searching. May our traditions not "lay aside the commandments of God".

Barb VanderVeen
Former State Representative, 89th District