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by Kevin Pauley
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31
There once was an elderly, righteous and holy man, who was determined to incorporate God into every aspect of his life. As he sat to eat, he breathed a prayer of gratitude. As he taught his children, he mentally begged for God’s guidance and for His blessing on the children. Even when he dressed in the morning, he tried to dress in such a way that God would be praised by his clothes.
Over time, the old man built ritual into every aspect of his days so that his entire life was surrounded by a godly aroma. But some of his Christian friends were disturbed to find a mezuzah hanging on the old saint’s door.
A mezuzah is a little box that contains a portion of Scripture. The old man would kiss his fingers and touch the mezuzah every time he went through the door, indicating his love and respect for the Scriptures.
Though everyone loved him, there were some who did not understand his need for all these little rituals and some felt he had crossed the line with this practice.
One of his friends asked him why he practiced his faith in such a manner. “Don’t you believe that as a Christian you have been liberated from ritualism? Why do you pray as you walk? Why do you bow your head and fold your hands at the table? Why do you kneel beside the bed? Why do you have this mezuzah on your doorpost? Why do you do all these things?”
The old saint thought carefully for a moment and then asked his interrogator, “Why do you wear a wedding band?”
“Why - to identify myself as a married man. To let others know that I am married.”
“And why do you wish to do such a thing?” the elderly man asked.
The friend hesitantly answered, “It helps protect me from temptation. Others see my ring and hopefully they will not tempt me. I see my ring and I remember that I am unavailable. Hopefully, I will not succumb to temptation.”
The old man turned to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and read God’s instruction to the people of Israel to use rituals like the mezuzah to help them remember His commandments and create opportunities to witness to their children as to their effectiveness.
“The mezuzah,“ he answered, “is there to remind me to keep God’s words constantly in my mind and in my heart. Every time I pass through the door I kiss my fingers and then touch the mezuzah expressing love and respect for God and his mitzvos (blessed commands).”
In our Protestant zeal to avoid all semblance of ritualism, are we making it harder on our young ones to see how to include Christ in their daily lives?
Tomorrow we’ll further examine the Scriptures on this matter.
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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