By Dr. James L. Snyder
It is funny where you pick up an idea. I know I was not born with a truck full of ideas like some people. Take, for example, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She has more ideas than you can shake a stick at, and believe me; I have shaken many a stick at her, behind her back, of course.
I have to scrap around for an idea and then when I do find one I am so exhausted from the search that I am not sure what to do with it.
Then an idea comes looking for me. That is a strange phenomenon.
I was watching the news with my wife when we heard the lead story of the day about the Chick-fil-A appreciation day. I’m not sure I know all the political ins and outs of that sort of thing. Everything seems to have some kind of political overtone to it these days.
What was once a matter of morality has become a matter of policy. Politics have invaded every aspect of our life, and I am so looking forward to heaven where, someone told me and I cannot reveal the source, but the word is out, there are no politics in heaven.
Whenever you have an opportunity to go out and buy some chicken, I say take it. It was not hard to convince my better half to go out for supper. We do not do it too much anymore. What with the traffic and the finances, it hardly seems worthwhile. That is why I always brag on my wife’s cooking.
“Oh, boy,” I will say after a meal, “you can’t get anything this good at some restaurant.”
She smiles, but I suspect she knows what I am saying.
Well, we did try to go to Chick-fil-A but we could not get within 17 blocks of it. It seems everybody and their third cousin was out getting chicken for supper. Oh well, you cannot participate in everything, but at least we tried.
As we circled the block for the 19th time, the idea came to me. If we can have a Chick-fil-A appreciation day because the head of the company said he believed in some traditional values, then why can’t I?
I believe in everything traditional. I am the most traditional person you will ever meet. Before there was a me, there was not much that was traditional. I go back so far I can remember when dirt was clean.
I want the whole world to know that I believe in tradition and I am not just fiddling on the roof.
I know it is old fashion but I believe in the Bible. If it is in the Bible, I believe it, although I must confess I do not understand everything in the Bible. But then, nobody understands everything in their world. The smartest person knows he does not know everything. I built my life upon the values stressed in the Bible and I take it as the Word of God.
I believe in singing hymns in church. Most people in America have never heard a hymn let alone singing one in a congregational setting. If you would go to the average person on the street corner and ask what their favorite hymn was, they would not know what you are talking about.
I know tradition is old-fashioned, but I still embrace it. If it is traditional, I probably believe it.
Some people believe that if it is new, it is okay and if it is old, throw it away. Experience teaches us that it is the exact opposite.
Take medicine for example. Sure, many people have benefited from modern advancements in medicine. I am appreciative of every advancement. But then, if medicine has made such inroads into our culture why are more and more people sick? Why are the hospitals full and overflowing? Why are there not enough doctors to take care of all of the sick?
I am thankful for what medicine has done, but for every cure it achieves, three more diseases pop up sticking out their tongue.
Yes, I believe in tradition.
Most people are traditional in many areas of their life. Do you realize that it was traditional for your great, great, great grandfather to drink water? It was traditional for your great, great, great grandfather to go to sleep at night… To get up in the morning… And the list goes on and on.
Those things, which are traditional, are those things that have endured the wearing element of time.
In light of all of this traditional head-wagging, I want to propose another appreciation day. This coming Sunday I declare it to be Local Church Appreciation Day. Everybody who believes in traditional values will show up at the church of their choice and make their vote count.
I know it will be a shock and we run the danger that many church ceilings will cave in, but I think it is worth the risk. Of course, there is the possibility that when many pastors see their sanctuary filled with people they will pass out in sheer shock.
In the meantime, I am going to stick to what the Bible says here regardless of what happens. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV).
Every Sunday should be local Church Appreciation Day.
Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His web site is www.jamessnyderministries.com
