One of our family traditions is eating pasty (pass-tee) on Labor Day. Some are not familiar with pasties. They are a beef, potato, and onion dish housed in a pie crust. The recipe for pasty was brought to America by the wives of miners from Cornwall, England. In its original form, it was a handheld pie. To feed the whole family more conveniently, they evolved into full-size pies.
The tradition of eating pasty, especially on Labor Day, goes back to our roots in Benton, Wisconsin. When Deb and I were growing up there, the Volunteer Fire Department put on a pasty dinner every Labor Day as a fundraiser. I think they still do. They ask the ladies in the community to make a pasty or two and donate them to help support the fire department. Of course, our mothers donated pasties for the firemen to sell. In addition they always made extra pasties for their families to eat. So whether you went to the firemen’s dinner or ate at home, most everyone in town was eating pasty on Labor Day.
After moving to Florida, we continued the pasty tradition. This year Deb made five pasties for our family members who live near us. It always brings back memories of the Benton Labor Day and the happy days of our youth.
Some traditions are very important and often have great value for those who keep them. For us eating pasty is a tradition that reminds us of where we come from and the hard-working miners from whom we descend. Life was not easy for them. Pasty was always something that was made and served with love. It always satisfied our hunger, and I think it reminded us we were rich in ways money cannot buy. It’s a great tradition to carry on.
When I think of traditions, I’m reminded that there are some church traditions that are not necessary. Some can even become problems. I think of traditions that might come between us and our walk with God.
Jesus got into the tradition issues with some of the religious leaders of His day. His followers were eating without performing the traditional handwashing ceremony. The religious leaders called out Jesus on this issue.
I know, I know, we should wash our hands before we eat. That’s what our mothers taught us. But the ceremonial handwashing was not with soap and water. It was just what it was - a ceremony. They would simply pour water over their cupped hands. It was a manmade religious ritual. When they called out Jesus about it, here is what He told them.
Mark 7:6 Jesus replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
It’s not at all unusual for churches to establish traditions that become so sacred they can never be altered. These become a problem when people begin to think that keeping these traditions somehow translates to holiness and everlasting life.
When I began pastoring, the men in the church I was leading never wore suits or neckties. I always did because it was the way I was taught. They told me I didn’t need to wear a suit and tie. I told them that I honestly didn’t care what they wore, but that I thought the “pastor” should always wear a suit and tie. I thought it was important. I thought it made me look like a preacher. I thought it was the ethical thing to do.
I was there for two years. When I left the men were all wearing neckties, and especially in winter, they were wearing suit jackets. I had injected what I thought was an important tradition into that church!
The fact is, the Bible says nothing about pastors wearing suits and neckties. What the Bible does speak about is the character and lifestyle of pastors. The Bible also is clear about the messages the pastor preaches. Jesus talks about leaders who are whitewashed tombs. They look holy on the outside, but on the inside are spiritually dead.
Somewhere along the line, suits and ties became the traditions of man. I don’t even want to get started talking about robes, stoles, collars, and mitres. The fact is, these traditions have many times been elevated to more importance than character, preaching, and theology.
As Christians, we need to follow the commands of God and be very careful not to elevate the traditions of men to greater importance.
I stopped wearing a suit and necktie on Sunday mornings in 1997. Now I need to be careful not to elevate jeans and button-down shirts as the required attire. If someone wants to wear a suit and tie to church services, that’s their privilege. If someone else comes wearing a T-shirt and shorts, that’s okay too. The point is that we need to remember God looks at the heart.
Whatever traditions we have (attire, ceremonies, etc) we need to analyze them and be very careful not to elevate their importance above the commands of God. I think eating pasty on Labor Day is something God smiles on so long as I remember to thank Him for them and for all the good things He has given me.
