This post isn’t about the Hank Williams Jr. honky tonk anthem “Family Traditions” although I will mention it a bit later.  Today’s short post is a reminder to myself about the influence and importance of family…

Last night a group from our church went to a senior living center to sing some hymns with the residents.  We arrived 10 minutes early and found a good number of folks already waiting in the chapel area where we would be singing.  As we opened the hymnals and began singing, it was obvious that those who had gathered loved to sing.  There were so many good and strong voices, especially among the male bass part.

I was so impressed with the singing that I had to ask the residents where they had learned about singing.  A woman quickly volunteered the answer, “From my family.”  She talked about how her parents, aunts, and uncles all enjoyed singing and how they would sing together at every chance they had.  Several others in the crowd volunteered similar answers so I asked for a show of hands from those who had been influenced in their singing by their family.  Over half of the hands in the group went up.  The influence of family was undeniable in the room last night as some of the best singers were those who had raised their hands.

Many times over my years in ministry I have heard people talk about the hymns their mother, father, grandmothers, etc would sing as they worked around the house.  The gentle influence of a mother singing hymns in the kitchen while doing the important work of the home lives on in the hearts and minds of so many.

I imagine there is no neutral ground in the lessons that we teach our children in the home.  I have yet to speak with an adult who feels that their family was neither of good or bad influence in their life.  Hank Williams Jr. had one of his biggest hits with the song “Family Traditions” that details the list of vices he struggled with, just like his father.  More than likely the song wasn’t fully based in reality but the thought still applies…  When your kids say they’re just carrying on an old family tradition, what will they be doing?

Hopefully one of your family traditions is spending some time every day talking about God and praying together.  The Dinnertime Devotionals series was started to encourage that effort.  Here is Dinnertime Devotionals 36