Silly traditions are not always harmless. Take, for example, the “Gatorade bath,” a ritual started by the New York Giants. It involves sneaking up behind a coach at the conclusion of a football game and pouring an industrial-sized cooler of ice-cold liquid over his head. It used to be reserved for momentous events like the Super Bowl, but eventually expanded to games of questionable importance. On a cold November day in 1990, legendary coach George Allen received a Gatorade shower from his players after his team, Long Beach State, beat Nevada-Las Vegas to attain a season record of six wins and five losses. The elderly Allen became ill after the dousing…and died a month later.

You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!

Mark 7:9

The Pharisees were preoccupied with ceremonial traditions – and attacked Jesus’ disciples for ignoring those traditions – even while people all around were in desperate need of help and compassion. In today’s verse, the Lord had sharp words for those with this obsession of majoring on the minors.

As you lift up America’s leaders, pray that God may direct them to follow His commandments and receive His wisdom for addressing the great needs of this nation.

Recommended Reading: Acts 5:27-39