IS IT GOOD OR IS IT GOD?

I remember trying to establish a new rule in our house: only one cereal box open at a time.

I thought it was reasonable. One box gets opened, we finish it, and then we open another. Simple.

Apparently, I was the only person in my house who thought this was a good idea.

One day I came home and found almost every cereal box open.

My rule had been rejected.

And honestly, I had to laugh because that’s the thing about rules in a family. The person who creates them usually thinks they make perfect sense. Everyone else is wondering, “Who made this rule?”

It's true with our immediate family and its also true with our spiritual family.

We take a preference, a family tradition, a cultural expectation, or something someone taught us years ago—and over time, we stop seeing it as our rule and start treating it like God’s rule.

That is exactly what Jesus confronted in Mark 7.

The religious leaders had traditions about washing their hands, preparing food, and practicing their faith. The problem wasn't that these practices were bad. The problem was that their traditions had become a spiritual measuring stick.

They were judging people's relationship with God by standards God never gave them.

Jesus said, “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

Something can be good and still not be God's command.

Giving can be good.

Serving can be good.

Church attendance can be good.

Family traditions can be good.

Cultural values can be good.

But none of those things should outrank God's Word.

And sometimes the hardest thing to surrender isn't something sinful. It's something familiar.

So take a moment today and think about one belief you hold strongly.

Ask yourself.

Is it good, or is it God?

Can I point to where Scripture says this—or can I only point to who taught it to me?

Maybe it's something your parents taught you. Something your culture expects.

Bring it before God.

Because Jesus isn't trying to take something good away from you. He's inviting you to something better: the freedom of building your life on His truth instead of someone else's tradition.

What tradition have you protected that God may be asking you to surrender?

Before you hold onto what is familiar, ask:

Is it good, or is it God?

Because sometimes our traditions aren't helping our transformation.

They're getting in the way of it.