Daily Devotional

In the summer after my 7th grade year, I took part in the Foothill community production of “Fiddler on the Roof”.  I played an ensemble role as one of the sons in a Jewish community.  I have some poignant memories from it: the lead role of Tevye being played by a friendly older man who was a chain-smoker, some other kids my age joking around a bit backstage, and a demanding director who would at times need to harshly reprimand us.  On one performance night, I remember coming out in the opening sequence without my hat.  It was quite a fearful moment; I thought I would be dropped from the show.  Ironically, the choreography had me circling at the front of the stage just as Tevye delivered the line “We always keep our heads covered”.  Later on, I heard that my director just laughed at that.  It’s community theatre, after all.

Fast forward 28 years.  A new community theatre group in Sanger, where I was serving as music director, decided to put on Fiddler on the Roof as its inaugural show.  I auditioned, expecting to be cast in a minor role, since my background was primarily in music with little acting experience.  Well, as the only guy over 25 who could sing well enough and pull off a convincing beard, I was asked to take the lead role, Tevye.  It was a pretty overwhelming learning experience, but my whole family got to be in the production with me, which certainly helped.
 
During the same opening monologue, when I definitely made sure I wore my hat this time, Tevye says the following: “We always keep our heads covered…this shows our constant devotion to God.  You may ask, how did this tradition get started?  I’ll tell you.  I don’t know.  But it’s a tradition.  And because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is, and what God expects him to do.”  Throughout the show, these traditions are tested as three of his five daughters get married in tradition-bending kinds of ways.  The third daughter actually marries outside of the faith.  Tevye wrestles before God with the choice between turning his back on his daughter and turning his back on his faith and people.  Ultimately, he says, “If I try to bend that far, I will break.”

Part of the appeal of the story, even for those without a faith background, is how a community and its traditions are tested from one generation to another.  And through that struggle, we can gain wisdom as we begin to understand the underlying purposes and meaning of the traditions we hold to.  Scripture also gives us reason to examine these traditions.  Jesus rebuked the religious leaders for "laying aside the commandment of God" while holding to the traditions of men (Mark 7:8). Of course, traditions themselves aren't necessarily bad. In fact, Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers to "stand firm, and hold to the traditions which you were taught" (2 Thess. 2:15).  These were teachings handed down with apostolic authority, grounded in God's truth.  In humility together before God, we should examine whether we've lost sight of the reasons behind them, or perhaps even elevated the traditions themselves above the truths they were meant to reflect.

Throughout the story, Tevye faces challenges that bring him to reconsider his thinking.  At one point, he decides that his first daughter's love for a poor tailor is more important than the traditional matchmaking arrangement with a wealthy butcher.  Later in the story, the entire community is uprooted by government-sanctioned persecution.  The rabbi’s son tells Tevye, “Our forefathers have been forced out of many, many places at a moment’s notice.”  Tevye replies, “Maybe that’s why we always wear our hats.”  Although delivered humorously, this always struck me as a fitting way to tie the whole show together.  He didn't understand why before…and now that tradition takes on a deeper meaning for him.

As Christians, we have inherited much from those who have gone before us: teaching and traditions that have been passed down through generations.  Psalm 78 speaks of declaring the works of God to the next generation, so "that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments" (Ps.78:7).  What a wonderful reminder that the goal isn't simply to pass on what we do, but to help others understand the God we serve and why we serve Him.  And in all this, the primary focus is to know and love Christ more and to reflect Him to the world.

As Tevye says in his opening monologue, it's important to know who we are and what God expects us to do. But even more importantly, may we grow to understand “the why”, and come to know more deeply the Lord who calls us to follow Him.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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