Custom-Made Christians

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. —Aristotle

According to a Spanish proverb, "habits are first cobwebs, then cables." Like a comfortable bed, habits are easy to get into and hard to get out of. Dostoyevsky observed that "the second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has accumulated during the first half."

If habits are so important, we ought to cultivate good and godly ones. G. K. Chesterton drew an interesting distinction, though. "Customs," he said, "are generally unselfish. Habits are nearly always selfish."

What customs do you observe? At a wedding, it's customary for the bride and groom to exchange rings. At the Indianapolis 500, it's customary for the winner to drink a bottle of milk. At a baseball game, it's customary for the crowd to stand and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the middle of the seventh inning. And who doesn't get a little misty-eyed when the congregation sings "Silent Night" on a candlelit Christmas Eve?

When the Greek word for custom (ciotha) appears in the New Testament, once it describes something Pilate did: "Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd" (Matthew 27:15). Once it's used for something Paul did: "As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:2).

Jesus' Customs

Twice the Bible mentions some customs Jesus observed.

It was his custom to worship. "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom" (Luke 4:16). Weekly worship was woven into Jesus' schedule. Every Sabbath you could count on him to be there in the synagogue. This wasn't legalism; it was an expression of his love for God and God's people. Of course, simply showing up at church doesn't make you a Christian. (As someone has said, "Just because the mouse is in the cookie jar, that doesn't make him a cookie.") But your faith will be stronger and your church will be healthier if you make it your custom to meet with God's people every week for corporate worship and mutual encouragement.

It also was Jesus' custom to teach. Mark 10:1 notes that "crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them." Teaching was customary for Jesus. He constantly found opportunities to instruct, challenge, and guide.

Our Customs

What do our customs and habits teach our family and friends? Will our children learn lessons like these? "The referee is always wrong." "It's OK to get drunk on Saturday night." "We spend money on ourselves first and grumble when church leaders ask us to give." "It's normal to tear down others behind their backs." "Prayer is something you do at church on Sunday, but it has nothing to do with the 'real world.'"

Or will we teach them better things? I hope so. That's why I observe an annual custom. Every December 31, I write a letter to God reflecting on the last year and asking for his help in the new year. I write about habits I need to change and goals I want to achieve. By faith I claim his amazing grace to forgive my failures. And then, step-by-step, I count on his Spirit to help me develop healthier, holier habits.

Thank the Lord, that's his custom.