August 31, 2004

[Rev. Doc]

Tradition

"You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
Mark 7:8

Sometimes we might allow ourselves to get caught up in traditions, living by them rather than living by the leading of God.

In 1900, the Bayer Company introduced the first aspirin in water-soluble tablets. This was the first medication to be sold in this form and the product cut operating costs in half. In 1914, Bayer began placing cotton in their bottles to minimize breakage of the tablets during shipment from the manufacturing plant to the store shelf. Then in the mid-1980s, Bayer began coating its aspirin tablets with a Toleraid microcoating. This coating helped keep the tablet intact and less susceptible to breakage. It wasn't until January 1999, after four and a half years of testing and discussions that Bayer decided to get rid of the cotton wad in some of its aspirin formulas. An eighty-five year old tradition ended, some fifteen years after it had become obsolete. "We concluded there really wasn't any reason to keep the cotton except tradition," said Chris Allen, Bayer's vice president of technical operations. "Besides, it's hard to get out." But some customers actually missed the cotton balls. Nadine Kibanda of New York City said: "I like them. They remind me of my childhood." Ms. Kibanda, 35 years old, didn't mind prying cotton out of pill bottles. "It's very familiar" she remarked.

Don't allow the comfortable feel of tradition cloud your mind to God's leading for the future of His Kingdom.

Prayer: Ask God to help you keep your mind fresh, filled with clear direction for your life.

"Tradition is the living faith of those now dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of those still living." ~Jaroslav Pelikan