Communion Confusion

I'm a fan of children.

Last night, my church had a Christmas service, and first up on the program was a children's chorus. Can you say precious? I sure can. There's something about little kids standing up in rows trying their hardest to remember the songs they've been taught.

Sometimes I watch these little kids, and I wonder what they'll act like in high school, in college, and in life. Sometimes I wonder if people looked at me and wondered the same sorts of thoughts, and if I am how they pictured.

Back to the children singing at church. They were all soaking in the Christmas service. It was new and entertaining. Besides an assorment of singing groups, we also served communion, again. Now, I knew this was coming, but I noticed one of the men passing the plates did not. I could not help but notice his confusion as he appeared not quite sure what to do. Normally, people who did not partake in communion in the morning would stand and he would serve them, but no one stood. Although he finally caught on to just pass it like he had that morning, he still looked bewildered.

I saw these questions scramble across his face:
What's going on? Why are we doing this? Can we do this? and How do I feel about this?

The little 5, 6, 7, 8 year olds were not asking these questions. To them, it makes no difference. But, if I had to guess, I would be willing to bet that this man had never asked those questions.

My point is this:
For the most part, kids do not care about habits and routines. They just live. They bask in life as it comes; they don't think too hard. Sometimes, I worry that we as people and especially we as Christians think a little too hard about some aspects of our lives and not hard enough about others.

This man seemed unsure about his thoughts on taking communion twice in one day. But, if the point is to commune with one another and to remember why we are even meeting in the first place, should that not rank above whether or not we remembered that morning as well?

To be completely honest, all of this is leading to one place: tradition. I'm all for tradition. 'Tis the season for excellent traditions all over the world to take place this week. But, my worry is that we sit idly in our traditions instead of remembering why they exist.