Stevie Sung It Best..."Very Superstitious!!!"

So last night I got to thinking. (As my dad would say this is very dangerous. And right now with me on "language learning overload" he'd probably be right!) But nonetheless, I was thinking about some of the things I've noticed here...superstitions if you will.

Some simply crack me up. Like for instance if you read my previous post about the socks...well, that's a superstition here. Another one I've come across was from a fellow American in this area. He hurt is back some time ago and was asked by a local if he had been wearing an undershirt, like one of those tank-top things (we call them "wife-beaters" (not the best name :) ). When he responded that he didn't typically wear those, this local informed him that is why he hurt his back :) Really?!?!

Another one is about drafts in the home. You can't have two windows/doors on opposite sides of the house opened. Some people hold to this so devoutly that when someone comes to their front door they will close their balcony door, go let the person in the front, and return to the balcony door to reopen. "NO DRAFT ALLOWED!" I think there's some belief that it'll cause injury or sickness to someone in the house.

The most recent though (and the one that got me thinking about all of this) is a superstition about pregnant women. If you are eating something and a preganant woman is around and she sees you but you don't offer her any of what you have, you get sickness in the eye.

Now just a sidenote here: for all you pregnant women out there I would take FULL advantage of this one. I mean that's like a ton of free food! :)

Back to the point...we all have superstitions. I'm sure if locals here came to the States they would think some of our superstitions are just strange! Like I remember in high school throwing salt over my shoulder if it spilled. Still don't really know WHY we did this, but my friends and I did. And who decided Friday the 13th was unlucky? Or the number 13 for that matter! Or like athletes who wear the same socks, shoes, etc. (and not wash them) because they won a game in them and now this item is "lucky". Personally, I just think they've gotten the words "gross" and "luck" confused!

I became aware of being superstitious a few years ago. Even words and phrases I use: "wish", "good luck". They are so common, but a few years ago I decided to really concentrate on my vocabulary and the things I say. See what we say and do portrays something about ourselves, as do our superstitions. Superstitions often show what we fear, give us a "reason" for why something happens that we don't understand, or show what we desire to control.

Ultimately, it comes down to TRUST. Our speech, our actions, our superstitions proclaim to ourselves and others what we are trusting in.

So a few years back I stopped saying things like "good luck" and "I wish" because I don't believe in luck...I believe IN Jesus. I don't "wish" for things like some genie is going to appear and give me all I desire....I hope IN Christ and trust in Him to provide what I NEED (not want!).

I'm not trying to get on a soap box about language and articulation...well maybe I am, but as I was thinking yesterday about the superstitions here and then elsewhere in the world, I came to realize these things really DO matter. They really do tell others something about us. I don't want people to think I trust in some tradition or "omen" or that I fear I have to appease someTHING out there. I want what I do and say to portray the Gospel.

As I was thinking yesterday it made me ask myself if I do have any "superstitions" right now, even silly one's like throwing salt or wearing socks (that I might be blinded to or maybe I AM aware of), and what do those superstitions say I'm trusting in? Whatever they might be, they are taking my trust away from Christ...and according to scripture, that's idolatry! So while I don't think I need to walk around on eggshells, constantly worried over these things (that's why there's grace!) I do think I need to be more aware of these things in my life. I know I'm often too apathetic towards them!

So, I leave you with the same question I asked myself: do you have superstitions and what do they declare to yourself and others about what you are trusting in?