Lent... not the kind in your pockets.

I went to visit my parents this weekend and the pastor at their church was giving a sermon on Lent. Lent is a season observed in many Christian communities that reflects the 40 days leading up to Easter. It is symbolic of the time Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted before beginning his ministry. During Lent, Christians are supposed to give up something important to them. The small amount of suffering that we endure from sacrificing this item or activity should remind us of Jesus' tremendous pain during the Crucifixion for our sins.

I've always had trouble with Lent because it seems like people run around broadcasting what they have given up and how much they are struggling as a result. Sometimes I feel like it is a competition to see who is more holy or who has more self control. I am reminded of the verse, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:5-6). It seems like telling everyone what I've given up for Lent would be the same as praying in the street to be seen by men.*

And what about Hosea 6:6, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." This verse is repeated again by Jesus in Matthew 9. As the Bible is filled with rules for sacrificing, and also talks about laying down ourselves for the glory of the kingdom, I don't think this verse means that sacrifice in itself is bad, but I do think it means that sacrifice ALONE is worthless. If our sacrifices don't bring us into community with our God, what value do they have?

This brings us back to Lent... if a sacrifice is to be given, it should bring us or others (or both!) into community with God. It should glorify the kingdom. Does giving up chocolate do that? Maybe -- if giving up chocolate truly reminds us of Jesus' sacrifice and causes us to grow closer to him as a result. However, too often, I think people give up something like chocolate to lose weight or caffeine to better themselves. Then the focus of the Lenten season becomes egocentric... certainly not what it was intended to be.

The pastor at my parents church reflected some of these same views in his message this morning, and I was thankful to hear a minister confront a somewhat controversial issue - something that doesn't happen often enough in the Methodist church. He challenged the congregation to give up something that would benefit others for the sake of Jesus, or that would bring them into communion with God. That might mean giving up time to help someone else or sacrificing money to a charity, but in the end, the act will have lasting significance.

*I do not mean to say that it is wrong to share what you've given up for Lent. I think it is certainly appropriate to ask close friends or family members to pray for your dedication to the sacrifice, but I don't think it appropriate to tell everyone you meet what you've given up... but that is just one person's opinion...