Lent.
I’ve never been much of a Lent guy. Growing up, lent was not a tradition our church kept. I guess it was to liturgical for our Southern Baptist/Charismatic roots. Catholics, of course, were just a step from the devil himself.
Last week, marked the beginning of Lent, and I still don’t do much to pay it homage. I’m eating meat, drinking caffeine and reading Facebook. I am, however, reading a series of scriptures which lead up to Lent.
As Bill Murray in What About Bob? says, “Baby steps.”
I’m glad I took this small step into the liturgical. I immediately was moved by Jesus response to fame. Look it up in Matthew 21 if interested.
Overcoming fame.
Matthew 21 is what we know as Palm Sunday. It’s the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem as hero. People line the streets, sing to him, throw down their coats as an early red carpet. You would think the Beatles had come to town.
Everyone loves to be famous…at least initially. You hear stories of celebrities wanting to escape the constant crush of fame, but not until they’ve dealt with it for a while. It feels good to be liked…even loved. People who adoringly call out your name strokes the ego.
Fame though, makes you do funny things. It causes you to make bad decisions. It makes you believe you are more than you really are. Just look at Justin Bieber or Michael Jackson or Elizabeth Taylor or…you get the point.
Jesus didn’t allow himself to be caught up in the fame cycle.
Jesus took in all that happened that day, and continued His methodical march to the cross and resurrection (interesting note: every time Jesus predicts his death, He also predicts his resurrection).
Straight up God. Straight up man.
Philippians 2 contains a famous passage about Jesus choosing to bring His God self to earth as a human. He was completely God and completely man…at the same time. It goes on to say that he humbled Himself to the point of dying on a cross – a criminal’s death.
Don’t be fooled! Jesus laid down Himself long before he hung on the cross. He continually laid down his life throughout his adult life (maybe earlier…we don’t know). Riding into Jerusalem, I believe he was making a conscious decision to lay down what was best for him.
His human side must have craved the fame and power. His God side could have called down fire and angels at any moment to keep the party going. Jesus, though, laid it all down. He laid down what was rightfully his as God and a perfect man.
Take this attitude
So, Philippians 2 challenges us to have this same attitude as Jesus. Lay down our power for the good of others. Lay down our fame to lift others up. Lay down our rights for those with no rights.
It goes against our nature.
I’m admittedly not an expert, but this seems to be the real spirit of Lent. It’s not about giving up stuff just to give up stuff. It’s not about being religious.
Lent about laying down our lives and our rights. It’s about being more like Jesus on his long journey to ultimate sacrifice.
I’m choosing to take this attitude. I’m choosing to lay me down.
Will you join me?
Ya, I grew up practicing for Lent. No fish on Friday, give money to some country who really needed it. It was all about giving something up. I always wondered why He wanted us to sacrifice? Didn’t he already do that for us? It was very confusing. Or maybe, I wasn’t paying attention ;).
Since then I’ve learned to roll Lent into my rhythm of life removing something intentionally and putting God in it’s place. Trying to practice more of Him and less of me. Lent helps me do this.
Still not sure on Lent…but I’m not mad at it 🙂
Hey Andy. I have been observing lent for 8 years or so. Not out of duty or a sense of guilt, but because I believe as Christians we have a model in Jesus and the disciples. Fasting was an important part of their lives. I observe lent because it is a reminder of my privilege, my food security, and general safety. It reminds me to pray for those who can’t say as much. Lent is an easy calendar timeline that keeps me honest. I have been tremendously blessed during my times of fasting, but it is still hard to “die to one’s self”. Call it what you may, fasting is powerful when done with the right heart. (Remember the Daniel fast…40 days around Easter…sounds a lot like lent to me.)
I suppose that is what I’m saying. Lent is powerful if done in the right spirit. It’s more than religious…it’s spiritual. It’s identifying with Jesus in His march to the cross. It’s Judy not been a part of my history…maybe it should be.