Ever since Junior High, when my best friend, Jodi Miller, introduced me to the practice, I have given something up for Lent. I have found it to be helpful in many ways. Doing something different in my normal routine makes me more mindful of the additional spiritual practices I want to do during Lent. Giving something up during Lent has also helped to show my children (and myself) the special nature of Sundays. Lent is the forty days before Easter, not counting Sundays. Sundays are not counted because as the first day of the week, they were the day of Christ’s resurrection. Each Sunday is a mini Easter and the reason why the early church started gathering for worship on that day, in addition to the Sabbath.
But another benefit that I’ve discovered in giving something up for Lent is the practice of saying, “no.” Just because saying “no” is a response in the negative, doesn’t mean that it’s always a negative response. Every Lent I know of, people have wanted to “take something on” instead of “give something up.” Of course, taking something on like collecting money for a special offering or reaching out to others are wonderful ideas and should be part of the Lenten journey. But giving something up is seen as negative and they’d prefer to do something positive.
Saying “no” to some things can be very healthy.
The truth is, I don’t need any real practice on saying, “yes.” I’m far too skilled at overfilling my schedule or my dinner plate. My life can become cluttered with stuff and busyness if I don’t have healthy ways of saying “no.”
Every year during Lent, I give up something small. There is no spiritual heroism in giving up a certain beverage or food item. In many ways, that’s kind of the point. The focus isn’t upon the item, but the choice you make and what you do with it. Year after year, I give up something trivial, and each year I am reminded of how much my life is structured around trivial things. I realize that I am automatically saying “yes” to things like coffee without really choosing it. I enjoy coffee, but often I drink it because it’s part of my morning routine. Lent is a time to reset my life and become conscious of what I’m choosing each day.
Jesus said “no” to unhealthy things like the temptations in the wilderness and the money changer tables in the Temple. But He also said “no” to some things to allow Him to say “yes” to others. There was no shortage of people in need of His teaching and healing, but at times He had to stop and go up to the mountainside to pray. What are the things that you need to say “no” to in order to say “yes” to others? Lent is a great time to practice simplifying our lives in order to hear the great “Yes” of Christ for us on Easter Sunday!
– Rev. Wendy Lambert, Senior Executive Pastor
