I Give Up Giving Up

Day 19 of Lenten Devotional Series

Guest Post by Jeremy Vincent, Broadway United Methodist Church

Matthew 6:16-18 ESV

And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Lent is my favorite season on the church calendar, but I’ve never asked myself why. Maybe it's the songs I grew up singing in the church around this time. Maybe it's the drawing closer and preparing for Easter, or the feeling of darkness that comes with Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday (depression and recovery are a part of my story for sure). Or maybe it's because the weather is changing, and the cold is transitioning to the warm. Maybe it's all of that.

But maybe, just maybe, it's because things grow in the Spring (and Lent means Spring). Things are growing during Lent. Sure, nature is growing outside. The grass, the trees, the flowers, the rising temperature, and the bugs are all growing. Things are also growing on the inside. There are things growing on the inside of us.

We could say that Lenten growth is made possible because we give up something for forty days much like Christ fasted while in the wilderness. A fast is definitely a way to grow. These days simply existing can feel like a wilderness and much might be spiritually gained from a seasonal fast in hopes of drawing closer to God. I have discovered, for me, much is gained when I give up 'giving up' something for Lent and replace that approach with adding to or taking on. Ha! So I guess that’s kind of a fast too (Smiles).

This season I am giving up on giving up. I'm just going to be. I'm going to try my hardest to be something for someone...mostly the someone who is right in front of me at any given moment. I'm going to try and love that someone as much as I can, really listen to them, and hopefully be a little Jesus for them. In them I will find that Jesus is standing right before me and that they're being a little Jesus for me too.

God, help us to be the us you always want us to be...the us that is a little bit of Jesus for someone else.