Want ideas for Lent? Stop denying; start giving

In Favor of a Proactive Lent

Lent is traditionally a season of denial.

Devoted Christians choose something to deny themselves. It’s supposed to be something we miss and it’s supposed to be something done in secrecy.

The tradition is intended to create a sense of sacrifice in honor of the sacrifice of God’s Son. This started out much more grandly than it is typically practiced today. It was a season of serious fasting. But that was just too hard.

Fridays were once like that, too. Friday was a day of Christian fasting in a regular remembrance of Good Friday. When that became too difficult, the custom shifted, with the Church’s permission, to shunning meat. Fish didn’t count. Whew!

Lent has been similarly compromised from its original intent. The things most people sacrifice in secrecy are things we want to give up anyway—cigarettes, liquor, sweets.

We are not very good at this sacrificial stuff, are we?

Perhaps it would restore a sense of Lenten sacrifice to do something proactive for the 40 days of Lent. Perhaps our sacrifice should be our time and self-centered attention.

Instead of dwelling on ourselves and our suffering for atonement, perhaps it would be more helpful to sacrifice in ways that would benefit more than our personal state of grace. Instead of NOT doing something this Lent, think about what we CAN DO to help others.

  • Instead of not eating meat or ice cream or chocolate, feed someone.
  • Instead of spending time on our own entertainment, take an hour a day and do something with family.
  • Instead of shopping for a new Easter outfit, clean out the closets and give good clothes to the needy. If you want a real sense of sacrifice, give away a favorite outfit!
  • Instead of checking Facebook five times a day, send one greeting card a day to someone who needs to know they are loved.
  • If you’ve neglected your God-given talents, use them daily during Lent to write, paint, sing, sew or practice the piano.
  • Create a new faith discipline. Start a faith journal.

Doing something for others — and thereby sacrificing self-interest — just might make for a more meaningful Lent.

How might you sacrifice proactively?