Lent: The Motive Behind the Sacrifice

 

I do not know quite how to say this because I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be a martyr or something.  I've been thinking a lot about Lent, and the concept of sacrifice, and the motive behind the sacrifice you make.  It seems that some people just take Lent so lightly and sort of joke around about it.  I have as good a sense of humor as anyone, but when it comes to this I think we could think a little more deeply about it and take it more seriously.

A person with Type 2 Diabetes knows a little bit about sacrifice to some degree.  If they are to keep good control of blood glucose, they have to monitor and limit the intake of certain foods.  The motive, hopefully, is to regain a well controlled blood glucose and ultimately, a happy HbA1c.  It's a matter of cause and effect - this good behavior is rewarded with this awesome prize!  We make the sacrifice in order to gain our physical health and wellness!   

Should the decision about what we sacrifice for Lent be made with a different motive in mind, or is it good enough to say I will give this up just because it is expected of me to do so every year?  Do you make the same sacrifice every year?  It's a rhetorical question and I do not have to know your answer - that's between you and your Creator.  If you are satisfied with the routine you have carved out for yourself where Lent and motive and sacrifice are concerned, then I am certainly not going to judge you.  That, thankfully, is not my job.

 

This is just a thought I've been carrying around with me for the past couple of weeks, and as we quickly approach Easter Sunday, I just wonder if the sacrifice I make for the Lent season is really pleasing to God or if I need to dig a little deeper.  Sometimes we do things out of habit and really don't put a lot of thought into it. 

I know that I can do better.  I want the motive behind my sacrifice to be right.  I think the motive is really more important than the actual sacrifice, to be honest. I Just wanted to share a few stray thoughts about Lent today.  Spiritual well being is one of the keys to overall wellness.  There are many facets to this lifestyle I keep talking about.  Spiritual, mental, emotional, and of course, physical.  Take care and think about the motive behind your sacrifice for Lent.  Is it just habit, or does it mean something more?

A Reminder:  What is Lent?

http://youtu.be/iSX-uus-JlE

If you have not seen The Passion of The Christ, I highly recommend you watch this wonderful movie!  Oh - just a side note:  Make sure you wear your glasses if you need them to read - because the entire movie is subtitles.  Yeah, I ran off and forgot my glasses before I went to see it at the theatre.  My friend had to read it to me.  Once I bought the DVD I could read them for myself - but there are still parts of that movie that are so very difficult to watch.  The thought that He went through all of that - and He who was without sin made Himself sin for us.  Wow!

Supreme Sacrifice Day recognizes the ultimate sacrifice made by some for the good of others. History is filled with examples of people who offered the supreme sacrifice for other people.  Jesus Christ gave the supreme sacrifice when he died on the cross for us.