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At least when I was
growing up, if another child would say something
hurtful we would exclaim heatedly, “Sticks and
stones may break by bones, but names will never
hurt me.” The words that the attacker threw at us
usually did hurt, but we would try to take the
opponent’s power away by claiming they didn’t. In
reality, words can hurt only if we allow them to.
Sometimes we
inadvertently let words have more destructive
power than they should; even those that we speak
or think ourselves. Words are symbols for ideas.
So they can convey some pretty powerful messages,
positive or negative. As Earl Nightingale,
motivational writer and speaker, is often quoted
as saying, “ You become what you think about.”
Since we are the ones speaking, thinking, or
reacting to words, we have a great amount of
choice. But we need to exercise it. If we surround
ourselves with negative messages, or we allow
negative thoughts to run free, they will keep us
from being everything that God intends for us.
We begin Lent with
the Ash Wednesday invitation to keep a holy Lent.
That invitation includes self-examination and
repentance, prayer, and reading and meditating on
God’s holy Word. We are encouraged to direct our
thoughts towards God our creator and Christ our
savior. That whole encouragement is just a few
words, and it sounds simple enough. But we are
greatly challenged in doing it.
Our culture
encourages us to be rugged individualists,
adventurers charting new territory. That is the
American way. At the same time, we are bombarded
with thousands of media messages a day setting the
standards for being individualists. We are led to
believe that we can measure up if we just own the
right things and do what the commercials and
programs would have us do. Allowing God to break
in is a challenge that takes intentional effort.
A recent daily
lectionary reading from Deuteronomy contained the
warning “ Do not say to yourself, "My power and
the might of my own hand have gotten me this
wealth." But remember the LORD your God, for it is
he who gives you power to get wealth…” (Deut
8:17-18) That is where not engaging in
self-examination and repentance, prayer, and
reading and meditating on God’s holy Word can lead
us. It is a desolate destination.
It is frequently
repeated that stewardship is everything that we do
after we say “I believe.” Stewardship is not a
matter of money. Stewardship is how we manage, how
we care for, everything that God in his gracious
love provides us. That suggests, then, that
keeping a holy Lent is a matter of good
stewardship. We are encouraged to take time to
examine and improve our life in Christ.
In addition to
self-examination and repentance, prayer, and
reading and meditating on God’s holy Word consider
the this discipline. Reviewing our Baptismal
Covenant, found on page 304 of the Book of Common
Prayer, is a wonderful guide to self-examination
and redirection of our lives. At least once a week
during Lent, look at the five areas of action that
we vow to follow, with God’s help, and think about
how you are doing and how you can do better. Or,
turn the five questions and responses into
affirmations to repeat daily:
I continue in the
apostle’s teaching and fellowship, in the breaking
of bread, and in the prayers.
I persevere in
resisting evil, and, whenever I fall into sin,
repent and return to the Lord.
I proclaim by word
and example the Good New of God in Christ.
I seek and serve
Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as
myself.
I strive for justice
and peace among all people, and respect the
dignity of every human being.
Lofty goals to reach
towards, but we can… with God’s help. |
