Lent is a Time for Healthy Humility

The Lenten Season is a time for renewing our willing spirits and restoring our joy in our salvation through the love of God. I LOVE Lenten season worship services when we are inspired to evaluate our “dark forces” and the burdens we carry. And then to lift them up to the light of God for healing and wholeness. To be aware of our sinfulness and the burdens we carry, to be aware of God’s forgiveness, to be contrite in heart and mind, are all good and healthy attitudes for the soul!  

When we are introspective and humble we are better able to be compassionate and show empathy for others. C.S. Lewis said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less."

Leadership research shows that those who admit and discuss their mistakes and failures with others learn from them and are more likely to succeed in the future.  When we humble ourselves and share our humility in our interactions with others, we receive many blessings.

Psalm 51 is a wonderful Psalm for reading and contemplating this Lenten Season. It begins with: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” And closes with: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” 

A Christ-like Deed of Love a Day in 2011.

“Joy to the World the Lord is come; let earth receive her king! Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and angels sing!” (Isaac Watts)

We all love singing this hymn at Christmas time. But after the “joy” part Watts is telling us to make room for Jesus Christ in our hearts. How do we make room for J.C. in our hearts and lives? We are too busy, too frantic, too worried, too tired. But Christ said, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28) As Christians, our trust is to be in Christ and we are to rest in him and allow him room in our hearts and lives.

In David Bryant’s book: Christ Is All! He explains his belief that the most significant crisis emerging today among Christian churches everywhere is the diminishing of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Do you believe Jesus Christ was more than a man? If not, then why worship him?

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels- everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was supreme in the beginning, and – leading the resurrection parade – He is supreme in the end. From beginning to the end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. The mystery in a nutshell is this: Christ is in YOU. Therefore, you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple." (From The Message version of Colossians 1).

“You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is the Son of God; or else a mad man or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool; you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.” (C.S. Lewis)

Jesus Christ showed us God’s love by his deeds. Christ calls us to GO out into the world to DO something that demonstrates God’s love for all his children. From the very beginning of Christ’s life, God asked people to show they are Christians by their actions. The shepherds had to believe and GO to see the child. The Wise Men had to trust in the star’s guidance, and GO by risking their lives to find the baby in a manger. Mary and Joseph had to pack up and flee and protect their precious baby from death. Our God is a God of loving actions. We are not to sit around and judge others as not as faithful or worthy as we are. Jesus said “Go and make disciples of all nations.” You do so by showing the love of Christ in all you do and say wherever you may be. Let Christ dwell in your heart and life by doing a loving action a day for your New Year’s resolution in 2011. Then they’ll know you are a “Christian” by your love.