Self Denial

Why would people want to deny themselves? We don't want to. Self denial is willingly forgoing something desirable. It's choosing a course of action that goes against your normal inclinations.

Self denial goes against our (typically) selfish human nature. It's just like Jesus to instruct us to go against our selfishness. He said, "If anyone would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." That sounds like a path to a lousy life, but Jesus insisted that it's the way to real life. Christians are called to live like this, and it's challenging for all of us.

There are lots of ways to practice self denial. Here are a few suggestions.

• Choose the longest, slowest line at the grocery store.
• Let the other person be right.
• Stop insisting that people understand or see your point of view.
• Give away a prized possession.
• Forego a favorite food (for a season).
• Get up early for some unselfish purpose.
• Donate money to a worthy cause.
• Offer sincere compliments, when you are in a foul mood.
• Acknowledge your short comings to God and ask for forgiveness.

The more we deny ourselves, the more our mental wiring is reconfigured, making us less self-centered and more others-centered. That's a good thing.

Wisteria

The wisteria is in full bloom here in North Carolina. Traveling across the state today, we could see the flowering vine all along the highway. 

Wisteria is one of those vines that I never notice until it blooms. It shows up on trees and fences, draping across forests. During other times of the year I don't even see the vine. 

There are a couple of life lessons. Some of life's encumbrances, like vines, seem to be a big burden. But sometimes those burdens can be beautiful. In the proper season, we can enjoy the beauty and the fragrance. 

Another way to see the lesson of the vine is that some things are beautiful in life, but only for a moment. They are really choking us out with their tentacles and foliage. But every so often these burdens look nice. The occasional beauty of the burden keeps us from freeing ourselves. And so we let the vine keep growing, even though some day it may choke us out.

Two lessons to choose from. Maybe one applies to you.

Adaptogens

I had never heard of adaptogens until I read the label of an elderberry beverage. It boasted a bodacious 6 adaptogens per serving. Well OK. Who could turn that down? So I chose that beverage with my lunch last Saturday at LOT 2540, and it was good. I have heard about elderberries having some healthy properties, boosting the immune system, and all that. 

But I had to look up "adaptogens" to see if it was really a thing. According to Google, adaptogens have benefits including: 

Reducing stress and anxiety, Improving mood and cognitive function, Boosting energy levels, Enhancing immune function, and Protecting against aging. 

Adaptogens usually come from plants, and must be natural.

I hope that knowing Christ will reduce my anxiety and maybe improve my mood. I would like him to improve my cognitive function and give me energy. He can keep me from getting sick, and I want to cooperate with that. I don't expect the Lord to protect me from aging, but maybe he can make me more mature as I age. I try to stay tuned-in to the Spirit and hope he helps me to become a better human.

But I think I will also gladly consume some adaptogens when I have the chance.

The Dogflower Legend

This week my neighbor excitedly told me that her dogwood tree is blooming. As we walked across her yard to have a look, I asked if she had heard of the dogwood legend. She had not heard of it, possibly because she is from out of state. I did my best to give her the story.

Dogwood trees always bloom right around Easter. I have noticed that even when Easter is very early or very late, the trees seem to find a way to be right on time. Of course their blooms last for a few weeks, but it's always right around Resurrection Day.

We looked closely at a blossom, and I asked her to notice the edge of the four petals. On each petal there is a dimple that resembles a nail hole. I did not elaborate further. She was taken aback at the profound testimony of nature to the death of Jesus on the cross for us.

Maybe when you see a dogwood tree in bloom this spring you will think of Jesus.

Wait for it

Lent is a time to let self denial open us up to deeper spiritual truths. We can see the ruts we are stuck in. We can see how our perspective is limited. We can discover freedom from something that took so much of our attention.

Lent practices bring us back repeatedly to the Lord. The desire to do the thing we give up serves as a reminder to pray. It's a season of intentional, high maintenance connection with the Lord.

Just like high intensity interval training puts the body through periods of intense work and relative rest, Lent serves as period of high intensity spiritual seeking. And that leads us to Easter, a high intensity time of celebration. 

For now, we are just building the suspense.

A Long Lent

Christian tradition sets the season of Lent at 40 days, plus six Sundays, for a season lasting 46 days. The season is supposed to help us dwell on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. He suffered in the desert for 40 days before his ministry began. He suffered all the torture Evil could throw at him as he bled and died for humanity. 

This year I am realizing that 46 days is a long time to dwell on something so somber. I'm ready for the hurrahs of "Up From the Grave He Arose!" So often we have to wait. We have to wait it out. We know that things will be better...eventually. 

Maybe you are waiting for a raise, a clean bill of health, a wedding, a baby, a weekend, a vacation, a completed project, a restored relationship. We are conditioned these days not to wait. We carry devices that can answer almost any question we can pose. It only takes a few seconds. We can order almost anything we want (and can pay for) and have it arrive in two days. 

And so this season may feel exhausting. We don't like waiting. And the waiting is even worse when we are supposed to focus on mortality, deprivation, and suffering. It's all a reminder that Jesus is with us even as we go through dark, extended times.

God hears us as we cry out, "How long, O Lord?"

What was Judas thinking?

By the time Jesus had led his disciples across the countryside to Jerusalem, the air was full of revolution. They had stirred up crowds in town after town, and everyone was expecting a showdown in Jerusalem.

There would be a crowd there for Passover, just like every year. But this time, a charismatic, powerful, persuasive leader was in rare form, ready to make things right.

Judas, probably, was also cheering Jesus on. But maybe Judas became frustrated with Jesus's way of dealing with all the bad guys. Jesus just debated with the religious authorities, and he seemed to ignore the Roman occupiers. So maybe Judas wanted to speed things up. Maybe he thought that Jesus would finally show his strength if he had to. So Judas betrayed Jesus, expecting Jesus to meet the challenge by force.

But Jesus did not fight back. He didn't even let his friends fight for him. He just gave up and let the bad guys take him away.

When he saw how it played out, Judas was so overcome with remorse, he tried to return his blood money and ultimately took his own life. He even died before Jesus did.

We can only guess what Judas was thinking.