What My Lenten Sacrifice is Teaching Me - Part 1

Lent. Let's start with a little history, shall we?

Lent is a Spiritual Discipline that is often viewed as an empty religious practice- even by Christians. The roots of Lent go faaaar back. It is believed it started somewhere around A.D. 203.  There is some evidence that the 40 day period was a bit of a mistake - that the writings were translated improperly from Greek into Latin, and it was first written that followers of Christ should observe a 40 hour fast leading up to the anniversary of the Resurrection, and it was a misinterpretation of a punctuation mark that caused 40 hours to look like 40- 24 hour days.

Oops.

When Exactly Did I Become "That Girl"?

I'm planning my High School reunion. Ten years. Oh Boy. I could say a slough of cliche things about how I can't believe this much time has passed and all that, but that's not why we're here today.

We're here to try to pinpoint the moment in time that I became the girl that plans her 10 Year Reunion. See, I mentioned to a co-worker and friend of mine that I was planning it, and his response was "Ya, I guess that makes sense. You're totally THAT girl. THAT girl planned my reunion too"

Here's the thing. In high school I definitely was not that girl. I wasn't on school council, or in Leadership (I think it was a class...? Or an extra curricular..?) I didn't help organize any pep rallies, or dances. Heck, I didn't even attend pep rallies or dances (Truth - I didn't go to ONE high school dance) Even when there were things going on during lunch hour in the cafeteria, I was usually found upstairs not watching, or not even in the school.

Before I Knew Jesus, I Used To Be Judgemental.

I am not who I used to be. Yet, I am haunted by my past.

I think we all are to some extent though, don't you?

Someone very close to me is going through something very hard right now. When I asked why they hadn't wanted to talk about it they said that they feared being judged by me. That they always feared being judged by me. My first reaction was that I felt frustrated because it is something I have run into a few times since being saved - family and friends assuming that since I make different choices than I used to, I must be judging them for doing the things I no longer do. First of all, this is not truth, and couldn't be farther from it. Second of all, this was actually not the problem at hand. The problem was that this person has always felt judged by me.

Can I tell you a secret? I used to be a bit of a jerk sometimes.