Flying on Ash Wednesday

Today I will take a break from the self love series to discuss Lent. What are you giving up? What are you adding? I am giving up iced tea. I was happy with that thought until a dear sistergirlfriend sent me the following article:

Path of Descent

Question of the day: What if I gave up being 'right' for Lent?

The second temptation of Jesus is another one that all of us must face. Satan takes Jesus up to the pinnacle of the Temple, symbolizing the top of the religious world itself, and him to play 'righteousness games' with God. "Throw yourself off and He'll catch you" (Matthew 4:6). It's the only time in the Bible where the devil quotes Scripture. Holy words can be used for evil purposes, it surely says.

This second temptation is to think of yourself as saved, superior to others, the moral elite on the side of God and religion, and to quote arguable Scriptures for your own purpose--being against God in the name of God. Actually it is quite common.

As Mother Teresa loved to say, "We were not created to be successful [even spiritually successful!], but to be obedient."

True obedience to God won't always make us look or feel right (that is why it takes faith!), so be careful before you stand on the pinnacle of any Temple, Scripture, or Sacrament. It is the common temptation of actually loving ourselves under the guise of loving God.

Read more at Radical Grace: Daily Meditations at http://www.cacradicalgrace.org

Do you need to give up being right all the time for Lent? Do you need to give up being negative? Do you need to start smiling more? Laughing more? Criticizing less? Loving yourself more? Being more loveable or even more likeable? Being more optimistic? Now is as good a time to start as any.