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I've found that with the slightest mention of Lent, Christians and non-Christians alike are all dying to know--what did you give up? At times it almost seems like a game or contest, with everyone wondering: who is making the biggest sacrifice? And of course, you have to give up the "right" thing to gain any street cred. Chocolate gains some brownie points, as does caffeine. Or there's the real crowd-pleaser of alcohol, or that sacrifice of all sacrifice--facebook. And don't try giving up anything that's too abstract. I have a friend giving up "men," which is always met with the response, "How exactly would you do that?" And for those that don't give up anything, excuses are made with vigor; "I'm not Catholic, so I don't do that," "I end up failing and then feeling guilty, which isn't really the point, is it?" or, for the uber-holy, "Instead of giving something up, I'm praying and reading my Bible more."

I wonder why we even ask the question in the first place. What is it in us that makes this the question of the season? I've come up with a two-part answer. The first, is that it's one of the few times we feel comfortable--or maybe even cool--talking about (or, more aptly, "around") our faith. As mentioned above, it's not just the serious Christians who ask/are interested in this question. According to one friend, the giving-up-for-Lent topic is even work-appropriate. So while we would never just blurt out the name of Jesus, we at least let the world know we're Christians by answering everyone's favorite Lenten question.

Of course, that alone doesn't fully answer the question. And I think the real heart of the matter is this--it gives us a way to gauge the "holiness" of others. It's as though our answers are some sort of spiritual litmus test, a way to casually find out where we stand in relation to those around us. But all this does is perpetuate a works-based religion. I'm sure that's how it seems to our non-Christian co-workers, who watch us struggle and agonize over dessert-free 40 days, or wonder why we can't join them for happy hour anymore.

I think the only answer to the question, "What are you giving up for Lent," (if it should even be asked at all), is that we are giving up ourselves. During Lent, we notice our sin more acutely, repent, and ask Jesus to change us. Any material things we give up are not meaningful in and of themselves, but for what they represent--the giving our hearts, our lives to God. We remember that we don't need item x, but we do need Jesus. And when we struggle with our material sacrifice, we are reminded of our sin, especially greed and idolatry. Like many of the most powerful things in life, our material sacrifice is a metaphor for what God really wants from us, which is the rending of our hearts.

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them." Matthew 6:1