Giving Up Lent

As a child I was involuntary committed to the First Baptist Church of Port Wentworth, Georgia.

My parents were responsible.

They had fallen under the sway of the largest group of organized evangelicals in the south, followed by the Methodists.

There was also Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church but we shunned them because they drank beer, misspelled "Lord's" and the whole "Lady of the Lord" thing was bothersome because Baptists believed (in fact they still do) women should look good in Church, clean up, cook, give sex on demand from their husbands and raise the children.

On the other side of the Viaduct was Bonnybridge Baptist Church but nobody from our side went because ... well ... there was a Viaduct.

Port Wentworth was, and remains, a very divided community.

First Baptist, or PWB was, and remains, the largest Church in town, in terms of structure anyway.

As an involuntary incarcerated member I was expected to wear a suit to Sunday Service, give my heart to Jesus before the age of 12, stop playing on Wednesdays to attend "Prayer Meeting", remain abstinent and not smoke or drink.

Don't get me wrong, all the Port Wentworth Churches got along fine.

When the Baptists and Methodists wanted to join the Catholics for beer, they just met at Ralcho's, a one time Comet gas station turned liquor store.

They even had the gas pumps taken up so no one would ask for a fill up ... unless they came inside ... and then it was for Schlitz, Ol' Milwaukee, Pabst Blue Beer or brown liquor.

This was when wine and white liquor, other than "white lightning" was all you could get in Port Wentworth ... that's not true ... there was Boone's Farm.

All the religions mixed back then ... just not to worship God.

They were an inclusive bunch because even the black Baptists and Methodists came and drank together ... though the blacks sat out back under the oak trees.

But after enough liquor flowed every body got together and ... what's the right word ... made fellowship!

Except on Sunday mornings, there was never an issue with drinking in Port Wentworth.

What divided us was ... Lent!

Baptists and Methodists grilled steaks or burgers on Friday nights!

Catholics ate fish!

This was crazy because everyone ate fish, shrimp and oysters most every day back then because they were cheap and plentiful and if you couldn't afford to buy it, you could catch it nearby ... so fish was pretty much an every day thing ... at least several times a week in most houses.

Even when it weren't Lent, there was always a Fish Fry on Friday somewhere.

In spite of Port Wentworth being a divided community because of the Viaduct ... everyone really got along ... there were no great controversies ... red and yellow, black and white ... Cajun and Mulatto, Indian or mixed ... all were precious in everyone's site ... not just God's ... and even Democrats and Republicans got along.

It was a different world back then.

But Lent?

We could never rise above Lent.

Catholics gave up steak and burgers to show their love for God ... even if they were out at Joe's Drive Inn on a Friday night ... they'd order the fish sandwich or platter .., as plentiful and cheap there as at the Root Bear Drive Inn next door.

Looking back on it, I'm not sure how much they really gave up to show their love of Jesus.

Steak, burgers or fish ... who can go wrong?

Just so everyone remembers ... the purpose of Lent is to repent for the lavish spending at Christmas and decadence of New Year's ... and these days we need to throw in Martin Luther King Weekend, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day and Bar Olympics ... so we can identify with the suffering of Jesus leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection on Easter.

{By the way ... if you don't know ... the Bar Church Band is bringing the music at this Easter's Sunrise Service on the Pier for the second consecutive!}

{Sorry ... I didn't mean to aggrandize ... but ... be there or be square! ... you might even be LEFT BEHIND if you don't come!}

{Now ... back to the sermon.}

Anyway, a lot of people give stuff up for Lent.

Eating meat ... Chocolate ... cussing ... texting while driving ... drinking while driving ... sending emojis to express your true feelings ... wearing clothes that are too tight that call attention to your body ... or fishing!

People ask me all the time, "Micheal, what are you giving up for Lent?"

"Religion," I answer.

It's the honest truth.

Though I don't give it up just at Lent.

I give it up all the time.

I find God without religion is much more acceptable and real as I live my life.

You and I both know that as soon as Lent's over, everybody who gave up something is going to have it on Easter!

To celebrate the living Savior they'll have steak ... Chocolate ... cuss ... text while driving ... drink while driving ... send emojis to express your true feelings ... wear tight clothes to call attention to their body ... or get the 2-for-$5 Fish Sandwich special from Arby's.

You don't have to give up anything to love God ... or to identify with the suffering of Jesus ... because God knows we all suffer enough anyway living life.

If it makes you feel better to give something up, by all means do so but understand, you're doing it for you and not God.

God doesn't care.

Religion does.

What God cares about is those happy occasions when red and yellow, black and white ... Cajun and Mulatto, Indian or mixed ... everyone precious in his site ... come together as one ... even Republicans and Democrats.

Alcohol may, or may not, be a factor, as Queen Roma used to say.

If you're serious about getting ready for Easter, then you need to know what a resurrected Savior looks like.

It's described pretty well in the second chapter of Acts.

All of the people of the world were gathered in one place and, while they spoke different languages, everyone understood everyone else (2:6).

That's what the risen Jesus looks like ... everyone rising above themselves to understand one another ... red and yellow, black and white ... Cajun and Mulatto, Indian or mixed ... especially Democrats and Republicans ... because all are precious.

If you want to be all religious about it, give things up and tell yourself you're closer to God.

But if you want to hang out with the risen Lord you'll be better served understanding people who are different from you.

Because once you understand each other, Jesus is right there with you.