Yea, Yea - What's in it for me?

Why do I want to read and reflect these things for 40 days? This seems like a weird thing. If there were no benefit I don't think I would even consider it. I mean, come on, what did Luther really know?

I think as Christians we should be more comfortable with the question, "What is in it for me?" There are a lot of practical benefits for being a Christian but people are real timid to say. Why is that? Maybe we're not sure what those benefits are. Maybe we've gotten so used to hearing another's view that we did not check it out ourselves. Here's the kicker, if we're not sure are we really able to give what we have away? Sometimes we are so busy being polite we forget to discover what it is that excites us or challenges us or intrigues us. Certainly the newcomer is not scared by the above question. They appear at any church door with that question at hand no matter how well crafted. They want to know what the prayer is like. They want to know what the nursery is like. They want to know Sunday school and choir and preacher and coffee hour. Why is it ok for them but not us. Why do we so quickly retreat into metaphysics, intellect, and theory as if church membership is equated with the "new" person in Christ; one who is no longer driven by "newcomer" concerns (at least on the surface). Maybe I missed something when I joined but I didn't suddenly have it all figured out. Maybe you did. I don't know.

Here is one answer about why we (Christians) do the things we do that should be said more often. I think it should stand valid at any time. That answer is " I feel better." We may not always feel this way nor is this the only outcome of Christian living but I think there is nothing wrong with admitting it. We certainly should not be ashamed of it. Imagine if this was how we responded more often."Hey Scott, why do you practice Christianity?" "Because I feel better when I do it." Simple, strait forward honest answer. What inquiry can follow? What is there to argue against?
"I don't believe you!",...
"ok".
No dogma to argue over. No long winded arguments over the Virgin Birth. No rehashed arguments over hypocrisy. No dilemma questions seeking God's mind on whether Gandhi goes to Heaven or not. (These questions I find are most often posed by those people not really inclined to try out Christianity. More often than not there loaded questions posed by persons who will only consider believing if there questions are answered first. Not having an answer justifies not believing which really is justification to not change.)I don't mean to imply that the above questions are bad questions or that we should not think about our faith. I simply mean that the arguments tend to get in the way of our practice.


The great thing about it is there is nothing to argue with. Everyone wants to feel better. We certainly do not want to feel worse. Now, I think hand in hand with that answer should come a second straitfoward answer is, " I don't always like doing the next right thing but when I do, I feel better." Now mind you my answer has many theological holes. It could be constructed that God is perceived as the Cosmic Ridilin whose sole purpose is to lift spirits. It could be seen this way but remember, the question was about my motivations not the nature of God. Anyone who knows me for five minutes (ok 30 seconds...10...5) should be able to deduce that I'm not He. Regardless of how good Christ is, the fact remains that this silly seminarian motives are still my own. So while we recognize that "I feel better" is probably not the most premier reason for living this way of life, we should also recognize that having this as your motivation is not such a bad thing either. Better this than nothing at all.

So I think, "What's in it for me?" is a perfectly valid question when considering the reasons we are Christian. Not just for newcomers but for all of us. It is especially valid for anyone thinking it about the practice suggested here. So here are some of my reasons for doing this Lenten practice:

1. I want to feel better.

2. I have never gotten better at anything simply thinking about it. I've had to do it.

3. Praying/Discovering with others has always led to more insight than I've been able to come up on my own.

4. By setting up this practice I'm more likely to complete it so I don't have to face people in the future with statements like "You invited me to this thing and then stopped..." The more accountability the greater chance persons do things.

5. The Lord's Prayer, The Apostles Creed, and the Ten Commandments are all things I would like know better. Spending 40 days with them will certainly increase understanding and hopefully my future practice.

6. Doing this for Lent beats giving up potato chips.

7. The practice of things usually give us gifts we never would of received otherwise. For example, by very hesitantly trusting God and walking through discernment, I'm now here at seminary. I could have thought about the call and never acted. By acting on the call I got to meet an incredible group of people at St. Benedicts who I would not to have gotten to know at the level I did but, for the need to listen to my call.

8. Why not do this for Lent?

9. By taking the time to reflect not only on what I write but what others see and experience I will have the opportunity to know God better. I have no guarantees but Grace tends to come when I have tried to seek out God. My favorite quote about how God tends to act is"Take one step toward God and God takes three steps toward you."

10. I always like to test out the line that suggests a promise, "When two or three gather, I will be there".