The Difference
“Do you want to know the difference between a master and a beginner? The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” ~
Growing in the faith is not quite as easy as some people might think. It takes a lot of work, a lot of sweat, a lot of determination, and a lot of will power. There are some people who live the faith and make it look so easy yet they would tell you that it was not always so for them. They just had the determination to work at it until they succeeded in growing in their faith. When they accomplished their goals, they made new goals and continued working on themselves.
Life is a never-ending cycle of working on self. Lent is a time to bring that into sharper focus. We find out just who we are when we are tested.
The present time is a test for many of us. The COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc on our society and on the world at large. In the process, we are finding out what some people are truly like. We have seen examples of hoarders clearing shelves of products that others need. We have seen angry exchanges at stores and restaurants. We have seen panic cloud judgment. In short, we have seen the worst in us.
However, we have also seen the best in us. There are others who have been instrumental in helping those who are in need. There are those who want to insure that people be provided the basics as they are sent home without work for a while. We have seen those who are concerned about youth who might be unsupervised at home because their schools are closed but their parents cannot afford to stay away from their jobs.
Walking the tightrope between the good in us and the bad in us is never easy. Lent is one of the things that often makes it easier for us to do. Lent challenges us to root out the baser parts of our lives that often cause us to go astray.
In order to be better, though, we have to work at it. There is a lot of bad out there, yes. But, there is a lot of good as well. Decide to be part of the good today. Do good. Practice good. We can do it. Be the difference.
FAITH ACTION: If you have failed at your Lenten resolutions, do not be afraid to try once again. Work on them until you master them.