4Hear this, you who trample on the needy
and bring the poor of the land to an end,
5saying, "When will the new moon [festival] be over,
that we may sell grain?
And the Sabbath,
that we may offer wheat for sale,
that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great
and deal deceitfully with false balances,
6that we may buy the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals
and sell the chaff of the wheat?"
....
21"I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
--Amos 8:4-6 and 5:21-24
For those of us who are giving something up for Lent, I think it would be good to remember the above passage and examine our motivations. "Do not compound the sin of disobedience with the sin of hypocrisy," Amos is telling us. We may not give burnt offerings or celebrate new moon festivals anymore, but for some of us, giving up soda for Lent is just about the only thing we do for God each year. And that has more to do with culture and looking pious to our peers than honoring the King of the Universe. But what God says in Amos is that if we're honoring Him falsely, He'd rather we just not do anything at all.
There are many, many people who reflect deeply on what they give up for Lent, and the reasons for their doing so, and live lives of heartfelt obedience no matter what month it is. But there are also many, many people who "honor God" with their Lenten observances and dishonor Him in every other area of their lives. Is that you? Is that me? Maybe, before we log off of Facebook or forgo dessert, we should examine our hearts and ask ourselves whether we are really trying to honor God this Lenten season, or just mocking Him with lip service. "Keep your ashes," God says. "They're worthless without your heart."
