Celtic Lent today introduces the story of Cuthbert.
After a vision Cuthbert gave up his old life to start anew as a monk with God. He journeyed on a horse with a spear and a servant walking beside him to the monastery door. When there he gave the servant his spear and horse and walked into the monastery with just the clothes on his back.

I have struggled with this question over the years because I think there is a bit of a balancing act to do here. I wonder if giving up everything to follow God is all that is required if we are to learn and change on our journey.

During my early Christian life I believe I gave up too much. I gave up a career, which I still believe was the correct thing to do; but I think I also gave up my true character and social class. This was due to a desire to fit in but it resulted in me denying who I was and am.

I have come to understand that Jesus called me as me. Jesus called me as the very left wing, working class, dancing, drinking, loud, dreaming and challenging, and often annoying, character that God created me to be. I may say more about this at a later date. God called me as me, with my faults and sharp edges, because God wanted me to meet others with similar faults and sharp edges so that we could learn more and travel further together.

So, as we travel today and think of Cuthbert and the others we have learned from this week; yes … let us think about what we can lay aside or give up. But let’s also commit to keeping, growing, forming and allowing those bits of our characters that God wants to use to become what God wants them to be.