The First Saturday of Lent

“What’s the ‘I’ for?” asks my most curious kid at the After School Program where I spend my afternoons. “The ‘I’ stands for idolatry,” I begin. “You’re a dollar tree!” one of the other kids in the room shouts, as 15 kids rush against me. “I want a dollar—give me a dollar!” And as they push me to the wall, demanding their money, I see my most curious kid, eyes big, mouth pursed shut, waiting for me to get these distractions under control so he can find out why in the world I’m wearing a red felt “I” on my shirt. When I get a chance to tell him about idolatry and the death penalty and Jesus being executed, he responds, “But Jesus was resurrected. He’s alive.” and from the eager mouth of an 8 year old, my hope is renewed. As we wait today, on Saturday—the day after Friday, the day before Sunday—for an end to the death penalty, for an end to the worshipping of the false gods of security, for an end to idolizing the dollar, we are able to wait with hope and expectation for the resurrection of all God’s people, when all eyes will be on him, when all knees will bow to the one true God.
-Leah