Part
of the Lenten draw, I believe, is this season's underlying
message of renewal. This season is meant to remind Christians
and anyone else who will listen, that
it is never too late to start over again. It is never too late to turn things
around.
One of my favorite stories illustrating this idea was shared by the Honorable
Mayor
of Kansas City, Missouri, Emmanuel Cleaver. As Mayor Cleaver tells the story,
he
and his wife flew to San Francisco for a three-day trip and then rented a car
to
visit friends in a suburb of the city. Mayor Cleaver, like most men, always bragged
about his sense of direction. "It is in the genes of men," he said, "to
be right when we are driving." The drive to Daly City was supposed to take
fifteen minutes. But
after about
thirty minutes, Mrs. Cleaver turned to her husband and said, "Honey,
I think we're on the wrong freeway." Mr. Cleaver replied, "No, we're
not, I know where I'm going." He continued on and on until he saw a sign
which read, "San Jose, 35 miles." By then, Mrs. Cleaver was biting
her lip on the far edge of the passenger side. Mr. Clever, who is also a minister,
knew he was wrong, but he also knew that he was too proud to admit it. He kept
driving until suddenly, out of the blue, he saw it -- "the most beautiful,
gorgeous and transformational sign he had seen in years." The sign had big
bold black letters which read, "U-turns Are Permitted"!
The
U-turn is a sign from God. God accepts U-turns in Judaism and
Christianity, and especially during our holy seasons. No matter
how far down the road of life we travel, whether the road be
personal, professional, religious, or simply an ill-advised
path, U-turns are permitted. When taken carefully, thoughtfully,
and purposefully, U-turns can steer us in the right direction.
At the very least, they can help
us find a better route than the way we were previously headed. This forty-day
Lenten period is the Christian time designated for rethinking
and reconsidering the road we've been on, and not being afraid
to change directions. It's a time to take a look at the spiritual
road we've been traveling, and entertain new possibilities
for personal growth, a deeper relationship with God, better
relationships with
those we claim to care about, and more love for the least lovable among us,
because they
need it the most.
Copyright ©2001
by Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein
--from "A Sign from God" by
Rabbi Micah Greenstein
Read " Sign
from God" in its entirety.