I love Dave Ramsey. His teachings have impacted my life, and my family. Putting his financial ideas into action has helped us pay off debt and give more. Thank you for that Dave! Really, I mean it. Then the other day, I came across this video of Dave in his car. I kind of agree with some of it, but there's a big part that misses the mark. (I'll put the video below so you can watch it.)

Dave goes through and voices his opinions about how people are responding to this current presidential campaign. He's worried that too many of us Americans view this or that candidate as our "savior." Dave is right to give us that caution. No POTUS is going to instantly fix the problems in your life. No POTUS is going to magically "fix" our country. It's just not that simple.

He then puts the responsibility on each one of us, which is good. We all need to take responsibility for our lives, and for bettering our communities, and for investing in our fellow human beings. Stepping up and taking the necessary risks to be responsible for ourselves is good. However, Dave overstates it when he says, "You are the hero of your story." That's a great sentiment, but it falls short of proper Christian thinking. I'm not the hero, and this ain't just my story. Life is God's story, and God is the hero.

This is a key orienting perspective for Christians. It's what sets us apart, or as Paul says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world." Making yourself the hero of the story may make you feel good, but that's not the ultimate purpose or goal of life as Jesus Christ has revealed to us. If you really want to fulfill God's will for your life, put God at the center of it. God is the hero, and it is God's story.

There's probably some other issues you could have with these thoughts by Dave, but this is the main issue I see. Feel free to share in the comments with truth & love, of course.

Lent is the journey deep into forgiveness. It's an invitation to travel deeper into the maze of the lost forest, mess-of-a-life that you've helped make for yourself. Eventually, you realize that no matter how hard you try, or how much penance you make, or how much shame and guilt you feel; you cannot get out of this wilderness on your own.

Lent is the time that you pause, look around and wonder to yourself, "How did I get here?"

It's a time to reorient yourself. Time to take inventory. Time to ask for directions and look at the map. It's time to re-calibrate your GPS. Time to realize that if you're going to make this journey of life, you must depend on something, someone, beyond yourself.

Lent is your journey toward realizing your total utter dependence upon the promise of Easter: God has shown us mercy through His Son.

Don't go too fast. Easter isn't here yet, but in some ways it already is. So it's tempting to take forgiveness and the One who gives it for granted. Stop, look, listen...become immersed and overwhelmed by the depth of mercy God shows.

May the Holy Spirit lead you to repentance, and assure you of God's forgiveness.