Joy, joy, joy! During Lent?

Is that even possible? Doesn't it seem awkward? Not at all!
Lent is the time for joy, perhaps now more than ever. How do YOU recognize a Christian?

In Roman times Christians were exhorted that when asked by Roman soldiers to carry their packs for the obligatory mile, to carry it instead for two. Now they could have very well been executed had they not carried it for the obligatory mile so perhaps they could have done this carrying job begrudgingly, but no instead they happily carried the soldier's pack for not only the required mile but for two miles, joyfully. They used this opportunity to tell about their joy in Christ, the joy of Christianity. Sometimes they didn't evangelize with words but image being a soldier and running into this one group of people over and over again. These strange people who not only do the task they've been ordered to do, on pain of death, but do the job with joy and carry out not just what is obligatory but do extra, willingly. One starts to wonder, "Why are they so joyful?", "There is something different about them" and "I want that joy too."

Is it any wonder then that christianity was spread predominantly by the Roman army? The same Romans who persecuted Christians were the ones who in the end were directly responsible for spreading Christianity. Paradoxical, isn't it?

It's amazing what joy can do. So live a truly Christian joy filled life because people will see your joy and want it too. It's really the easiest way to evangelize. We are sinners in need of a savior but our God saves and lent is that time where we prepare for his saving action. So indeed, it is a time for joy!