Here we are just about in the middle of Lent, the forty days prior to Easter. Many people choose to celebrate Lent by giving up something in their daily lives. Sometimes it might be sugar, or coffee, or sodas or maybe a bad habit like biting your nails or cursing. The idea behind this is to “get ready” for Easter. Every time we give up something, we are preparing for the special time in our church year when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Several years ago, I was introduced to the idea of not cutting out something for Lent but taking on something—adding a good deed or activity. I have tried this, and it is a fulfilling and meaningful practice to me. Some years I add helping a homeless person. Some years I add forgiving anyone who has wronged me. One year I added giving away at least $5 a day to random people. In the passage today, Samuel says to Saul, “It is better to obey than make a sacrifice.” Saul had disobeyed God and Samuel was very angry with him. When we take on the idea of obeying God rather than making a sacrifice, perhaps we, too, could benefit.