Cruciformed: The Shapes of Lent

Freedom. Consent.

If our world is a ship in choppy waters, these are often the bright guiding stars. Though the winds may blow and the waves may swell, a world built on freedom will one day bring us to shore. A world based on consent will one day keep us safe.

Or so they say. While Freedom and Consent are no doubt vital for our time… do they form a complete constellation? For Christians, can these words fully capture how God is shaping us and guiding us as we walk in the Way of Christ?

Christians have a much broader consellation to guide their ship to maturity, love, and justice. They called them ‘virtues’ — Christ-like characteristics that God brings forth in a people… characteristics that Christ-followers practice and habituate in community.

Some virtues are familiar to contemporary ears: ‘Peace’ or ‘Tolerance.’ Others seem strange: ‘Obedience’ or ‘Humility.’ Each, however, names a pariticular arena where the Spirit grows fruit in our lives. Each shapes us to share the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may heal at those places.