At the beginning of each New Year, people make resolutions, usually at the personal level: what they would like to change in their lives that year. Usually, it is something they hope would make them better.
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I do the same but…
As far as I can remember, every year I resolve to lose weight, stay fit, and strengthen my stomach muscles. This would help to alleviate the back pain, which has been part of me for a very long time now.
But I have a problem: I like eating, and regardless of where I am, it seems like I am always surrounded by plenty of good food.
Add to that the fact that I never like exercising. I like biking but my wife does not allow me to have a bike! So I sulk and walk down and around the river a few times and then back up to the house. I persevere because back pain is worse than panting, and I rejoice when I go through a year without back pain.
New Year resolutions are always about ‘me’; they are selfish things, they are about us.
This year, try and resolve to do something for someone else, perhaps an organisation, a Church, a school, or the wider community.
Do something different, something you have never done before. You never know how that might impact your life, the lives of those around you, your community, and, indeed, the whole world. One person can make a difference. There are many cases throughout history but the one that stands out is Jesus of Nazareth.
In Christian understanding, his life and public ministry reflected the light of God; how God might have wanted us to live life so we may give life to others. What Christians saw in Jesus was a life full of love, the kind of love that we get from our mothers.
It is a pity that Christians rarely reflect the light of Jesus, but even the few beams that we have allowed to shine through, they have made a difference in the world we live. The world is a much better place than it could have been due to Christianity, for it established the best universities that continue to sustain us with excellent knowledge. It has taught us values like caring for others, and many other things that have contributed to the quality of life we enjoy in Australia.
You can make a difference, too. Try and love someone deeply without wanting anything in return. I guarantee you’ll find real peace and true happiness. That is the salvation Jesus promised us in this life.
