What Is Your Resolution?

It's that time again. It's January and New Year's resolutions are the substance of the media one more time. It is reported that some are resolving to lose weight, to quit smoking, to change their lifestyles, to get a better job and so on. For most of us, our resolutions almost always center on ourselves. I can't remember a news reporter interviewing someone that said, "I want to make the world a better place" or "I'm resolving to help others more" or "I'm going to demonstrate love for my neighbor this year."

I'm reading a book by Joyce Meyers called "The Love Revolution." She says that selfishness is behind almost every problem the world faces today. I'd go one step further and say self-centeredness is the primary cause. And why shouldn't it be? It began in the Garden of Eden!

I lived the first 45 years of my life as a "self-made" man. The only thing my lifestyle made was a mess! When my world began to collapse my defense was to blame others for my problems. And why not? Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent! The devil made me do it!

One of my favorite lines from the movie Gladiator was when General Maximus said to his men before a battle, "What you do here today will echo throughout eternity!" We will be accountable to God for the things we do here on earth, whether or not we believe in Him! Self-centeredness in the Garden of Eden brought spiritual death to all mankind throughout eternity. We are mankind!

But there is good news! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) God first loved us so we could love him...and others! He made the Way in Jesus Christ for us to escape our self-centeredness and to become "others-centered." In the end, the only resolution that will matter is whether we have resolved to love God and one another. This is true ethical behavior! We can become resolute this year and point the Way!