A New Year's Resolution-not

I normally only make one New Year's resolution a year. It's the same one every year-"I will not make any New Year's resolutions." Besides being useful and very easy to keep, I like the paradoxical form it takes. It also spares me the kind of self-examination needed to make a truly meaningful decision to effect a change in my life.

Now don't get me wrong- I'm not opposed to either self-examination or to effecting change in my life. I just don't like to do it based on the accident of the calendar turning over just after winter begins. If I wanted to make changes based on a calendar, I'd probably use the liturgical calendar instead, and make those "resolutions" during either Lent or Advent. (Good thing most Baptist don't observe Lent!) I believe the process of making commitments to change your lifestyle, beliefs, or actions needs a better reason than what time of year it is.

I firmly believe that there are many aspects of my life that could use change. I expect that I will indeed reflect on my life and will make some changes. Like most people, I will succeed at some, and fail at others. But I don't want to simply stagnate and go on pretty much as usual when I see the need for reform in my own life.

For Christians, personal change is about much more than self-fulfillment or feeling better about ourselves. It should be directed to two ends. First, we should want to grow more like Christ, and to live a life that reflects Him in the middle of our desperately needy world. Second, we should seek to find ways to extend the kingdom of Jesus Christ in that world. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Paul reminds the Corinthians, and through them us, that "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." (NIV) Since this is true, I ought to work to make my life one that honors the One who bought me with His own blood.

One change I do intend to make this year coincides with my beginning a new ministry opportunity. I plan to have some regular "office hours" during the week, and one of the things I plan to do is to post to this blog at least once a week. I'll probably be touching on themes I'm teaching during the week, and occasionally on my academic pursuits if I have time to actually pursue them. So I hope you will come along with me for the ride in 2014, and see what the Lord is going to do in each of our lives this year.