Here we are again. It’s the beginning of another year and life goes on. Truly, as the writer of Ecclesiastes writes, “There’s nothing new under the sun” (1:9). We still go to work every day to ensure that we can support our extravagant lifestyles. We still sit in classrooms allowing those with knowledge beyond our own to improve us. We still eat McDonalds even though we’re constantly reminded that it’s killing us slowly. We still watch movies and dream of playing opposite Denzel Washington or Katie Holmes, despite the fact we know it could never happen. We still waste our money in the Starbucks drive thru even though we could save by purchasing at the grocer. We still watch the news and thank God that’s not us, while out there, somewhere, there’s a family who has been through hell over this past year. And Life goes on.
We are not coasting in flying cars, we are not watching robots do our dirty work, we are not living in a more stable environment, nor is the world suddenly a better place. People are still dying, children are still starving, soldiers are still fighting, and politicians are still too self absorbed to be honest. And life goes on.
But wait! It is the New Year! A time to start over. A time for change. A time to regroup and remind ourselves why we are doing what we are doing. A time for resolutions, right? So, the guy next door is resolved to work harder so that he can land that deal. The girl upstairs is resolved to workout every day and get in shape so that she attract some cute guy. And the couple in the car next to us is resolved to save up for an exotic Caribbean cruise. Well now, there’s progress for you.
No, Lewis is right: “We are far too easily pleased.” We watch the world go by us and we live contentedly in our little bubble. It’s sad, the things that happen in this world, but there’s not really anything we can do about it, without inconveniencing ourselves. We think that we are happy where we are. We’re comfortable. How important is that comfort? We’ve spent our lives building it. Why would we want to give it up?
It’s funny, isn’t it? A house, some furniture, a car, some books, our music collection, a gym membership, Starbucks, and Macy’s – all the things that make us so comfortable – are the very things that condemn us. They point their fingers at us and proclaim that we are spoiled. We are gluttonous and selfish and we like it. We let the man next to us starve so we can be comfortable.
But there is a better way. While there is nothing inherently wrong with our stuff, I propose a change. This will look different from person to person. For some it may be cutting down the daily Starbucks run so that the money saved can go to someone who needs it more. For others, that change might be more drastic – a change in job, to better help where help is needed, or a change in location, to better reach out to those who can’t reach back. For some, it might be a more permanent dedication to the Word, and for others it might look like the abandonment of all things banal so as to pursue the proclamation of the Gospel.
Life does go on. It presents to us further opportunity for change and growth. Let’s begin again.
(thanks to Josiah L. for proof reading)
2 comments:
Very good and convicting thoughts. We all need change. But or sinfulness just keeps changing into more selfishness. Even those that are performing civil goods are doing them out of bad motives. We cannot foster true change in and of ourselves. We need one outside ourselves to work in us and do a true change. Thanks be to God; He has pour grace upon grace on us by giving us His Spirit! His work is thorough and efficient. Conforming us into true righteousness. Not a righteousness we conceive ourselves. But the perfection of righteousness. The Holy Spirit transforms us into the likeness of Christ. That is true lasting change.
So true! Our hope for change is built solely on our Saviour because we can do no good in and of ourselves (Rom 3:9-12). How wonderful it is then that, when we put out hope in Him, He gives us that Helper to do the work we cannot do!
Thank you for that reminder!
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