If
you’re like most people, you just can’t help it. Something about the newness
of the New Year makes you want to get a new start and start all over again.
And
this is how New Year’s resolutions came about. I’ll lose weight, get in shape,
stop smoking, start exercising, save money, save the whales, and maybe even
save the planet in an Al Gore sort of way!
My
personal favorite resolution is this:
Before I criticize a man, I walk a mile in his
shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he’s a mile away and barefoot.
But
then January 2nd or 3rd rolls around, and the noble
things we resolved to do at the New Year’s Eve party get taken out with all the
rest of the garbage from that night. Then the guilt sets in for a bit, but not
for too long, because everybody else we know broke their promises as well.
You
know what the problem is? Our resolutions are focused on things too small. Oh
I know you might be thinking the opposite – like the things we promise end up
being too difficult, and so we give up – right? But think about it, are they
really that hard? Let’s see – I want to lose weight…I got it! I’ll eat less
and work out more! Brilliant! Or how about exercise? Well, you could walk around
the block, get a Nintendo Wii and play tennis, or heck – just buy a ferret and
let him loose in the house.
See
what I mean? Easy stuff here folks. So easy that deep down we’re not really
challenged, so we give up and stay in our happy little ruts.
So
I have a New Year’s resolution for you that is challenging, life changing, and
one that will not only transform you, but it will impact the world around you
as well. In fact, I don’t dare you to take this one, I triple dog dare you!
It
comes from the Apostle Paul, and it forms the cornerstone of the entire
Christian life:
“Therefore,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
(1 Corinthians 10:31)
In other words (to
paraphrase The Police), every breath you take, every move you make, make God
look good in your corner of the world.
That’s what doing
everything to God’s ‘glory’ means. The word ‘glory’ here refers to the shining
presence of Christ – so it means that your choices either let the light of
Jesus out, or it hides it in a cloud of sin.
It means that everyone who
knows you’re a Christian is watching you and forming an opinion about God based
on the way you act, because your everyday choices are painting a picture of God
that is on display for all the world to see.
So what sort of picture of
God is on the wall of your life? If your primary motive each day is to think
and act in a way that pleases God, that picture will be attractive and
beautiful to look at. But…if your life is no different than people who don’t
know Christ, that picture will be fake and even laughable.
With this New Year upon
us, we have an amazing opportunity to glorify God in everything we do. How?
Well – if you’re serious about this, the Holy Spirit will give you plenty of
input, but here are a few ideas to help your life paint an accurate picture of
God:
- Put
others first - Ask others to help you
avoid and resist temptation - Realize that you don’t have
to disobey God - Be filled with the Spirit
- Tell others about how they
can have eternal life through Christ - Pray all the time
- Study the Bible to get a
picture of how God wants you to live - Treat others the way you
would want to be treated - Think
about how your decisions impact God’s name and fame
And so on – and so on – I
think you’re probably getting the idea.
Bottom
line: live each moment with the thought that Jesus is right beside you…because,
in fact, He is. And that’s really the key to making 2008 the year that will
make God’s name great!
Head: As followers of Christ, we need
to make a daily resolution to glorify God in everything we do.
Heart: Isn’t it amazing that we get to
carry around the glory of God and show it to others? I feel like that is the
greatest privilege anyone could ever have.
Hands: Make a poster or sign that says
“Whatever I eat, or drink, or whatever I do, I will do all to the glory of God”
and put it above your door so you can be reminded each day of this key area of
the Christian life.