“But seek first the kingdom of Godand his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matt. 6:33).
At this time of year, the supermarket tabloids will be giving their readers such articles as “Top Ten Tips for the New Year,” “Secrets the Professionals Won’t Tell You,” “The Government’s 10 Best Kept Secrets,” “What the Stars Reveal for Your New Year,” “How you Can Change Your Life This Year” or “How to Make a New You.” These, and other such articles, have a lot of advice that may or may not be helpful for you to improve your life for the coming new year.
I’ve thought about a few items I believe will help your life this New Year. There are no “secrets” that are kept locked away for only the enlightened to see and only to be revealed in this article. I suggest a list of “10 Things for the New Year” with no specific order of importance:
• Give your money. Wow! What a tough way to start the new year by giving away my money! Yes, it is a difficult thing to do. However, people willing to give their money to Christian endeavors have proven to be more focused on life and less inclined to be swayed by the nuances of passing fads. Have a goal for yourself this year and keep strict accounts on how you’re doing. Project your income and giving. Have a hilarious time by giving your projection each week.
• Be positive. No one likes to be around a negative charge. No one rushes to be with the person who is always “down,” and things are “bad.” In some kindergarten reports, it is said of children that they “work and play well with others.” In other words, they are “nice” children and pleasant to be around. Be positive. All of humankind wants to be around positive people. Be that positive person, and you will notice people gathering around you.
• Regularly attend a worship service and Sunday School class. Some people have to pay thousands of dollars to see a psychologist or psychiatrist to help them connect with life. The best-kept secret in this world is a dynamic worship service, Sunday School class, or Bible study class in a local church. People who regularly attend these kinds of “sessions” are attached and connected to real life and real people who care for them.
• Read the Bible systematically. Get a plan. Get on the plan. Get the plan done. If there is any “secret” to the best new year ever for you, it is contained in the Bible. People with a good Bible background know a lot more about life than those who might have only a higher education to rely upon.
• Do something at your church. Work for Christ and His church. You might be a part of the problem at your church rather than a part of the solution if you are always talking about “those people down at the church” rather than “us at our church.” Your church can be dynamic because you have given yourself to serving it.
• Say the magic words. This is a big one for everyone. Words like “I’m sorry” and “I might be wrong” are powerful words. Other words, like “please” and “thank you,” are also strong because people do not hear them very often. Repeat these words over and over, and you will be surprised at how good life can be. The words “Father, forgive me of my sins” are also life-changing words that one can count on to make life vibrant.
• Find a need in your community and fill it. Get Jesus outside the walls of your church. Being a Little League coach, a Girl Scout sponsor, or a member of a community fundraiser might be a more heroic gesture and more demanding than being a military hero. It might be more important to have the adoration of the young people in your community than the adulation of a corporate board in your state.
• Pray daily. A specific place and time for prayer are dangerous for a human being. Doing this tends to change their lives from the routine to the place of cosmic interaction with God Almighty. Be careful with this one. Praying with sincere fervor to God might get all of us into more than we bargained for.
• Be healthy. Lifestyle choices are ours to make. The old line of “Doc, it hurts when I do that,” is always rejoined by the Doc saying, “Then don’t do that.” This is reasonable advice for anyone. Make a conscious decision to choose a healthy lifestyle in the new year.
• Trust God for direction. One of the basics of any 12-step program is to admit that we are powerless to change or do anything about our sad condition. We need to trust the “higher power” for that help and strength to change. I am incapable of mapping the course for my life. I must trust the Lord to do that for me. He does this day by day in His majestic, beneficent way as I lean on Him for understanding and guidance.
Make your calling and election sure. Commit your life to Christ. Commit your life to Christ with great joy and abandonment. Commit your life to Christ in a new and fresh way right now. That is the secret of life. There is no secret formula you will discover on some TV program, in a psychological workshop, or in a high-priced self-improvement class. Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. I might add to this that He is seated in Heaven, waiting to come again to judge the living and the dead. The secret of the ages is that God in Christ is at work in salvation. Trust Him today.
