THOUGHTS FOR A NEW YEAR (Matthew 6)

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34, Message)

This is the time of year when we look toward making new Year's resolutions. I've grown out of the habit. Aside from buying to keep myself on track and losing them after a few months. . .I do plan towards specific events. I have book deadlines to meet, and I would like to improve to the point where I can attend my oldest daughter's high school graduation in May.

What intrigues me about Jesus's words here is this: He advises against resolutions. Don't be so caught up in your plans for the future that you miss what is going today.

With my last birthday, I entered my sixtieth year. I am officially by any definition a "senior." (Even if I do know several residents here old enough to be my mother.)I am restricted. Dreams that I had for the future will dangle out of reach, unless my health improves.

In other words, I felt put out to pasture, without purpose.

Then I asked God for new dreams. He doesn't expect me to spend the rest of my life waiting to die. He has a purpose for me here and now. My job is to find it.

In the words of Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God, "Find out where God is at work, join Him there."

If I overlook the work God is doing around me, instead planning for a future ministry--I have lost out on God's best.

"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions." (Matthew 6:32, Message)

That's a New Year's Resolution we can all use.

PAY IT FORWARD (Matthew 5)

In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.(Matthew 5:48, The Message)

"A Christian can afford to be generous."

The words have remained with me for almost forty years, ever since our supervising pastor spoke them to me during a summer church plant project. After we ate a restaurant, he must have left a tip that struck me as excessive. I commented on it.

His answer? "A Christian can afford to be generous." I have tried to adapt his principle.

Unfortunately, Christians tend to practice frugality and no generosity at the restaurant. My son, who worked at restaurants for ten years, said that the after-church crowd was their busiest time of the week. They also left the smallest tips.

When I learned that, my heart sank. What kind of testimony is our corporate stinginess on Sundays?

Grow up. Be generous, with money, but also with words. Compliment total strangers. Leave a comment when you enjoy a book. Thank the bus driver.

Be gracious--the word itself would take a lengthy study, and this isn't the day to look at forgiveness and other such things.

God gives to us graciously. He treats us graciously. In turn, He expects us to pay it forward--to treat others with the same life-affirming, esteem-boosting, care that He treats us.

Of course generous and gracious living involves a lot more than tipping servers. But it's a good place to start.