Read: Proverbs 6:6–11
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
Proverbs 6:6
The start of another year is perhaps the most popular time in our culture to make life changes. We call them New Year’s resolutions. These changes are seemingly all for the better, so from this standpoint, making them is a good thing. However, New Year’s resolutions can also be a scapegoat the rest of the year, allowing you to avoid making a needed or overdue change. For example, why would I wait until January 1st to lose weight when it’s June and my doctor says I should try to lose it now?
As we have looked this month at the events surrounding the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, let’s look to their teaching to guide us into the new year. Specifically, I am referring to being resolute in bringing needed change to our lives, so that we are a better reflection of a righteous and holy people.
John the Baptist told the religious leaders of his day to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Repentance goes beyond forgiveness and means altered behavior to prove the forgiveness has taken root.
Jesus certainly doesn’t want anyone to delay in obeying His word. He said, “leave your life of sin” to the woman at the well (John 8:1–11). This is the standard for which we are to aim. In the first verse of Hebrews 12 we are also admonished to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” It is imperative that we turn from our sinful ways.
I bet that Zechariah learned his lesson and was a changed man after doubting God’s wonderful news through Gabriel, but it was a painful journey. Better for him and us to be ready to spring into action with our faith, don’t you think?
As today’s passage in Proverbs encourages, let us be like the ant and avoid complacency. Let’s do the work and ask God the Father to give us power through the Holy Spirit to bring about needed change. This includes normal resolutions like exercising, reading more books, watching less TV, doing less internet streaming, and abstaining from unhealthy eating habits. This is also true for more spiritually based resolutions like spending more time with family, being faithful with daily prayer, and pledging to share Christ with others.
While we should be ready to change for the better at all times of the year, since we have arrived on the doorstep of a new year, let’s make a resolution together. Let’s make this the last time that the turn of the year is when we pledge to make needed spiritual change. Instead, let’s make the transformation that God desires in us when it is needed and not a day later. We don’t need a special day to do this. Every day is a gift from the Lord and we need to take advantage of it. Amen!