Weekly Opinion Editorial
BE IT RESOLVED
by Steve Fair
Benjamin Franklin said about the New Year: “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every
new year find you a better man.” About fifty percent of Americans will make New
Year’s resolutions this year but statistics find only eight percent will ultimately
accomplish them. Most modern resolutions
are health and prosperity related. Sadly, most resolutions are a ‘wish list’ and
not based in reality.
The Bible doesn’t mention anything about
making New Year’s resolutions, but it does urge believers to examine their
lives on a regular basis. Lamentations
3:40 says, “Let us
search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.” Simply put, Christians
should be making resolutions all the time.
An excellent example of that practice was Jonathan Edwards, the early
American pastor. Famous for the sermon, “Sinners
in the Hands of an Angry God,” Edwards made a list of 70 resolutions in
1722-1723 that he read weekly the rest of his life to remind himself of what
his spiritual and physical goals were.
The list is available online and I would encourage you to read them. Borrowing
from Jonathan Edward’s list, here are my 2020 resolutions.
First,
let there be something of
benevolence, in all that I speak. This was Edward’s 70th
resolution- the last one. In this word
of polarization and uncivil debate, I want to be a voice of conviction without
contention. I realize that taking a
stand for a value, cause or issue does create controversy, but help me to
present my case (written and verbal) in a respectful way, recognizing only God
knows everything.
Second,
resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings. This was Edward’s 15th
resolution. Reacting to people who
attack you, call you names, and belittle you is human nature. Not reacting in anger to those who hurt or
wound you takes more than just human resolve.
It takes constant divine help.
May I lean on God to give me that grace this year.
Third,
resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live and never do anything,
which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life. These are the 6th and 7th
of Edward’s resolutions. Ben Franklin
said, “Procrastination is the enemy of success.”
Abraham Lincoln said, “You cannot escape
the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” May I live life with a sense of urgency,
knowing I don’t have the promise of tomorrow.
Fourth,
resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity(truth). This was Edward’s 34th resolution. Speaking the truth in love(Eph. 4:15),
sharing difficult truths in a gentle, kind, inoffensive way is not easy. Often that can be seen as disloyal,
double-crossing, or subversive, but ignoring, condoning and overlooking the truth
is wrong. The modern norm is to ‘spin’
the facts’ to fit a pre-determined narrative. May I present the truth as best as
I can see it in a simple concise way without fear of whom it may offend.
I
realize I can’t keep these resolutions without divine help so as Edwards writes
in his preamble: Being sensible that I am
unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace
to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his
will, for Christ’s sake. Happy New Year!
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