Goodness and Mercy
A little different take on New Year's resolutions
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, ESV).
I write blog posts on most Mondays, and it so happens that this Monday is also the first day of 2024. At the start of a new year, it’s common to make resolutions for the year ahead to improve yourself in some way. Lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, read the Bible, and learn mindfulness practices–these common goals float around social media in early January. A quick Google search reveals the mountain of web pages dedicated to helping you make your resolutions stick. Apparently, most of us abandon our goals before February begins. They’re really “First Two Weeks of January Resolutions.”
Despite our lack of follow-through, I think the self-evaluation process and resolving to take steps are good practices. But this year, I'm thinking about resolutions differently instead of jumping on the self-help, self-care, self-expression, self-actualizing, self-serving, self-centered bandwagon. What if New Year’s resolutions are less about my own improvement and more about how I can help others improve? What if, instead of trying to be a better me, I try to build you up to be a better you? What if I make resolutions that don’t serve myself but others?
I want Psalm 23:6 to be my resolution this year. I want to bring goodness and mercy with me everywhere I go. I want to leave behind the pleasant aroma of God’s grace on every person I meet. If life is about self-actualization, then life is pretty small and pointless. I believe there’s a lot more to it than me. For starters, there’s all of you. And most importantly, God. May his goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life in 2024 and beyond.
A year of servitude. That's good and falls right in line with our Master, Jesus, who came to serve not be served and give His life as a ransom for many.
That was good!