At the turn of the year, it is again time to reflect on the past 12 months and consider the goals we had set at the beginning of the year, the extent to which we attained them and maybe formulate a new set of goals for the year ahead. It is a good practice to have certain milestones in life when we evaluate ‘how we’re doing’ and what we want to do next. By setting resolutions for the New Year we assign meaning to our activities; these resolutions might drive us to change habits, attitudes and motivations, and this sometimes drives us to refresh our values and priorities.
This process is usually very much focused on ourselves. It is mainly about our goals, our achievements, our projected benefits, our interests. How about making the year 2020 about “the interests of others”, as Philippians 2:4 suggests: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”? How about fighting not only for the personal interests, but also for the interests of others as well? Helping others achieve their goals. Supporting others fulfill their resolutions. 1 Corinthians 10:24 goes even further and encourages us to ignore our own good and focus solely on the good of others: “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor”.
Jesus is God, He has all the power and there is nothing He could not ‘achieve’ for Himself. Nonetheless, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant…and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” for us, ‘the others’ (Philippians 2:5-8). We cannot give our lives to save anyone (in the way Jesus did) but we surely can sacrifice some of our potential achievements, some of our potential benefits and some of our potential status, for the sake of our neighbors, friends, family and others.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). In 2020, can we give more of ourselves for the benefit of others, and be content with less of all that we could become or have?
Blessed New Year to all!