Resolutions for Good Peeps

It is time again for New Year Resolutions. Promises to eat less, exercise more, live on a budget, and be a better person. 


Side point: Why is it that in a year, we don't move on to PHASE II of this year's resolutions and become a nutritionist, cross-fit athlete, financial advisor, and/or the next Billy Graham? Instead, we unabashedly repeat our past failed resolutions. - askin' for a friend -

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​Of course, resolutions are mostly 'tweaks' in the lives of mostly good folk.  Every day people who could lose a pound or two, watch less TV, or tweet less... but never hear anyone say they resolve to be involved in fewer felonies.  And it is safe to say Hitler, Stalin, and Hannibal Lector were not typical New Year Resolution kinda guys.

There is 'not a smidge' of curbing evil in their resolutions as evil continues to do evil while good folk like you and me tweak our lives with resolutions.  But then a serious question.

Why would good folk need a Savior?

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Sure, dictators, serial killers, bank robbers, and IRS agents NEED A SAVIOR. After all, they are REAL major-league sinners.  But most of us are just run-of-the-mill New Year's Resolutions kinda sinners?  I mean, should I go to Hell because I need a 'tweak'... or because I tweet?

Truth is, I am a sinner, and sorry to inform the rest of you, but you are sinners too. There is no doubt we all need a savior. We are the reason Jesus Christ died on the cross, a sinner's death in our place.

• But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6  
• For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23​​​

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I still contend I am not a bad person, and most of what everyone sees of me supports this, BUT you don't know my quiet selfish thoughts played out in subtle selfish ways. You don't see the anger I sometimes feel, or the little white lies I may convince myself are true. You do not know my desires, bitterness, or the pity parties I sometimes throw for myself when I am down.  You don't know the wasted moments that have accumulated in my life... you don't know... but I know, and God certainly knows. 

So again, I am not such a bad person.. but I certainly am a sinner; it's just that my sins don't make the evening news... AND I certainly need a savior.

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So, how about you? I am sure most of you are pretty GOOD PEEPS, too. You are probably just a couple of Resolutions (tweaks) from being GREAT PEEPS. You may not even admit to as many private attitudes and actions of sins as I do, but I will go out on a limb here and say with confidence that you, too, need a savior.

Let me close with a parable Jesus taught about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
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9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14

​I thank God for this good life, and this New Year filled with opportunities. I resolve this year to lose a few pounds, be more productive, exercise, and repent with the prayer of the tax collector: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"  

​May God bless all of you GOOD PEEPS this New Year. I pray for God's best in your lives as you serve Him.

​I pray His church seeks His will like never before and that 2021 is a year of resolutions, repentance, and a revival (the 3 Rs?) that is long overdue.


Jeff

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