Right in the middle of Jesus chewin’ out the Pharisees (as my Grandma would say) in Matthew 12, there’s these words:
…For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him…
The Pharisees. Bless their hearts. They just don’t get it. They’ve witnessed exorcisms, the blind seeing, the lame walking, withered hands made whole and sat on the side of a mountain while the most life changing sermon was ever delivered. When their knees should have been hitting the ground, they instead were accusing the King of Kings of being demon possessed. I’d like to lambast them but I do the same thing sometimes, don’t you? I see gloom when I should glory. I spout drama when I should be proclaiming deity. I stress over the temporary when I could be mediating on the eternal. It’s a new year, let’s resolve to fill our hearts with what matters:
As for the frustrations of 2015, leave them there.
Refuse to buy the hype and drama that the media is selling.
When our focus shifts to worldly things, think Jesus.
Spend time each day in the words of the Bible.
Study and practice the compassion, grace and hope of the Messiah.
Quit complaining and instead, use Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram to bring light into a dark world.
Spend time with folks who are doing a good job at life. Learn from their wisdom.
Believe that we are holy, chosen and dearly loved and then live like it.
Use this year to store up goodness so that we will be a distributor of godliness. And when the going gets tough, remember that God has anointed us. The church will encourage us. And the world needs us.
Happy New Year.