New Year's Resolution

 

A friend shared with me her frustration trying to find someone to pour a concrete foundation. The difficulty wasn’t for lack of concrete workers, it was because she and her partner were lesbians. Somehow pouring a foundation for a gay couple would tarnish their business. Or more probably, go against their religious beliefs. I repeated this story to my brother-in-law, and he sarcastically said, “Yes, that’s just what Jesus would do.”

I’ve been reading about spirituality and discipleship. One point related to those Christians who refuse service to anyone from the LGBTQ+ community. Due to lack of teaching or lack of practice, many Christians believe spirituality is something we do, action. And don’t get me wrong, there is plenty for us to do. But when our focus is on the “good effort”, we are not practicing Christian Spirituality, we are just doing works, and often turning into Pharisees.  True Christian spirituality involves my action of release, turning my will over to God’s, and allowing the Holy Spirit to create Christ-likeness in me, through me. An obvious example would be the Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control.

Perhaps the concrete pourer thought he was expressing self-control, losing a sale to stand for what he believes is right. However, what of the other six aspects of the Fruit? And what of the fact that the Fruit is singular, so we can’t just put forth one aspect and leave the others. True Spirituality is allowing the Spirit to bloom, and what people will see is Jesus. And what did Jesus do? He fed the 5000, and didn’t ask who was sinless before he fed them all. He talked with the Samaritan woman with several strikes against her, including being a Samaritan and a woman. Jesus didn’t let that stop him from revealing himself to her. He healed lepers, some by touching them. In fact, his behavior was so different from the religious leaders of his day, they hated him the more.  Perhaps the concrete pourer wouldn’t have felt comfortable working for Jesus either?

From what part of Jesus’ example did we ever get the idea we could pick and choose whom to love? When did we forget that Jesus died for everyone, including me? If he had to die for me, why would I ever pass judgement on any other person and determine if they are fit for my service, let alone Christ’s? If not serving sinners is my business model, I would have no business. “All have sinned and fall short.” “Christ died for the ungodly.” I think Jesus enjoyed the Pharisees complaining that he, Jesus, only ate with sinners and tax collectors. Well, he probably did not enjoy it; it probably broke his heart, because they were missing out on dinner with God.  Not just dinner, but life with God.

A good New Year’s goal would be to love more and judge less. The only way to accomplish that goal is to have an overarching goal of giving myself more each day to God’s Spirit’s control. So, to restate my goal for 2025, I would like to look more like Jesus this New Year, bearing his fruit so others can see Jesus in my life.

Happy New Year.