NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Keith Tucci, NRP Apostolic Team Leader
It’s that time of year again when the idea of New Year's resolutions is bantered about. It’s interesting to me that much of the chatter I hear about such resolutions is mostly negative. Of course, the turning of the calendar has no inherent powers or abilities, but our opportunity to measure where we are is a fresh perspective that we should take advantage of.
Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
This has been a meaningful verse for me. In this passage, God is rebuking His people for wasting time! How do you waste time? I guess the same way that you waste money. You spend it on something that is inconsistent with your desired future outcome. If you have been around me, you have heard me say that your cash and your calendar contain your vision; they contain your future place. Their response to this rebuke was this mini prayer we find in verse 12--“Teach us…” God is eternal. He needs no measurement of time! He created time for man to be accountable with and for his time.
Years ago, the church I was pastoring had a public school building donated to us! On the wall was written, in large Roman-type letters, Psalm 90:12. Wow! That was public educators’ wisdom at that time. What a message to me! So if News Year’s itself has no inherent virtue, why do I encourage New Year’s resolutions? Because I believe that resolutions which are quality decisions do have power (not new year’s wishes or ideas, but resolutions).
By the time you read this, I will have written down some quality decisions that, by God’s grace, I will walk in in 2021. The funny thing about decisions is that if you don’t make them, you’ve actually made them! I probably will not have the strategy on the “how” to, but the “what” comes before the “how.” Here are a couple of things I’m thinking.
Better use of my time. I’ve noticed that I don’t have that drive I used to have when evening comes, so I’m not creative, I’m not absorbing. So if I’m going to learn and grow, I need to move that activity to more daylight hours.
I think all leaders should set a reading resolve, so this new year I will renew that commitment.
I’ve also joined the podcast crowd, so I am committing to a schedule of audio learning.
With my travel schedule and leadership responsibilities, I’ve resolved to have clearer “office hours,” because that makes for better efficiency and accountability.
Of course, there are those standard items like giving and saving that are good barometers for our heart and future. Both are intentional and worthy of a resolution!
Then there are the inward things--the attitudes and mindsets that need to be critiqued and challenged. And I’ve got some of both.
I’ve also committed to do at least three webinar series this year for anyone who can tune in. The first one will be on New Testament government--deacons, elders; who are they and what do they do? That will probably be three, one-hour sessions. Stay tuned for the announcement on that. This is important, not just for the doctrine, but for my growth in technology (ugh). Leading means you have to get out there.
I want to encourage you to really plan on where you want to be this time next year. Then decide if it’s a resolution or just a wish. In line with that, if one of your resolutions is to grow or be more connected, I want to invite you to the Next Level Conference. It is February 01-03 in the Greater New Orleans area. Make a resolution to be there! Click HERE for more information.
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