At the beginning of each calendar year we hear cries of “New year, new me!” and commitments to resolutions of grandeur. We all know how that tracks, and how temporary this fervour often is.
I notice in local news how our Council are meeting with urgency to reevaluate and recalculate budgets as policy changes at a national level affect financial decisions at a district level. Anyone who pays local body property taxes should be concerned.
Phil Strong
The beginning of the school year means lots of change for families as new locations, schedules and expectations test the family unit. After a good summer we hope and pray that emotional and social resilience levels have been restored.
The challenging economic climate, employment and business fragility, and rising cost of living are also factors that will shape how we each perceive the year ahead. Will we look forward with the filters we were forced to apply last year, or will we strive to see the new year with fresh eyes?
External factors in our personal space have a huge effect on how we embrace life, or don’t embrace it. What is even more significant here is how we choose to see ourselves in the world we live in. I would like to challenge us all to seek a fresh perspective with fresh eyes.
This reminds me of the story of young Gideon in the Bible. His people were oppressed by their enemies so much so that agricultural harvests were attacked and plundered, leaving their fields decimated and their barns empty. As a people, they were feeling hopeless and helpless. And yet, we see God views them and their story differently.
We find Gideon at the beginning of the story hiding away from plain sight, threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from their enemy. Not a bold action, but a clever one. Suddenly, an angel appears to speak to him and calls him a “mighty man of valour.” You may see the irony in the story, considering he’s currently hiding away to do his chores.
Gideon replies with his version of the situation, claiming that his family is the least family in his tribe and he is the least in his family. That would make him the weakest link, and yet, that’s not what the angel says.
What if God sees you and your circumstances differently to how you see them? What if you are thinking and acting like you are the ‘weakest link,’ while God has a higher esteem of you? Could it be possible that the key to you having a great year is a fresh look at who you truly are?
“How does one find a new perspective?” you may ask. Well, Gideon spoke with an angel. If that’s not something that happens to you this week, there are other options. I personally have not seen an angel, but I find constant encouragement and direction from the holy scriptures. Time and time again I have shared with readers how the Good Book has been my guide.
You could also spend time with a person of faith. Being part of a faith community has changed my world for the better.
If you don’t want the same old, same old for this year, I suggest you find a way to look at your life with fresh eyes.
Gideon spoke to an angel.
