The goal: seek out people to help

The time of year has come that we must reflect back on the previous year and prepare for the New Year ahead. Resolutions will be made, promises promised and goals set. Reflecting back can be heart breaking and inspiring but it is part of what makes us who we are today. So what changed you? What inspired you? That can make a difference.

The big change for me, looking back, is the move out of the area. It is not a bad change either, it has been a blessing so far. We had a great holidays with friends and family coming and going as they needed. The drive gives us time to prepare for the day or debrief from it. It still has its challenges but they are far less than the bonuses.

The other big change is the new school, being an employee meant just as many changes as the kids had to adjust to. It is still a work in progress and except for the attitudes that seem to test every limit of control, it is mostly a good thing.

To look ahead is always a daunting task. What do we want for ourselves in the next 365 days? The obvious is always to weigh less, to break bad habits or to start better habits; but sometimes we need to look a little deeper than that. Although those are great goals and can definitely change a person’s life, I was thinking about something a little more meaningful and life altering.

What if we lived a little more like what was described by our maker in the big book? Taking care of orphans and widows. Treating our neighbor how we want to be treated. Looking for opportunities to help our fellow man and woman in crisis. That would mean not looking away from the homeless beggar on the street. That would mean helping with the broke down car on the side of the road. It would also mean volunteering more and giving more of ourselves to others.

An old Christmas story comes to mind, a story where a person prepared for Christ to visit him on Christmas Eve. But instead, a lost child, a beggar and widowed woman all stopped by for a visit. After it was all over the main character questioned God about why he had not come when he said he would. God responded by saying he had, in the form of the child, beggar and widow and the questioner had taken care of God each time. What if we lived our lives looking for God in all people? What would that look like?

I bet it would look a lot different for everyone but it would be filled with compassion, love and joy. Sometimes we cannot always see what is right in front of us due to our own selfish desires and circumstances, but if we can actively look to make a difference in other people’s lives, then we get rewarded too. Not just in heaven but on earth as well.

So what is my goal for the next year? Well, to actively seek people who might need some help, not only must I look but I must do what I can to help them in whatever way they may need. Can I help everyone? No, but with your help we can affect a lot of people’s lives. So the only question is, are you up for it? Do you want to actively seek out people in need with me? I think you do. Let’s do it.