Article written for the Faith Matters column of the Solihull News for publication on 26th December 2008. (I am not sure whether this edition ever came out)
Every year I have the same New Year’s resolutions! I always try to eat and drink a bit less, and to exercise and rest a bit more. In fact, I find I have to have this resolution all the year round! It is so easy to fall off the programme! It reminds me of Mark Twain, who said, “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.” It would be easy to become disheartened, but somehow it is the process of being honest about the consequences when I get it wrong, that builds within me the desire and aptitude to do better. Very slowly, and through all kinds of ups and downs, I do make progress!
Churches are made up of sinners who are learning to be saints. Some people say that it is hypocritical to try to become better than you really are. They suggest it is more honest to behave as the sinner you are. I don’t agree with this. It is not hypocritical for an uneducated person to go to school and slowly to become educated. Neither is it hypocritical for a sinful person to go to church, to practice living the gospel, and to slowly become a saint. In fact I worry that the person who rejoices in just being a sinner is not being completely honest about the pain that sin causes. It is humbly admitting our sinfulness and accepting the pain it causes that somehow allows God to build the saint within us.
So, how about a New Year’s resolution to become a better person? How about a resolution to grow in love for God, and to grow in love for the people around us? Of course, we know before we start that we will fail miserably! But it is by trying, failing, accepting the suffering and trying again that we allow God to work on us, and ultimately God never fails!
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