Want A New Year’s Resolution That Will Actually Make a Real Difference?

Be Willing To Take A Step Back

I have a close friend with whom I disagree on quite a lot of political and theological issues. My friend is part of multiple Facebook groups with like-minded people who were up in arms and upset about a particular issue in the Christian community. They spent months deconstructing it, talking about how damaging it was, talking about what to do about it, actually doing things about it, and trolling people on social media who were disagreeing with them. The list went on.

But just a week or two ago, people in their group have started asking themselves, “Is this as damaging as we’ve been making it out to be now that we’ve had a few months to look at this?” And many of them decided it wasn’t as big of a deal as they initially thought. Yet they had spent months sharing angry posts and getting mad at people and, in my opinion, causing harm to others—all out of their understandable concern about the original harm.

Friends, we have to be willing to take a step back and be as objective as we can about our passion for a topic or concern. Are we building it up in our minds and making it a catastrophe because we are talking to other like-minded people and creating a “mob mentality” with those who see things the same way? And if so, are we giving ourselves license to sacrifice others’ thoughts and feelings as collateral damage for our cause?

Or perhaps, in this new year, could we consider a better way? One that allows our relationships to thrive due to our determined respect and kindness, even if our concern is totally warranted? I believe this is a cause worth fighting for—and spreading. Because of all the unhealthy things in our world being passed around these days, let’s use love, respect, and kindness to make this new year a much better one.

(If you recognize the need for a different habit and mindset, take the 30-Day Kindness Challenge, which challenges us to do the same three things every day for one month and which has an 89% success rate. Sign up for our free daily reminders and tips and make 2022 a great year for your life and relationships!)

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