It is a common practice to make New Year’s resolutions, resolutions that very soon are forgotten and broken.

Jesus Christ was the master resolution suggester for us. The overwhelming rules and regulations of His day were simplified by Him into two simple resolutions.

Jesus said a meaningful life loving God with your total being was a necessity and then He said loving others should be the second resolution if we seek peace and fulfillment.

Jesus’ commandments can be found in the Holy Bible in Matthew 22:37-39:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

It is reasonable to accept the concept of loving God completely, but loving others as we love ourselves becomes a more difficult task. We are taught in our society to be more interested in ourselves than we are in the well-being of our fellow man. Loving others involves accepting them where they are without looking on them in a condemning and judgmental manner. One of Jesus’ most outstanding characteristics was this willingness to work with people where they were without an attitude of condemnation toward them. Jesus took people where they were in life’s journey and enriched that life by offering purpose to them.

Our lives will be more complete and fulfilled in 2008 if we learn how to accept others without condemning or judging them simply because they are unique. While some are different on the surface, we all have the same needs.

Do random acts of kindness for people not in your friendship group. A feeling of purpose and satisfaction will fill your life if you take time to embrace those different with unselfish love. Give it a try!

What a wonderful world we would have if we just followed these simple resolutions.

Happy New Year!