Happy Slightly Used Year
We are a few weeks into the new year. As usual, many of us have made resolutions to do better and be better, but unfortunately, some have already fallen off the wagon. New year's day always brings about a grand sense of renewed hope and optimism but is rarely met with consistent discipline. I'm guilty of it too; hitting the ground running, but fizzling out almost as quickly as we blasted off.
It's kinda like buying a new car. Sure everyone wants a new car, with the new car smell, being the first in the neighborhood to have that model, all of which brings about a huge sense of satisfaction. Having those small trophies, come at a dramatically higher price, especially once you drive it off the lot. Taking that brand new car just to the next corner makes the sticker price null and void. All you have really paid for is the bragging right of having a new car.
However, if you wear to purchase a slightly used car, you could potentially save thousands of dollars, for basically the same car. Most cars’ body styles don't dramatically change from year to year, so the average person won't even be able to tell the difference. In my opinion, the one who counted the cost, and saved money, made the wiser decision. Paying more, for what you get, in my opinion, is vanity.
Everyone is hasty to make a change on January 1st because admittedly, it is a good starting point. In our haste to blast into the new year, a lot of us never take the time to count up the costs, weigh our options, and plan our course. To be honest, most of us have been too busy cooking, shopping, traveling, resting, relaxing, and recouping during the end of the year holidays to do any planning for the new year. So it is far better to wait, count up the costs, make plans, develop strategies, and have success, than it is to be hasty, move quickly, follow the trends, and ultimately give it up.
Jesus takes up this subject in teaching about being His disciple, but the same rings true. He said, "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’" (Luke 14:28-30, New American Standard Bible)
While starting a new journey is exciting, finishing is even better. So even though it's not New Year's Day, it's not too late to make the changes you want to see in your life. King Solomon wrote, "Finishing is better than starting, and patience is better than pride;" (Ecclesiastes 7:8, New Living Translation) so set yourself up to finish. Once you complete your goal, no one will be concerned with when you started.
So HAPPY NEW, I mean SLIGHTLY USED, YEAR!
© 2022 Derek J. Murphy Enterprises, and I AM KINGDOM Publishing, All Rights Reserved.
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