Thursday January 5, 2017

 

The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion released its findings on what Americans have decided as their top resolution for the New Year. According to the Marist Poll, being a “better person” topped the list knocking weight loss from the number one spot for the first time since 2014. What about you? What is your resolution? Being a “better person” is not a bad idea, the question is, how will you get there?

 

If you want to become a better person, nothing has greater potential to positively transform your life than becoming a follower of Jesus. Some of you however might be thinking, but I already am a follower of Jesus. Meanwhile, others might be thinking that some of the worst people they have ever met were followers of Jesus. When you read the Gospels, you will discover that all kinds of people followed Jesus. If you have read the Gospel of Mark, then you may have noticed that in virtually every chapter there is mention of large crowds of people following Jesus. In every crowd, there were mainly two types of followers. There were those who followed Jesus because they wanted something from Him; these were the larger crowds. On one occasion, Jesus looked at the crowd and said to them: “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.” Then there was the other group of followers, the ones Jesus himself had invited to follow Him. These were invited with a specific agenda in mind. Jesus wanted to make each one of those He had invited into a “better person”. He wanted to make them into people who were less concerned with self and more concerned with the wellbeing of others.

 

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

• Mark 1:17 NIV

 

If you truly want to become a “better person”, may I suggest you become a follower of Jesus and not the kind of person who follows Jesus for self-benefit, but the kind who follows Jesus in order to become fishers of men. Become the kind of person who will not just follow Jesus for personal gain but who will follow Him in order to benefit others by means of the good news of salvation. This is what a “good person” is; one who is not self-centered but who cares about the wellbeing of others.

 

Become a better person!

 

Who do you need to share the Gospel with this year?