Dear Editor,
I have been writing on this topic every December for the last couple of years as I think it’s an important topic and I don’t mind repeating some things as a yearly reminder for my readers. The last day of the year should be an important day for all of us, at least all those of us who take time out to reflect on mistakes, good and not-so-good experiences, and missed opportunities of the past year and plan not to repeat the same mistakes in the coming year.
Every one of the 8,760 hours of 2022 and the innumerable hours of all previous years will never again return: Gone for good! I wonder how many of those hours have been wasted watching TV, playing video games, and pursuing other relatively useless things. There are a large number of ways of being idle and wasting precious time. The time that could have been put to much better use.
The questions are, have we achieved anything worthwhile during the course of last year? If not, why not? Did we set any realistic (achievable) goals at the beginning of 2022? Try to remember the goals, if any, we set at the end of 2021. Did any of those intentions materialize? If we set unrealistic goals, we are setting ourselves up for failure.
Did we expand our minds a little by reading any good books, books from which we learn something valuable, and I don’t mean novels; novels are written entirely from the author’s vivid imagination and are intended for entertainment purposes only. I once knew someone who read myriads of – believe it or not – western (cowboy) books. Even at that early age, I wondered what he gained from reading all those books. When, on the other hand, you read a book written by a professional who shares what he has learned from decades-long experiences in his field, you have definitely gained a lot of valuable knowledge which you can eventually share with your family members and friends.
However, the most valuable book by far is the Bible. You can be the most read person in the world, but if you know little or nothing about the One who created all things that exist, visible and invisible in the world; the One who will judge us for the way we live our brief life during the few days He allows us to live in our mortal body, you know nothing that truly matters. All the worldly knowledge we acquire over the years will most certainly benefit us and our family in terms of having a well-paid position and general knowledge, but has no lasting value when the inescapable end comes.
Too many people around the world – even very intelligent and well-read people – believe that Jesus dying on the cross for the salvation of humankind is foolishness. And, according to the Bible, they are absolutely right! God’s Word tells us: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I (God) will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 1 Corinthians, chapter 1.
Sharing what you learn from the (27) books of the New Testament with your loved ones and friends who are willing to listen will have eternal benefits for those who believe. Woe to those who think they are intelligent and wise, but don’t believe there is an afterlife that will last for all eternity, and know little or nothing about the One who created them and will someday, probably sooner than they think, judge them. If someone does not wake them up from their slumber before they exhale their last breath, they will spend eternity in a place they heard of but didn’t believe existed.
I encourage everybody to be sure to spend time in 2023 and beyond reading and believing God’s Word. It’s the only knowledge that brings eternal benefits.
I wish everybody a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
Clive Hodge
