What if we reclaim 2020?
I know, I know. There’s plenty about 2020 that we haven’t liked. Without a doubt it has been the most challenging of the last fifty years. But I have to believe there was a purpose in this. I have to believe that something will come out of the rubble of this year. I have to believe God will turn what the enemy meant for evil and work it for his glory (Gen. 50:20).
What if we took a minute or two, or ten, to reflect on something that we could reclaim for the year. Can we do it? If we believe God’s Word, can we remember that this day and every day in 2020 was a day the Lord made and we can find something worthy of rejoicing?
I’ll start.
In 2020 I reclaimed deeper conversations with family and friends. I admit, I had gotten lazy. The casual, “How are you?”, the typical, “How ya been?”—those had been the norm for me over the last couple of years. I was guarded with my own answers and careful with how I asked people questions. Sometimes I wasn’t even interested in their response, sometimes I didn’t want to hear their lists of complaints about life and sometimes I was just in a hurry and didn’t have time.
But I was wrong. Wrong on every account. I should have been less selfish, less guarded and less hurried. That’s what 2020 has taught me. A hospitable heart welcomes others into real life—the good, the bad and the boring. 2020 exposed the worst of my friendship skills, personality and even habits. My weaknesses were a glaring reflection of areas I needed to work on during those days of quarantine.
I long for the day of lingering. I anticipate the large gatherings of friends at my home. I wait for the days of hugs and long handshakes and of seeing beautiful smiles on the faces of those I love.
But until that can happen. I reclaim the skills of friendship—listening, eye contact, responding with care and compassion. I ditch the hurried, selfish and guarded and I welcome the deep and real and authentic conversations that happen when I am truly present.
Isn't that how Jesus interacts with us? Welcoming, interested, kind, compassionate? I want to be more like him.
What can you reclaim? What is something God has shown you during 2020 that you can use to bring glory to him? What if instead of wishing these moments and days of 2020 away, we look for the lessons we’ve learned in the dark? Even on our worst days God can bring beauty from ashes.