New Year's Resolution

cyn⋅i⋅cal

–adjective

1.	like or characteristic of a cynic; distrusting or disparaging the motives of others.

2.	showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's actions, esp. by actions that exploit the scruples of others.

3.	bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.

For too many years I have prided myself on being cynical and sarcastic.  Granted, there is much humor to be found in a well-stated cynical comment, but the problem lies in the darkness of my heart.  I believe a little too much in the cynical comment.  It's a means of protection against disappointment.  It disregards hope.  This year I resolve to choose to trust the motives of others unless given reason not to.  I resolve to face my issues of contempt, for self and others.  I resolve to forge my identity in the cross and not in the sharpness of my tongue.  One of my professors paraphrased Jerram Barrs as saying that there is no place in the Christian heart for cynicism, because we have One whom we look to whose motives and actions can be completely trusted and enable us to believe that it won't always be this way (my paraphrase of his paraphrase).  Here's to it not always being this way!