How's your New Year Resolution?

Each year around this time, some people begin to focus on their new year resolutions. The first month of the year, January, is named after the two-faced, forward-and-backward looking Greek god named Janus. I wonder if we might do better to take a cue from him, and instead of listing things we resolve to do, we consider whether we are viewing the world, to use a technological metaphor, in high resolution or low resolution.

I understand anything above 300 dpi (dots per inch) to be high resolution, producing more clarity, and anything below to be considered low resolution, which is sometimes just what we need, but is not as clear as the higher resolution.

In this scenario, the dots might be different perspectives on the world. The more voices we hear from, and the more perspectives we consider, the clearer our view of the world (made up of 7.5 billion people and counting.) Social media sometimes gives the false sense that we are exposed to many people, or that it builds relationships with lots of people and lots of perspectives. In reality, we often end up in a silo with like-minded people. Similarly, we can choose our stream of news sources so that our view is supported by what we want hear, instead of being challenged to go deeper and hear a variety of perspectives.

One thing I love about being part of a worldwide network of churches (the Anglican Communion) is that each Sunday we pray for a different province around the world; I am weekly reminded to consider what the world looks like to the Church of India, or the Diocese of Honduras, or our neighbors in the diocese of Northern Mexico. One of the ways our tradition understands the work of the Holy Spirit is that when we listen to one another, we get a clearer view of what God is up to, and what God may be calling us to become. The more voices we truly hear, the higher the resolution.

Similarly, most churches of any denomination are often made up of people of differing political perspectives, and many other differences are represented among congregations. When we focus on God we can remember we are humans on journey, and kneel next to someone who has a differing perspective, because we trust that God is God, and we are not. Then there is sacred scripture which always brings a larger perspective than where I happen to be in my own limited space-time experience.

Having that sort of higher resolution probably means I'm going to be pushed to think in different ways, and most likely will be uncomfortable. Participation in church communities (or other faith traditions) should challenge our existing world view, pushing us along a lifelong journey of metanoia, which we often translate "repentance." The word literally means to change your mind. We will never, this side of the grave, achieve a God-perspective, but this spiritual journey should involve the Spirit opening the eyes of our hearts to an always-higher-resolution.

Again, there are times when low resolution is needed. I tuned out most of the world after the Hurricane for a while, and just focused on what I could handle. Traumas have tendency to do that. When I started to remember the rest of the world, and then to pay attention to the suffering of others, I knew I was on the path to healing.

So, how is your new year resolution? I believe we are called in our current context to listen to one another, especially if we identify a differing perspective. Can we listen in love, trusting that they are seeking truth just like we are? We are sorely divided, and that sort of division needs to be balanced. Maybe a resolution for this new year is to try to have a higher resolution.