Red Letter Christians

12 Hopes for 2012

by Shane Claiborne Thursday, January 5th, 2012

12.  Do something really nice – that no one knows about.

11. Spend more money on other people than I spend on my self.  Love my neighbor as I love myself.  And love myself as I love my neighbor.

10. Laugh often… especially at advertisements that try to convince me that I must buy more stuff in order to be happy.

9. Learn a new life skill – like carpentry, pottery, or canning vegetables.  Teach someone else I life skill I know how to do.

8.  Love a few people well, remembering that what is important is not how much we do but how much love we put into doing it.

7.  Write a letter to someone I need to say thank you to.  Write another letter to someone I need to ask to forgive me.

6.  Track down a critic or someone I disagree with and take them to lunch.  Listen to them.

5.  Compliment someone I have a hard time complimenting… and mean it.

4.  Choose life.  Do something regularly to interrupt the patterns of injustice – do something to end violence, bullying, war, capital punishment and other mean and ugly things.

3.  Pause before every crisis and ask “will this matter in 5 years?”

2.  Get outside often and marvel at things like fireflies and shooting stars.  And regularly get my hands into the garden… so when I type on the computer I can see dirt under my fingernails.

1.  Believe in miracles.  And live in a way that might necessitate one.

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Shane Claiborne is a prominent author, speaker, activist, and founding member of the Simple Way.  He is one of the compilers of Common Prayer, a new resource to unite people in prayer and action. Shane is also helping develop a network called Friends Without Borders which creates opportunities for folks to come together and work together for justice from around the world.

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  • Celeste

    Love how you called the list “hope” rather than goals or resolutions.
    Numbers 4, 2, & 1 are my favorite ones. Being outside always brings me to see God’s majesty and His love for me. Somehow that makes me more open to see the miracles that surround me too.
    Oh, how different the world would be if we each, in our own way, would do something to interrupt the patterns of injustice. Thanks for the challenge!

  • Drew

    Shane, I always look forward to your posts here.  I especially like #7 – something I’ve been meaning to do for a while but have put off.

  • Bev

    Love all of these….we all have “good” intentions…but it is harder to put them into action….that is my prayer for the year 2012…

  • Jennifer A. Nolan

    I have a twenty-first “Hope for 2012,” especially for those who feel badly served by the bankers and politicians:  Vote.  Take action.  Learn about those weird balcks, Jews, and gays who are in your financial corner and SEND THEM INTO OFFICE!!

  • Joemccullough

    Does number 6 mean that you’ve got lunch covered next time? (Heh, heh.) 

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