January 8th

Watchword? Touchstone? Focus?

What word would you choose as a focus for your life in the coming year?

That was the question asked of a group of people during a recent radio program. The practice of choosing a “word of the year” marks a shift from the typical New Year’s resolution, which so often prove difficult to keep and quickly fall by the wayside. Rather than a list of “do’s” or “don’ts”, the goal is to identify a “compass” that reflects how you would hope to steer your life through the twists and turns of the year ahead.

One respondent outlined his thought process. He described feelings of anxiety as world events suggest tumultuous times ahead. He rejected his initial impulse to choose a word like “persistence” or “resilience”. To him, such words suggested too much work! They felt more like a burden than a touchstone of encouragement to help him navigate what could be challenging times. Rather, he settled on the word “float” as describing a way to carry himself about the fray, riding out the turmoil, and living into a positive space in life.

I am intrigued by this idea of a “word of the year”. It resonates with the concept of a “watchword” that Andrew Root and Bertrand describe in their book, “When the Church Stops Working.” They encourage church bodies to shift their focus from mission statements to words or phrases to guide people’s thoughts, open eyes to recognize where God is at work, and draw people forward as a faith community. They give examples, such as Martin Luther King Jr. using the phrase, “Out of no way God makes a way”; or a congregation resonating with Jesus’ call to “feed my sheep” that then went on to open a food bank; or a church who felt drawn to the words, “You are loved and you are enough”.

As 2025 proceeds to unfold, I have not yet settled on a word to guide my thoughts. As intriguing as “float” may be in the midst of swirling times, it feels a little detached. What word might capture the engagement with the challenges of our world to which we are called by our faith in Christ? What might acknowledge the assurance we have in God’s presence working towards God’s good purposes, no matter what we see happening in the world around us? What might reflect the hope we have through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—a hope that shifts perceptions, changes realities, and transforms lives?
What word would you choose as your touchstone for 2025?