As we begin a new year, we tend to think of how to make our lives better. The turn of the calendar feels like a fresh start, and it is common to at this time to make resolutions and plans to improve our lives in some specific way.

Of course, diet and exercise are usually among the first promises we make to ourselves, gazing at our holiday-expanded bellies. Other resolutions commonly made are to travel more, to spend more time with family friends, and generally live our lives more closely aligned with our spiritual and moral values.

In today's Gospel reading, John the Baptist announces, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."

John the Baptist has something no mere resolution can provide. He is able to see and identify the Messiah, and at the same time, he knows himself. John is given the insight and the humility that allows him to recognize the powerful work of God that is taking place, and then to step into the background, realizing that it is God's power, not his own personality or performance, at work.

If John the Baptist was to work in today's media world, he would probably hold the spotlight as long as possible. As the one who "discovered" the Messiah, he could easily be a celebrity in his own right. Rather than announcing, "Behold the Lamb of God," and pointing people to Christ, he might try and use the occasion to improve his own standing.

But John is chiefly interested in promoting Jesus, not himself. John knows who he is, and who he is not. John knows his role in this world. And it strikes me that with all our resolutions to look better, feel better, travel and socialize, it might be a good idea to first resolve to get to know ourselves. If we want to make our lives better, maybe the place to start is to understand ourselves better.

It sounds silly, but it can be difficult to get to know ourselves. Especially if we spend much of our lives trying to please other people - parents, children, teachers, coaches, bosses and more. All the responsibilities and pressures in our lives can make it difficult to be grounded in our own beliefs, desires, and values.

Think about it. Wouldn't it be nice to date or marry the right person, because you know your own desires and needs so well? Wouldn't it be wonderful to find the right job the first time you look for one, because you know your skills and aptitude? I'd even like the inner wisdom to choose the right menu item at a restaurant, because I know what I like.

How does one achieve this kind of self-knowledge? I imagine it happens by spending a good amount of time in prayer, service, and worship. While it may be a cliché to say that we get to know ourselves by getting to know God, it may also be true. Finding our role in God's will can open the door to the ability for us to experience and enjoy living as we are created to live.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.