“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31–32 NIV)

What about this for a “New Year Resolutions”!!

To get rid off!!
Put away!!
Stop being!!
Make a clean break!!
You must put away!!
Be removed from you!!

The above imperatives are all from different Bible translations, and remarkably there is not a disagreement on the manner and sentiment of the interpretation. There is a total unanimity regarding its core message! Which means “no seas un burro!” To be honest, who in their right mind can entertain the thought of being bitter, raging, angry, brawling and slanderous? I kind of like how the Message puts it: “Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk.”(Ephesians 4:31 MESSAGE). Who is their right mind can be like that? I am, we are, and we will be unless we make a new resolution.

There is one muscle in our bodies that also need to be trained, it needs to be fit for purpose, and it needs to be under self-control, and that is our tongue, which if we are not careful it can lead into a wildfire (James 4:6)

As well as aspiring to a new set of “new years resolutions” why don’t we resolve to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”(Ephesians 4:32 CSB17)