The beginning of a new calendar year is the traditional time to make resolutions. We look back at the year just past and try to find areas where we can improve ourselves. We resolve that, in the new year, we will be better, we will lose weight, we will exercise more, we will finally fix all these little things about ourselves that we know we need to fix. Unfortunately, most New Year’s resolutions don’t make it to the end of the month. Even though we have trouble keeping our resolutions, we shouldn’t let that stop us from trying. That is especially true when it comes to resolving to be better Christians. I think that sometimes we lose sight of the fact that growth and constant improvement in our lives as Christians is a necessary part of being a Christian. In Colossians chapter three the apostle Paul says, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” (verse 8). Then in verses 12-14 Paul says, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” We need to look back, take stock of our lives, and resolve to “put off” the bad habits and “put on” the good. We also need to realize that this will require effort on our part and not just a little effort. In 2 Peter 1:5-8 Peter writes, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is going to take work on our part; “giving diligence”, Peter said. Yes, we will fail as we try to diligently put off the old man and put on the new, but if we resolve to be better and diligently work toward the goal, with God’s help we will win in the end.