The Peacock Vow

We are days away from a “new year.” Literally millions of people will gather in New York’s Times Square to celebrate. It’s funny though. Did you know that the New Year’s Day was not always January 01? The early Roman calendar had just ten months and began with March. Thus, New Year’s Day was March 01. Julius Caesar proposed a reform in the first century BC, and it took effect on January 01, 45 BC. The first of January was now New Year’s Day, and it remained this way in most of the Western world for more than 1,600 years.

Then, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII replaced the traditional Julian calendar with what we know as the “Gregorian Calendar” because there was a slight inaccuracy in measuring the solar year which caused the Julian calendar to slip behind the seasons about one day per century. Pope Gregory made the correction by advancing the calendar ten days and instituting the four-year leap year thing we do today. Most European nations and their colonies officially adopted January 01 as New Year’s Day even before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. In fact, the American colonies did not start using the Gregorian calendar until 1752.

The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians resolving to return borrowed farm equipment. Medieval knights would renew their vow to chivalry by placing their hands on a peacock. The annual “Peacock Vow” would take place at the end of the year, as a resolution to maintain their knightly values. There is just something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. The truth is nothing mystical really happens at midnight on December 31. It’s just another day.

What resolutions should I make? In 1947, the top five resolutions were: (1) Improve my disposition. (2) Improve my character. (3) Stop smoking or smoke less. (4) Save more money. And (5) Stop drinking or drink less. In 2022, they were: (1) Lose weight. (2) Get organized. (3) Spend less, save more. (4) Enjoy life to the fullest. (5) Stay fit and healthy.  

The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. However, if a Christian determines to make a New Year’s resolution, what kind of resolution should he or she make?  Here are some suggestions: (1) Pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) regarding what resolutions, if any, He would have you make. (2) Pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you. (3) Rely on God’s strength to help you. (4) Find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you. (5) Don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead, allow them to motivate you further.

Whatever resolutions you may make, as Psalm 37 tells us, “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun” (Psalm 37:5-7).         

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Remember you can email praises and petitions to southchurchprayer@gmail.com. I lift them up every Wednesday at 4:00 pm on Facebook Live.