At the beginning of a New Year, a high school principal decided to post his teachers’ New Year’s resolutions on a bulletin board.
What seemed like a harmless idea quickly turned into a small storm. One teacher stood before the board, upset and indignant. “Why weren’t my resolutions posted?” she demanded, her frustration growing louder by the minute.
Concerned, the principal rushed back to his office and discovered the mistake: her resolutions had been mislaid on his desk. As he read them, he was stunned. Her very first resolution was not to let little things upset her in the coming year.
That moment feels uncomfortably familiar. When I’m honest with myself, I see that teacher in me. I make the same quiet promise every year — to stay calm, to keep perspective, to let small things pass.
Then a conversation turns to a political figure I strongly disagree with, and suddenly my resolve evaporates. I jump in, speak my mind, and justify it by insisting these are not “little things.” Yet afterward, I often wonder if I’ve lost more than I’ve gained.
The people I admire most live differently. They stay above the fray. Jesus modeled this again and again. When his disciples argued about greatness, he didn’t scold them; he placed a child in their midst. When challenged about paying taxes, he didn’t debate endlessly; he asked for a coin and quietly reframed the question. His strength was not loud. It was calm, measured, and deeply confident.
Silence, after all, is disarming. People expect words, motion, and conflict. They brace for arguments and counterarguments. What they rarely expect is restraint. Silence can interrupt the cycle and lower the temperature in the room.
As 2026 approaches, the question is simple and challenging: will WE be any different? Those who stay above the fray listen more than they speak, contribute without inflaming, and help others move forward. In a noisy world, that kind of quiet strength may be the most powerful resolution of all.
In 2026 will YOU stay above the fray, without running away?
WAKE UP EACH MORNING IN 2026 WITH THE THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING WONDERFUL IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN…..GOD DOES!
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